Decker Peter G III Lwyr

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Martin A. Thomas of the Decker Law Firm in Norfolk, Va. has won a $1.9-million settlement for a Virginia Beach businessman whose motorcycle was struck by a concrete contractor's truck. The victim suffered a broken neck and several other serious injuries, and required months of recuperation in a hospital.

The collision occurred on Atlantic Avenue along the Virginia Beach oceanfront in the early morning hours of March 15, 2007. Police charged the truck driver, who was operating the company vehicle on personal business, with driving under the influence (DUI). A court had convicted the driver of DUI in October, 2004 and had restricted his driving privileges.
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The Virginia Board of Corrections elected Peter G. Decker, III chairman at its July 21, 2010 meeting in Richmond. Decker's election is yet another chapter in a 50-year public service record of the Decker Law Firm of Norfolk, Virginia.

Pete Decker III was appointed as a member of the Corrections Board by Gov Tim Kane, and re-appointed by Gov McDonnell. The Board members elected him chairman for a 4-year term. He is pleased to follow in his Dad's footsteps, and see many of the programs initiated by his father come to fruition in the intervening years.

This is the seventh in a series of stories about The Decker Law Firm, its attorneys and staff.

For the past 50 years, The Decker Law Firm has distinguished itself throughout Hampton Roads, based not only on the reputation of its founder, Pete Decker Jr., for his legal and charitable work, but also on the genuine passions the firm's attorneysand staff share for helping others.

For attorney Michelle Parker and bookkeeper Ed Pitcavage, their passions extend beyond the office and into their homes and private lives as well.

Born in Naples, Italy, where her Navy dad was stationed, Michelle came to Hampton Roads as a young girl and remembers that move almost to the day.

"We got here just as the blizzard of 1980 hit," she recalls with a laugh. "That was my introduction to Virginia."

This is the sixth in a series of stories about The Decker Law Firm, its attorneys and staff.

For the past 50 years, The Decker Law Firm has distinguished itself throughout Hampton Roads, based not only on the reputation of its founder, Pete Decker Jr., for his legal and charitable work, but also on the genuine passions the firm's attorneys and staff share for helping others.

For attorney Martin Thomas Jr. and docket clerk Ruby Capps, the paths that brought them to the firm were diverse, but nonetheless provided near-perfect training grounds for their work of the future.

Growing up in Virginia Beach, Martin set his sights early for a career in urban planning. The city's growing sprawl intrigued him and so, after graduating from Catholic High School, he went off to Virginia Tech. It was, he notes, a particularly exciting time to be there.

Ask famed attorney Peter G. Decker, Jr. how he became successful so early in his career and one case demonstrating his keen intellect and brilliant showmanship instantly comes to mind.

In 1960, at age 24, Decker was fresh out of William & Mary law school. He was working for Norfolk attorney Charlie Burlage. A call came from a young local musician and friend named PJ Leary.

Learys group was performing at the Frontier Restaurant in East Ocean View. Police entered the establishment and arrested Leary and his entire band, citing them for lewd and lascivious conduct.

This is the fourth in a series of stories about The Decker Law Firm, its attorneys and staff.

There are themes that run through the 50 years of The Decker Law Firm commitment, community, and family among them. For everyone at the firm, continually working toward its motto of People helping people holds true. Attorney George Neskis and bookkeeper Sheila Overfelt share these values.

Sometimes people find their own career; for others, the career seems to find them. When George was a teenager, law found him in an unlikely and traumatic spot and he was led to spend his life with it.

When I was a kid...
When I was a kid, my family didnt have a lot, but we had each other, and we were part of a community. There were good times and bad times, but we were all in it together. In looking back, that sense of community is why helping people is what the Decker Law Firm is all about, and why were involved in helping support so many worthwhile causes, such as St Judes Research Hospital, St. Marys Infants Home, The Virginia Opera, and many others.

Our firm is people-oriented, with attorneys experienced in many areas of practice designed to help people through what are often difficult times. Please know you can call us any time; well be glad to hear from you, and glad to help, every way we can.