# Charles D. Hatley of Melone Hatley Named Virginia Lawyers Weekly's 2026 Leader of the Year

> Charles D. Hatley, CEO of Melone Hatley, P.C., was named Virginia Lawyers Weekly's 2026 Leader of the Year at an October 29 ceremony in Midlothian.

- Published: 2026-10-30T20:04:55+00:00
- Section: Business
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-30/charles-hatley-virginia-lawyers-weekly-leader
- Source: [EIN Presswire](https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/953445282/charles-d-hatley-named-virginia-lawyers-weekly-s-2026-leader-of-the-year)

## Key takeaways

- Charles D. Hatley received Virginia Lawyers Weekly's 2026 Leader of the Year award at an October 29 ceremony at Independence Golf Club in Midlothian, Virginia.
- Hatley is CEO of Melone Hatley, P.C., a family law and estate planning firm serving clients in Virginia, Florida, South Carolina, and Texas.
- Melone Hatley was named to the 2026 Inc. 5000 list, and Hatley was recognized as a 2026 Virginia Business C-Suite Award honoree.

Charles D. Hatley, CEO of Melone Hatley, P.C., was named Virginia Lawyers Weekly's 2026 Leader of the Year at an October 29 ceremony at Independence Golf Club in Midlothian, Virginia. [EIN Presswire](https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/953445282/charles-d-hatley-named-virginia-lawyers-weekly-s-2026-leader-of-the-year) announced the award on October 30.

## How the Leader of the Year Award Is Chosen

The Leader of the Year is selected from Virginia Lawyers Weekly's annual Leaders in the Law class, which recognizes attorneys for contributions to the practice of law, leadership involving the justice system, and service to Virginia's legal community and the public. Hatley thanked his fellow honorees at the ceremony and credited the people who supported his leadership.

"This really is a testament to those that came before us, and the people I get to work with each and every single day that put their trust in me to actually be a leader," Hatley said.

Hatley leads [Melone Hatley, P.C.](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/004vmbf/melone-hatley-p-c), a multistate family law and estate planning firm founded by Rebecca Melone in Virginia that now serves clients across Virginia, Florida, South Carolina, and Texas. Before joining the firm's leadership, he managed offices for a national law firm and represented clients in divorce and child custody matters throughout Virginia and Washington, D.C. He serves on two Virginia State Bar committees, the Standing Committee on Lawyer Discipline and the Lawyers Insurance Committee, and hosts the firm's I Now Pronounce You Divorced podcast.

## Virginia Lawyers Weekly's Publishing Portfolio

[Virginia Lawyers Weekly](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/000como/virginia-lawyers-weekly) is a regional legal trade publication founded in 1986 and headquartered in Richmond, according to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data). The records describe it as operating under BridgeTower Media, a media company with more than 40 brands across home furnishings, business, construction, and legal sectors. The publication's media kit states that 75% of top companies in every market rely on BridgeTower Media publications for news and intelligence, the same records show.

## Melone Hatley's Earlier Honors This Year

Melone Hatley won the Legal Excellence in Innovation Award in the Mid-Size Firm Innovation category from Virginia Lawyers Weekly in May 2026, citing concierge-style client service, educational resources, and technology investments, EIN Presswire reported. In August 2026, Virginia Lawyers Weekly selected Marks & Harrison for its 2026 "In the Lead: Legacy Law Firms" feature, recognizing more than 115 years of client service, according to 24-7 Press Release. Virginia Housing Chief Counsel Fred Bryant was selected as a 2026 In-House Counsel Awards honoree by Virginia Lawyers Weekly in September 2026, PR Newswire reported.

## Melone Hatley's 2026 Recognition

Melone Hatley was named to the 2026 Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies, and Hatley was recognized as a 2026 Virginia Business C-Suite Award honoree. The Leader of the Year award marks the second consecutive year a Melone Hatley leader has been recognized through the Leaders in the Law program, after Melone was selected as a member of the 2025 class.

## Companies in this story

- [Virginia Lawyers Weekly company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/000como/virginia-lawyers-weekly) · website: https://valawyersweekly.com
- [Melone Hatley, P.C. company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/004vmbf/melone-hatley-p-c) · website: https://melonehatley.com

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