Victor is Co-chair of Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black’s (WRVB) Labor & Employment practice group. He is also Chairman of the WRVB Board of Directors. He practices labor and employment law throughout the U.S., focusing on diversity, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and labor/management relations—including union-organizing campaigns and union-avoidance techniques—and workplace violence.
Victor has significant experience before state and federal courts and administrative agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board. He offers counsel to executive and human resources managers on a wide range of employer concerns—from harassment, sexual orientation/transgender, retaliation, and discrimination, to workforce reductions, handbooks and agreements, unfair competition, wage/hour compliance, health and disability, discipline/discharge, and employee leave.
Victor is recognized throughout Virginia as a formidable but approachable advocate for higher education clients. He has a 30+ year history of helping institutional leaders navigate the relationships and issues that arise between college and university boards and the stakeholders they serve. He advises private colleges and universities across the Commonwealth on a wide range of issues, including faculty, staff, and administration challenges, and FERPA, Title IX, and Title VII matters.
Additionally, Victor is the Immediate Past President of the Virginia Bar Association and serves on the Virginia State Bar’s Board of Governors for its Diversity Conference. He was named to the Roanoke Law Foundation Fellows Program in 2018.
Virginia Lawyers Weekly has recognized Victor as a “Leaders in the Law.” He is regularly listed in industry rankings including Virginia Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America for Employment Law – Management and Labor Law – Management, including being named Roanoke Lawyer of the Year. He is recognized by Martindale-Hubbell in Litigation and Labor and Employment and by Chambers USA as a leading attorney in the Labor and Employment practice. In 2019, Victor received the Martin Luther King “Drum Major for Justice” award issued by the local Roanoke chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Prior to joining WRVB in 1991, Victor served as Deputy Associate Chief Counsel with the U. S. Department of Labor Benefits Review Board. He has served as a member of the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association, representing Virginia, and was appointed to the Human Rights Council of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Victor lends legal counsel to many Roanoke-area nonprofit organizations including the Bradley Free Clinic, Center in the Square, Grandin Theatre Foundation, Mill Mountain Zoo, United Way of the Roanoke Valley, Science Museum of Western Virginia, and Human Rights Council of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Foundation of Independent Colleges. In September 2020, Victor was appointed to serve on the board of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority. In the past, he has served on the boards of the Science Museum of Western Virginia and the Virginia High School League Foundation. He has also been an active volunteer with Cosmopolitan International.
Thought Leadership
An Employment Law Guide: Employee Rights and Employer Responsibilities in Virginia (2021), Co-author
Employment Law in Virginia (2020), Co-author
Attorney Perspectives
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Department of Labor Proposes Increasing Minimum Overtime Exemption Salary to $55,068
September 5, 2023 -
Open Registration: HR2023 Back on Track: WRVB’s 42nd Annual Labor & Employment Seminars
August 30, 2023 -
Admissions After Affirmative Action: What’s Next in Higher Ed
July 21, 2023 -
A Note from Victor Cardwell on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 18, 2022 -
FLSA Lessons from TopGolf: Titles Mean Nothing!
September 27, 2021 -
Legal Marijuana and Your Workplace: It’s Going to Get Complicated
April 9, 2021 -
Virginia’s COVID-19 Emergency Standards Are Now Permanent
February 1, 2021 -
Storming the U.S. Capitol! Can you fire an employee for rioting?
January 11, 2021 -
Retaliation: “I know it when I see it!” But do you really?
November 16, 2020 -
Virginia’s COVID-19 Workplace Safety Standards Are Effective NOW! (Coronavirus and the Law)
July 27, 2020
Speaking Engagements
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Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black | Back on Track: 42nd Annual Labor & Employment Seminars
October 18, 19, 25, 26, 27, 2023 -
Virginia Association of Community Service Boards HR Council | 2023 Legal Update
October 5, 2023 -
Lynchburg Bar Association | Reflecting on the VBA
April 5, 2023 -
Clerks of the District Courts of VA Spring Conference | Leadership Skill Building Seminar
April 3, 2023 -
Richmond Bar Association Luncheon | Keynote Speaker
January 10, 2023 -
Virginia Bar Association Annual Conference on Labor & Employment | Early Bird Ethics
September 8, 2022 -
Richmond SHRM | 2022 Legal Update
March 17, 2022 -
Association of Legal Administrators State Conference | Marijuana and the Workplace
March 4, 2022 -
Virginia Bar Association 132nd Annual Meeting | Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Revisited – What the Legal Industry Gets Wrong about DEI
January 21, 2022 -
New River Valley SHRM Annual Legal Update | Are You an HR Hero? Managing Litigation
September 16, 2021 -
Shenandoah Valley SHRM 2021 Virginia Legal Forum | How Does a Lawsuit Work
September 15, 2021 -
Virginia CLE | Elimination of Bias: Racial Bias Challenges in the Legal System
August 27, 2021 -
Roanoke Valley SHRM | Diversity, Equity And Inclusion In The Workplace
August 24, 2021 -
Virginia CLE | Elimination of Bias: Racial Bias Challenges in the Legal System
August 19, 2021 -
IPMA-Va Spring Conference | 2021 Legal Updates
March 23, 2021 -
Virginia Association of Community Service Boards HR Leadership | Virginia’s New Employment Laws
October 30, 2020 -
UVA Club of Tidewater | Hoo Knows the Law?
October 9, 2020 -
American Counsel of Engineering Companies of Virginia | HR Roundtable – Virginia’s New Workplace Laws: What’s Here and What’s Coming?
August 26, 2020 -
Virginia Credit Union League | Virginia’s Updated Workplace Standards & EFMLA
August 5, 2020 -
VACAP Human Resources Peer Group | COVID-19 – Returning to Work: Legal Issues Agencies Need to Consider
June 10, 2020 -
Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce | COVID-19 Webinar Series
April 24, 2020 -
2019 Virginia Statewide Payroll Conference "Payroll Strikes Back" | HR Issues in Payroll
October 10, 2019 -
Richmond SHRM | HR on Mock Trial: Romance Gone Wrong (Allegedly)
September 19, 2019 -
Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia | Higher Education Legal Update
May 22, 2019 -
MSCUA Annual Meeting | Hot Topics in Employee Handbooks
May 16, 2019 -
Lynchburg Regional Alliance Business Summit | Employment Law Updates
April 30, 2019 -
Virginia SHRM Annual Conference | Employment Law Update
April 8, 2019 -
Richmond SHRM | Legal Update
February 21, 2019 -
Mississippi Credit Union Association | MSCUA HR Training
February 12, 2019 -
Conference for Virginia Magistrates | #MeToo & Harrassment, Employment Law Update
December 5, 2018 -
Conference for Virginia Magistrates | #MeToo & Harrassment, Employment Law Update
November 28, 2018 -
ACEC HR Forum | The Role of Human Resources in Securing the Workplace
October 16, 2018 -
Credit Union Collaborative: IN, KY, LO, MI, TN, VA, WVA | HR University for Credit Union HR Professionals
September 25, 2018 -
Richmond SHRM | HR on (Mock) Trial: Racial Discrimination
September 20, 2018 -
VA District Judges Summer Meeting | Harassment
August 7, 2018 -
VA Circuit Court Clerks | FMLA and ADA
June 6, 2018 -
Virginia Legal Aid Society Pro Bono Conference | Diversity in the Law
April 20, 2018 -
Association of Clerks of the District Courts of Virginia 28th Annual Meeting | Employment Law 101 | HR, Diversity, Harassment, Sexual Orientation
April 16, 2018 -
North Carolina ALA Chapter Education Conference | Updates from the EEOC and DOL
March 13, 2018 -
Richmond SHRM: Legal Update | Sexual Harassment is Unlawful!
February 13, 2018
Seminars + Events
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Stronger Together: WRVB 2022 Labor & Employment Seminars
October 6 - October 24, 2022 -
40th Annual Labor & Employment Webinar Series
October 7 – November 4, 2021 -
HR LifeLine: 2020 Labor & Employment Webinar Series
Every Thursday in October, 2020 -
HR University for Credit Unions
Nov. 12-14, 2019 -
2019 Labor and Employment Seminar Series
October 2 - November 5, 2019 -
37th Annual Labor & Employment Seminar Series
September 20 - October 17, 2018 -
Workplace Violence: Legal Liabilities for Employers
March 20, 2018 -
Key Legal Issues in Higher Education
March 1, 2018
Recognition
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Victor Cardwell and Dan Summerlin Named to Virginia 500 Power List
September 15, 2023 -
Best Lawyers in America Recognizes 70 WRVB Attorneys
August 17, 2023 -
Seven WRVB Attorneys and Three Practice Groups Ranked by Chambers USA
June 1, 2023 -
Thirty-Seven WRVB Attorneys Named to 2023 Virginia Super Lawyers and Rising Stars List
May 1, 2023 -
Victor Cardwell Named to Virginia Black Business Leaders Hall of Fame
February 2, 2023 -
70 WRVB Attorneys Named to 2022 “Legal Elite”
November 29, 2022 -
WRVB’s Cardwell, Summerlin, and Rottenborn Named to Virginia 500 Power List
September 9, 2022 -
WRVB Attorneys Make Major Showing in Best Lawyers in America
August 16, 2022 -
Six Woods Rogers Attorneys and Three Practice Groups Ranked by Chambers USA
June 1, 2022 -
Eighteen Woods Rogers Attorneys Named to 2022 Virginia Super Lawyers or Rising Stars Lists
May 5, 2022 -
Victor Cardwell Becomes President of Virginia Bar Association for 2022
January 24, 2022 -
26 Woods Rogers Attorneys Named “Legal Elite” or “Rising Stars”
December 1, 2021 -
Victor Cardwell & Dan Summerlin Named to Virginia 500 Power List for Second Year
September 1, 2021 -
Four Woods Rogers Attorneys Named Lawyer of the Year for Roanoke
August 19, 2021 -
Forty-four Woods Rogers Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers for 2022
August 19, 2021 -
Six Woods Rogers Attorneys and Two Practice Groups Ranked by Chambers USA
May 24, 2021 -
Sixteen Woods Rogers Attorneys Are 2021 Virginia Super Lawyers or Rising Stars
May 6, 2021 -
31 Woods Rogers Attorneys Listed as “Legal Elite” and “Rising Stars”
November 30, 2020 -
Victor Cardwell & Dan Summerlin Named to Virginia 500 Power List
September 3, 2020 -
Five Woods Rogers Attorneys Named a Roanoke Lawyer of the Year
August 24, 2020 -
Forty-one Woods Rogers Attorneys Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for 2021
August 20, 2020 -
Six Woods Rogers Attorneys Ranked by Chambers USA
April 27, 2020 -
Eighteen Woods Rogers Attorneys Selected as 2020 Virginia Super Lawyers
April 15, 2020 -
Victor Cardwell Elected as Chair of the VBA Board of Governors
February 6, 2020 -
“Legal Elite” Ranking Lists 30 Woods Rogers Attorneys
December 10, 2019 -
Thirty-nine Woods Rogers Attorneys Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for 2020
August 16, 2019 -
Six Woods Rogers Attorneys Named a Roanoke Lawyer of the Year
August 15, 2019 -
Five Woods Rogers Attorneys Recognized by Chambers USA
May 24, 2019 -
Twenty-two Woods Rogers Attorneys Named 2019 Virginia Super Lawyers
April 11, 2019 -
Victor Cardwell Receives 2019 “Drum Major for Justice” Award from the Roanoke Valley Southern Christian Leadership Conference
January 21, 2019 -
Virginia Business Names 26 Woods Rogers Attorneys as 2018 “Legal Elite”
December 5, 2018 -
Thirty-nine Woods Rogers Attorneys Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America
August 16, 2018 -
Twenty-three Woods Rogers attorneys awarded honors by Virginia Super Lawyers Magazine
April 20, 2018 -
Thirty-six Woods Rogers Attorneys Are Recognized by Best Lawyers in America
August 15, 2017 -
Twenty-one Woods Rogers attorneys awarded honors by Virginia Super Lawyers Magazine
May 1, 2017