J. Penn Crawford

J. Penn Crawford, a Richmond native, earned his undergraduate degree at East Carolina University and went on to serve on the Oversight and Investigations staff for the House Commerce Committee on Capitol Hill. He attended the University of Richmond’s T. C. Williams School of Law, where he served on the Journal of Law in the Public Interest and received the Williams Scholarship. Influenced by the Hon. Robert R. Merhige Jr.’s advice that representing people is a privilege that puts legal challenges in perspective, Penn joined a general practice firm after graduation and gained experience in criminal defense, commercial litigation, and matters that shaped appellate precedent—one case led to the Virginia Supreme Court’s first interpretation of the Virginia LLC Act. He served as a guardian ad litem for Richmond-area children, has authored published legal articles, and has spoken at educational seminars. Named to The National Trial Lawyers’ “Top 40 Under 40” in 2012 and 2013, he joined the Board of Commonwealth Community Trust in 2013 and served as its president from 2021–2022. He enjoys spending time with family, playing sports, and the outdoors.