Tim Heaphy
Encyclopedia
Tim Heaphy is a white-collar criminal defense attorney, law professor and current United States Attorney
for the Western District of Virginia.
.
Graduating from UVA in 1986, Heaphy taught at a private school for a year and then joined the staff of Senator Joe Biden
(D-Del.
) He returned to Charlottesville, Virginia in 1988 to attend law school
, graduating in 1991.
After a judicial clerkship with District of Columbia Court of Appeals
Judge John A. Terry, Heaphy joined the law firm of Morrison Foerster in San Francisco.
He was hired by then-U.S. Attorney Eric Holder
.
As an Assistant United States Attorney in the Organized Crime and Narcotics Section, Heaphy supervised an investigation conducted by an FBI "Safe Streets" task force that resulted in a 158-count indictment charging 17 defendants with multiple murders and drug-trafficking violations. He also convicted the Capitol Hill Slasher. As of late 2002, he had prosecuted 55 cases and lost only 3. In 2003, The National Law Journal named Heaphy a Top 40 Lawyers Under 40.
In 2003, Heaphy joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in The Western District of Virginia based in Charlottesville, Virginia
. He successfully prosecuted Brent Simmons, who had been serving 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to second degree murder in the grisly deaths of two James Madison University
students in Harrisonburg, Virginia
on October 12, 1996. After public outcry over the leniency of Simmons’s sentence and the discovery of new evidence clearly implicating Simmons in the murders, prosecutors indicted Simmons for federal weapons and stalking charges. Simmons was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with no chance of parole.
, a prominent Richmond-based law firm in 2006, as a partner in the firm's commercial litigation department. He focused on white collar defense and government investigations, counting former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
(R) among of his clients. During this time, Heaphy also taught course in trial advocacy and a federal criminal practice seminar at the University of Virginia School of Law
.
On July 31, 2009 Heaphy was nominated by President Barack Obama
to become U.S. attorney for Virginia's western district. Heaphy was sworn in as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia on December 11, 2009.
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
for the Western District of Virginia.
Education and Early Career
Heaphy was raised in a Maryland suburb of Washington D.C. He attended college at The University of Virginia where he played football. He is married to Lori Shinseki, daughter of General Eric ShinsekiEric Shinseki
Eric Ken Shinseki is a retired United States Army four-star general who is currently serving as the 7th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs. His final U.S. Army post was as the 34th Chief of Staff of the Army...
.
Graduating from UVA in 1986, Heaphy taught at a private school for a year and then joined the staff of Senator Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
(D-Del.
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
) He returned to Charlottesville, Virginia in 1988 to attend law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
, graduating in 1991.
After a judicial clerkship with District of Columbia Court of Appeals
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals is the highest court of the District of Columbia. Established by the United States Congress in 1970, it is equivalent to a state supreme court, except that its power derives from Article I of the U.S. Constitution rather than from the inherent sovereignty...
Judge John A. Terry, Heaphy joined the law firm of Morrison Foerster in San Francisco.
Federal Prosecutor
Following a two-year stint at Morrison & Foerster, Heaphy joined the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
He was hired by then-U.S. Attorney Eric Holder
Eric Holder
Eric Himpton Holder, Jr. is the 82nd and current Attorney General of the United States and the first African American to hold the position, serving under President Barack Obama....
.
As an Assistant United States Attorney in the Organized Crime and Narcotics Section, Heaphy supervised an investigation conducted by an FBI "Safe Streets" task force that resulted in a 158-count indictment charging 17 defendants with multiple murders and drug-trafficking violations. He also convicted the Capitol Hill Slasher. As of late 2002, he had prosecuted 55 cases and lost only 3. In 2003, The National Law Journal named Heaphy a Top 40 Lawyers Under 40.
In 2003, Heaphy joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in The Western District of Virginia based in Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
. He successfully prosecuted Brent Simmons, who had been serving 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to second degree murder in the grisly deaths of two James Madison University
James Madison University
James Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
students in Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...
on October 12, 1996. After public outcry over the leniency of Simmons’s sentence and the discovery of new evidence clearly implicating Simmons in the murders, prosecutors indicted Simmons for federal weapons and stalking charges. Simmons was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with no chance of parole.
Present day
Heaphy joined McGuireWoods, LLPMcGuireWoods
McGuireWoods LLP is a major U.S. law firm with more than 900 attorneys in 19 offices in the United States and Europe. With the firm's largest offices in Richmond, VA, Charlotte, NC, and Chicago, IL, McGuireWoods has recently experienced a period of rapid growth by opening new offices in London in...
, a prominent Richmond-based law firm in 2006, as a partner in the firm's commercial litigation department. He focused on white collar defense and government investigations, counting former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
Tom DeLay
Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
(R) among of his clients. During this time, Heaphy also taught course in trial advocacy and a federal criminal practice seminar at the University of Virginia School of Law
University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program...
.
On July 31, 2009 Heaphy was nominated by President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
to become U.S. attorney for Virginia's western district. Heaphy was sworn in as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia on December 11, 2009.
Personal accolades
In 2003, The National Law Journal named Heaphy one of its 40 Important Lawyers Under 40.External links
- Timothy J. Heaphy, United States Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice
- Biography at McGuireWoods.com