Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 30, 1994                   TAG: 9411300079
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MARGARET EDDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                  LENGTH: Medium

GILMORE UNVEILS 2-PARTY LAWYER LIST

Unveiling the bipartisan list, the Republican called his dismissal of party affiliation ``a big step forward ... an important change in Virginia government.'' Traditionally, he said, such work - worth an estimated $5million to $10 million a year - has been parceled out by attorneys general to political cronies.

Gilmore's Democratic predecessor, Mary Sue Terry, applauded the bipartisanship but countered that it's nothing new.

``I had the least political office in history, and it made a lot of folks upset,'' said Terry, who noted that Robert Patterson - a prominent Richmond attorney and a Republican - was one of the first lawyers hired as outside counsel to her office.

Her in-house staff included the sister of state GOP Chairman Pat McSweeney, and a top deputy was a law partner of former GOP Gov. John Dalton, she said.

But Gilmore said he's gone far beyond predecessors to seek out qualified applicants for the work, which includes representing the state in highway condemnation lawsuits, medical malpractice actions and a variety of other localized cases.

He sent out more than 2,000 letters, including appeals to bar associations representing women and minorities, and advertised in a variety of publications, Gilmore said. His goal was ``leveling the playing field so that a lot of people have a chance to come in,'' he said.

Gilmore said the 175 attorneys - about 60 more will be named later - were drawn from an applicant pool of 339. Included on the list are 15 of 23 female applicants and five of 10 minority applicants, he said.

According to a staff analysis, Gilmore retained 53 of the 70 attorneys on Terry's list who reapplied. Gilmore said he has ``no idea'' about the political affiliations of many of the attorneys, but he noted the inclusion of several prominent Democrats - including Democratic State Central Committee member George Gilliam of Charlottesville and former Democratic state Sen. William Hopkins of Roanoke.

The list also includes prominent Republicans, including Maryellen Goodlatte of Roanoke, who is the wife of 6th District Rep. Bob Goodlatte, and Mark Obenshain, a Harrisonburg attorney.