Scott Surovell

Early life

Surovell grew up in the Tauxemont, Virginia area, and attended preschool, elementary school and intermediate school there. In 1989, he graduated from West Potomac High School, and went to college at James Madison University, where he was student body vice-president. He graduated in 1993, with a major in Political Science.

Professional career

In 1993, he served as a Governor's Fellow in the Administration of Governor L. Douglas Wilder. Surovell worked for DMV Deputy Commissioner Bill Leighty who later served as Chief of Staff under Governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. He also interned in Washington, D.C. for Representative Jim Moran of Virginia and then-congressman Ron Wyden of Oregon.^[2]

Surovell earned a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1996, where he served as executive editor of the Virginia Journal of Environmental Law.^[3]

Surovell is a trial lawyer specializing in criminal and traffic defense, domestic relations, personal injury, and commercial litigation. In 2002, Surovell founded Surovell Markle Isaacs and Levy PLC, a firm which specialized in representing individuals and small businesses throughout Northern Virginia with four other attorneys. In 2005, former state delegate Chap Petersen joined the firm as a partner. He was later elected to the Senate of Virginia.

Surovell argued his first case to the Supreme Court of Virginia at age 28 involving a fraud claim involving the sale of a used car.^[4] In 2007, Surovell successfully blocked an insurance company from paying a man convicted of killing his wife $300,000 of life insurance proceeds from his wife's policy.^[5] The case ultimately resulted in modifications^[6] to the Virginia Slayer Statute^[7] in the 2008 General Assembly Session. In 2010, Surovell also won a $4.80 million jury verdict^[8] in favor of a Vienna family who was permanently injured in a fireworks accident in the Town of Vienna.

Political career

In 2003, Surovell was elected Chairman of the Mount Vernon District Democratic Committee of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee. In 2008, he was elected Chairman of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee where he organized and led local grassroots campaign activities for the Obama-Biden, Warner, Moran, Connolly and Feder campaigns.

In 2009, Surovell resigned as Chairman of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee in order to run for the House of Delegates.

Electoral history

Surovell ran for the Virginia House of Delegates during the 2009 elections, attempting to replace retiring Democratic incumbent Kristen J. Amundson. He defeated his Republican challenger 53% to 44%, and was sworn into office the following January in Richmond, Virginia.^[9]

In 2014, Surovell was elected Caucus Chairman by the Virginia House Democratic Caucus.^[10]

References

1. ^ Virginia House of Delegates - Scott Surovell, retrieved February 25, 2010
2. ^ Bio on official Campaign website, retrieved February 25, 2010
3. ^ Bio on law firm website, retrieved December 20, 2010
4. ^ "HOLMES v. LG MARION CORPORATION". Findlaw. Retrieved 7 October 2014. 
5. ^ Somashekhar, Sandhya (May 16, 2007). "Judge Rules Against the Killer and the Insurer". The Washington Post. 
6. ^ Somashekhar, Sandhya (January 20, 2008). "Fairfax Lawmaker Aims to Close Slayer Statute Loophole". The Washington Post. 
7. ^ http://leg1.state.va.us/000/lst/LS418462.HTM
8. ^ Jackman, Tom (November 13, 2010). "Jury awards $4.75 million in Vienna fireworks accident". The Washington Post. 
9. ^ "2009 Virginia Election Results: House of Delegates - 44th District". Hampton Roads. Retrieved March 5, 2010. 
10. ^ Vozella, Laura (September 24, 2014). "Surovell wins No. 2 Democratic Party post in Virginia House of Delegates". The Washington Post. 

External links

• Scott Surovell Official Bio
• Official Website