Sheryl Herndon is the owner and founder of Herndon Law, P.C., a client-centered firm that specializes in General Estate Planning, Elder Law, Veterans Benefits and Pension, Estate and Trust Administration, Fiduciary Services, Long-Term Care and Medicaid Planning, and Guardianships and Conservatorships for Incapacitated Adults. As a VA accredited attorney; Sheryl is able to help Veterans apply for and appeal their benefit claims through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
A Richmond native, Sheryl received her undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech (GO HOKIES!) and graduated cum laude from the University of Richmond’s T.C. Williams School of Law where she was a founding member of The Richmond Journal of Law and Technology, the world’s first law review to be published exclusively online. Following graduation, she served almost eight years as an Assistant Commonwealth Attorney in Henrico County, prosecuting cases that ran the gamut from traffic offenses and misdemeanors to felonies. In 2005, Sheryl left the Commonwealth Attorney’s office and entered private practice at White & McCarthy, LLP, a small Estate Planning and Elder Law firm . . . and that’s when she found her calling! Over the last 18 years, she has honed her expertise working on cases that touch on every facet of the practice, including Estate Planning, Special Needs and Long-Term Care Planning, Medicaid and Veterans Pension Benefits (Aid & Attendance) Eligibility, Guardianships and Conservatorships, Fiduciary Services, and representing clients in Involuntary Civil Commitment Proceedings.
In April 2017, Sheryl left her position as a partner at White & McCarthy to start her own law firm, one designed to reflect both her passion for her practice and her commitment to her clients. Whether working with young people to create powers of attorney and estate plans or guiding older clients and their families through the emotional and often overwhelming process of planning for care needs, Sheryl is grateful for the opportunity to engage in work she loves.
In addition to her law practice, Sheryl volunteers on the Advisory Board for Senior Connections (Area Agency on Aging). She is also a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Virginia Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Life Care Planning Law Firms Association, The Trusts and Estates Section of the Virginia State Bar, and the Henrico County Bar Association. She was an adjunct professor at the University of Richmond from 1999-2010, where she taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate level courses in the Paralegal Studies Program. (Truth be told, she had the time of her life teaching a non-credited course titled, “Criminal Law and the Movies!” which was offered to retirees through the OSHER Lifelong Learning Institute.)
Sheryl is the recipient of numerous awards, including Richmond’s “Top 40 under 40” Award and the National Association of Women Lawyers Award. She is a frequent guest speaker for community groups and associations in the Tri-Cities area and has published numerous articles in law review journals and community and legal publications.
When she isn’t working, Sheryl enjoys yoga, reading, and a glass of nice red wine—and dreams of sunny vacations on a tropical island! Most of all, she enjoys spending time with her children, relaxing at home with her two teenagers and visiting with her oldest son at the University of Tennessee.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
..
