This program will focus on the nuts and bolts and do’s and don’ts of practice before the Alexandria Circuit Court. Attendees will get an opportunity to peer behind the curtain and learn the most effective strategies for seamless appearances before our court and interactions with our Clerk’s office. Learn how things look from the bench, what you can do to help our Judicial Law Clerks and how they can help you. The Panel will include Benjamin Ortiz from the Clerk’s Office, who will answer all of your questions about new filing and other procedures, and what that office expects from attorneys and litigants. An insider’s look at the expectations and pet peeves of the 3rd and 4th floors.
Hon. Kathleen M. Uston Judge
Alexandria Circuit Court
Hon. Kathleen M. Uston began her service on the Circuit Court for the 18th Circuit in the City of Alexandria in April 2021. She received her juris doctorate from George Mason University School of Law in 1991 and, after passing the bar, went into private practice focusing in the areas of attorney ethical defense work, GAL representation, and civil litigation. Judge Uston served as Commissioner in Chancery for the Circuit Court for the City of Alexandria, as Assistant Bar Counsel with the Virginia State Bar for thirteen years and as adjunct professor of law at American University Washington College of Law teaching Ethics for Trial Lawyers. She is past President of the VSB Young Lawyers Conference, served as vice-chair of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Solo and Small Firm Committee, and is former President of the Alexandria Bar Association. Judge Uston also served as President of the National Organization of Bar Counsel and as NOBC's Delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates. Judge Uston was a member of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, the Presidential Committee on Wellness of the Virginia State Bar, and a member of the Virginia Committee on Lawyer Wellness formed by Chief Justice Donald Lemons of the Virginia Supreme Court. Judge Uston is currently a member of the Supreme Court Wellness Advisory Committee. Over her career, Judge Uston has lectured extensively on the subject of attorney ethics and had the great honor of co-authoring the updated edition of Lawyers and Other People's Money with Frank Thomas, Esquire.
Benjamin Ortiz
Chief of Staff/Probate Clerk
Office of the Clerk of Court
Alexandria Circuit Court
Benjamin Ortiz was born in New York and was raised between New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico. After graduating from the University of Puerto Rico with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, he moved to the Northern Virginia area to work for the Federal Government. Ben joined the Clerk’s Office in 2003 and since then has successfully worked in numerous positions, such as Courtroom Clerk, Civil Division Supervisor, and Probate Clerk. Currently working as Chief of Staff, Ben makes sure that the office’s goals and mission are met. With over 20 years of experience in the Clerk’s Office, Ben continues to enthusiastically maneuver the intricacies of the Judicial System while assisting the residents of the City of Alexandria and the general public.
Mary Talkington
Senior Law Clerk
Alexandria Circuit Court
Mary E. Talkington serves as a Senior Circuit Court Law Clerk to Chief Judge Lisa B. Kemler, Judge Kathleen M. Uston, and Judge Rebecca J. Wade. She graduated with Distinction from the University of Virginia College of Arts and Sciences in 2020 (B.A., Double Major in Government & Psychology; Minor in Latin) and graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2023. In her spare time, she enjoys playing water polo, running on the Mt. Vernon Trail, and exploring Old Town.
Bryson Strachan
Judicial Law Clerk
Alexandria Circuit Court
Bryson T. Strachan serves as a Senior Circuit Court Law Clerk to Chief Judge Lisa B. Kemler, Judge Kathleen M. Uston, and Judge Rebecca J. Wade. He graduated ampla cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin in 2019 (B.A., Double Major in Economics & Government; Minor in Business Administration; Certificate in Business of Healthcare) and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Richmond School of Law in 2023. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening and cooking with his wife Kelly, watching college football, running on the Mt. Vernon Trail, and reading.
