Our Heritage

Tom Word grew up on a small farm in the mountains of Montgomery County, Virginia. His father was a self educated lawyer in the tradition of Abraham Lincoln and a farmer. He died when Tom was fifteen, but his influence has been strong in Tom’s life and through Tom in Scott’s. He stood for integrity and humor. His dislikes – pompous, humorless people, abuse of land, and phonies – are shared by Tom and Scott.

When We Are Not In the Office

Tom and Scott share a love of the out of doors, manifested in upland bird hunting. They have raised and trained bird dogs – setters and pointers – since Scott was a small boy. They share a keen interest in conservation (this led Scott to a newly created position as Development Director for a national wildlife conservation membership organization, The Ruffed Grouse Society, where he advocated estate planning strategies for interested donors, including conservation easements and charitable lead and remainder trusts).

Tom and Scott also share a deep interest in history and current affairs (Scott majored in history at U. Va.) and in all things agrarian. They are voracious readers.

Scott is an avid golfer and a member of Hermitage Country Club. His principal interest, however, is his young family. He is married to Sheri Williams Word of Appomattox, Virginia and they have two children. Sheri’s father, Floyd Elliott Williams, is president of Farmers Bank of Appomattox and her mother, Barbara Ragland Williams, is Clerk of the Circuit Court of Appomattox County, a position she has held since 1976 (Tom’s father served as Clerk of a circuit court from 1931 until 1936, during which time he “read” law and passed the bar).

Tom’s hobbies include writing, and he has published two volumes of short stories (None Held Back and A Little Competition), and many fiction and nonfiction articles in Pointing Dog Journal, Draft Horse Journal, American Field and Field Trial Magazine. He frequently serves as a reporter and judge of pointing dog field trials across the U.S. and in Canada.

Thomas S. Word Jr.

Experience

Private practice with McGuireWoods LLP (as Partner, 1966 to 2006, currently as Of Counsel) and currently principal, Word & Word PLC. Concentrations in Tax, Estate Planning, Estate and Trust Administration, Charitable Giving, Family Business Planning, Fiduciary Litigation.

Education

• University of Richmond, The T.C. Williams School of Law, Richmond, Virginia, LL.B., 1961
  • Honors: Charles Norman Medal, top graduate
  • Omicron Delta Kappa
  • President, Student Government
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, B.S. in Business Administration, 1959
• Hampden-Sydney College, 1955-56

Professional Affiliations

• Richmond Bar Association
  • Member
  • President, 1984-1985
• American Law Institute
• American College of Trust and Estate Counsel

Place of Birth

• Christiansburg, Virginia

T. Scott Word III

Experience

• Private practice of law in Virginia (Staunton 1987-1989 and Richmond 1989-1999 and January 2006 to the present)
• Executive Director of NPA Foundation – 1999-2001
• Development Director of Ruffed Grouse Society – 2002-2005

Education

• Accredited Investment Fiduciary™ - 2006
• Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, J.D., May 1987
• University of Virginia, 1981-1983, B.A., History
• Hampden-Sydney College, 1979-1981, Dean’s List
• Collegiate School, 1979

Professional Affiliations

• Richmond Bar Association
• Virginia Bar Association
• American Bar Association, Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law

Place of Birth

• Richmond, Virginia