Cook Craig & Francuzenko PLLC

Estate Litigation Lawyer – Contesting a Will

June 9, 2025

Are you considering contesting a will? Then you need a top estate litigation lawyer. Ambiguous estate documents can be tricky. If you believe that there is defect or some sort of irregularity with a will, you may need to contest its admission to probate. An estate litigation lawyer can evaluate your case and help you determine if you have grounds for a lawsuit. How Does Estate Litigation Work? Someone contesting a will may only try preventing the admission of a will to probate if they have proper standing. Some common reasons that a will may be deemed invalid are: The Testator (creator of the will) was mentally impaired or incapacitated when signing the will. The Testator revoked the will. The Testator was under the influence of threat or force when he or she signed the will. The will does not comply with the law. For example, it lacks a signature and/or was not signed before suitable witnesses. Fraud was involved in the Testator signing the will. What is the Difference Between a Litigator and a Mediator? Under very strict circumstances, and after ensuring there is no conflict of interest, an attorney may act as a mediator; helping beneficiaries resolve disputes

Virginia Transgender Discrimination Lawyer

June 2, 2025

Workplace discrimination against transgender people violates Virginia law, even if the landscape of federal law is becoming muddied. If you have been a victim, it’s important to speak to a Virginia transgender discrimination lawyer as soon as possible. Understanding Your Rights at Work Virginia laws prohibit employers from discriminating against you because of your gender identity, gender transition, sex assigned at birth, or transgender status. These rights are not affected by changes in federal law or changes in the enforcement priorities of federal administrations. Virginia laws prevent employers from refusing to hire, firing, harassing, or otherwise discriminating against you because of your transgender status. What to Do About Discrimination If you are experiencing discrimination in the workplace, it’s important to speak to someone and protect yourself. Your first step should be to try and resolve the issue internally with the company’s complaint process. Read your company’s equal employment opportunity procedures and see if they expressly cover gender identity. Even if they don’t, you can still file an internal complaint. Filing an EEOC Complaint Filing a charge of discrimination with the EEOC can protect your legal rights. Your EEOC charge can be cross-filed with the Virginia Attorney General to trigger state

Fired or Laid Off for DEI Policy? Call John Cook!

May 28, 2025

Are you a private sector employee working for a federal contractor in Virginia? If you have been put on leave or fired due to DEI policies, you may have legal options. Our partner John Cook is dedicated to protecting employee rights and helping those unfairly targeted by changing political policies. Understanding New Executive Orders New executive orders aimed at undoing DEI hires have caused significant firings and layoffs across the country. These orders have implemented significant changes in the workplace policies for federal contractors. Unfortunately, these changes have led to some employees being laid off, demoted, or wrongfully terminated. If you have lost your job due to your involvement in DEI programs, you may have a case for wrongful termination, retaliation, or employment discrimination. Do I Have a Wrongful Termination Case? If you were fired or placed on leave due to DEI related policies, consider the following questions. Was I actively involved in DEI training or initiatives? Did my employer cite political or ideological reasons for firing me? Did my employer claim compliance with executive orders as a reason for firing me? Was I given unclear or shifting reasons for being placed on leave? If you answer yes to any

Should I Have a Lawyer Review my Severance Package?

May 19, 2025

Absolutely. A severance agreement is a legally binding agreement, and you should always seek legal counsel before signing one. Even if the agreement seems fine to you, there may be tricky clauses or bad provisions that work against you. It’s always a good idea to have a lawyer review your severance package. Here’s why. Legal Action Typically, severance agreements require you to waive and release all employment related claims you might have against the employer. What does that mean? Well, it means that you can’t sue the employer for anything that happened prior to the date you signed the agreement. The agreement may also limit any future claims to arbitration. Money Sometimes, employers offer less money initially with the expectation that employees will negotiate up the severance amount. Other times, an employee has potential claims – like discrimination, wage payment or overtime issues, or disability accommodations, that can be used to leverage a higher payment. Employment Benefits Your severance agreement needs to explain what benefits you will receive after you leave the company. This includes health benefits, job placement assistance and more. Remember that everything in the agreement is negotiable, including continuing healthcare coverage. Knowing Your Worth Make sure that

How Do DEI Executive Orders Impact Government Contractors

May 12, 2025

Recent executive orders aimed at eliminating DEI initiatives could pose risks to government contractors. These orders also raise a number of complicated legal issues that federal contractors will need to navigate. We highly recommend speaking to an attorney about what this could mean for you. What do these executive orders mean? There are two main executive orders that seek to end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the workplace. The goal of these orders is to knock down private sector DEI efforts, preferences, mandates, policies, programs, and activities. Risk to Federal Contractors Government contractors need to evaluate their current DEI policies and practices and look for potential legal implications. The federal government or private “qui tam” plaintiffs could come after you for FCA liability, criminal and civil investigations, termination of existing grants and contracts and impact to future contracting opportunities. On the other hand, “DEI” is not “illegal” per se. The courts, not the executive branch, have the final say in what a law means. Your personnel policies may have brought you a great workforce. Don’t feel you have to tear it down just because of a press release. It is crucial to evaluate whether any of your DEI policies