Maryellen Goodlatte

Maryellen Flaherty Goodlatte received her undergraduate degree from Bates College in Maine, cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, in 1974 and her law degree from Washington & Lee in 1978, putting her in the third class at the law school to accept women. She was admitted to the bar the same year. One of the most respected attorneys in Roanoke, Goodlatte is a founding partner of law firm Glenn Feldmann Darby and Goodlatte, where she focused her practice on land use until her retirement at the end of July.

Her legal accolades abound – she was on Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s inaugural list of “Influential Women in the Law”, has been listed in Best Lawyers in America for more than 10 years, has been named by Superlawyers as one of Virginia’s top 50 Women Lawyers, and has been named to the “Legal Elite” by Virginia Business magazine. Indeed, the prestigious 2023 Frank W. “Bo” Rogers, Jr., Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Maryellen Goodlatte in June by the Roanoke Bar Association, a fitting recognition of her groundbreaking career.

Goodlatte’s civic commitment to Roanoke is extensive as well, including service on the boards of the Transportation Museum, Carilion Foundation, and Roanoke Regional Partnership. She is a past president of Downtown Roanoke, Inc. and was the first woman president of the Roanoke Bar Association. Goodlatte is married to Bob Goodlatte, an attorney and former Congressman representing Virginia’s 6th congressional district for 13 terms.