VIRGA LAW FIRM, P.A. - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Member of the VIRGA LAW FIRM, PA TEAM

Andrea D. Ansley is an attorney in the Fort Walton Beach office. Andrea is the fourth generation of her family from Okaloosa County. She is a graduate of Crestview High School. She received her AA degree from Northwest Florida State College. Andrea graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science, cum laude in 2000. In 2003, she received her Juris Doctorate from Stetson University College of Law. While in law school, Andrea interned with Elizabeth Kovachevich, the Chief U.S. District Judge, Middle District of Florida in the Tampa Division. Andrea has practiced in the area of family law since her admission to the Florida Bar in 2003. Andrea is married and enjoys spending her free time with her Husband, children and grandchildren.

Job Titles:

• Operations Manager and Florida Registered Paralegal

April Hand graduated from Gulf Coast Community College in May of 2005 with an Associate of Science degree in Legal Assisting/Paralegal Studies. With her degree, she was also awarded the Outstanding Legal Assisting Student of the Year. Ms. Hand returned to Gulf Coast Community College and graduated in May of 2007 with an Associate of Arts Degree in General Education. After completing her A.S. and A.A. Degrees, Ms. Hand transferred to Orlando, Florida where she received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Legal Studies from the University of Central Florida. Ms. Hand has been working in the legal field since 2004 and has multiple years of family law experience. Ms. Hand is a single mother and can personally relate to many of our clients' needs and concerns. She does all she can for the client as she works toward resolving their family law needs.

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Member of the VIRGA LAW FIRM, PA TEAM

Attorney Christopher Melendez is the Managing Attorney for The Virga Law Firm's Florida office. Mr. Melendez is an experienced, knowledgeable, and compassionate family law attorney who has helped countless families throughout the state of Florida. Christopher Melendez graduated from Florida State University Cum Laude, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Entrepreneurship. After graduation, Melendez stayed in Florida to manage the family business where he had worked since childhood. In 2010, after obtaining over a decade of experience in small business management, Christopher left the business to attend Florida Coastal School of Law. While obtaining his law degree Christopher served as a teaching assistant for various courses, including Florida Coastal's Lawyering Process I (legal writing and research), Lawyering Process II, and Advanced Legal Research courses. In addition, he interned for a United States Middle District of Florida Senior Judge and earned a certificate in legal research, writing, and drafting. Shortly after graduating cum laude from Florida Coastal School of Law and receiving his license to practice in Florida, Christopher worked for North Florida Legal Services. He assisted the indigent with government aid applications, loan modification documents, and defending debt collection and eviction proceedings. In early 2014 he moved to south Florida to work in Mortgage Foreclosure Defense and in 2015 Melendez returned to Florida to provide affordable immigration, bankruptcy, and family law services to residents of Leon and surrounding counties. Joining The Virga Law Firm, P.A. in 2016, Christopher brings years of conflict resolution experience that he acquired as a business manager, superb legal writing, and a dedication to thorough research. This lends to his previous legal experience in saving both homes and families in counties all over the state of Florida.

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Executive Director
• Member of the VIRGA LAW FIRM, PA TEAM

David Lohr graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting. He later moved to Florida to attend law school at Barry University. While still in law school, Mr. Lohr spent two years working as a paralegal for a family law firm in Clermont. After graduation in 2011, he worked for two law firms representing clients throughout Florida regarding contract disputes, real property issues, probate, construction defects, property damage, insurance coverage disputes, commercial liability, and other related issues. Since 2015, Mr. Lohr was the Senior Managing Attorney of a firm working exclusively in family law matters ranging from divorce, paternity, child custody, child support, and disestablishment proceedings. Mr. Lohr joined The Virga Law Firm in August 2020. Since joining the firm, Mr. Lohr is putting his extensive experience in family law and civil trial practice to work for his clients to reach a favorable resolution to their cases in their time of need. Mr. Lohr is admitted to practice before all Florida state courts and the Federal Court of the Northern District of Florida. When not working, he enjoys golfing, fishing, hunting, and horseback riding.

Job Titles:

• Member of the VIRGA LAW FIRM, PA TEAM
• Founding Attorney

Gerard Virga received his bachelor's degree from the University of Florida and then earned his juris doctorate from Cumberland School of Law. Mr. Virga also had the distinguished honor of being a law clerk for former United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions and an Assistant Attorney General under Attorney General Charlie Crist. Following his legal service to the State of Florida and the United States, Mr. Virga returned home and opened The Virga Law Firm, P.A. Mr. Virga is the lead attorney of The Virga Law Firm. The firm has grown to include law offices in Panama City, Fort Walton, Pensacola, Orlando, Panama City Beach, and Navarre Florida. Mr. Virga has routinely handled divorce and family law litigation for thousands of clients throughout Florida, having practiced in numerous counties and circuits throughout the state of Florida. Mr. Virga has almost exclusively, devoted his practice to family law and divorce litigation. His reputation as an avid family law litigator was achieved by zealously representing thousands of clients in almost every type of family law case imaginable. This attention to detail, compassion for clients, and aggressive representation has led to the expansion of his firm throughout Florida. Among the many awards and accolades that Mr. Virga has received, he is most proud of being named in the "10 Best" by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys. Mr. Virga has also been recognized by the National Advocates as a "Top Lawyer", been given a distinguished honor by being named in the "Top 100 Trial Lawyers", and listed as a Super Lawyer's Rising Star. Mr. Virga has been contacted on numerous occasions by news agencies and newspapers to address and provide explanations and commentary on various family law issues affecting Floridians. Mr. Virga has also been sought out by local organizations and bar associations to speak on issues regarding divorce law, military divorce, and collaborative law. Gerard Virga has built his reputation and that of his law firm on results, and taking pride in his commitment to his clients and their children. He is proud of the team of attorneys and legal staff that he has built at The Virga Law Firm, P.A. Practice Areas Family Law

Job Titles:

• Divorce

Job Titles:

• Member of the VIRGA LAW FIRM, PA TEAM
• Senior Associate

J. Chad Self is a senior associate attorney at The Virga Law Firm. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Self practiced law in Tampa, Florida where he represented clients in complex and high asset family law cases. Mr. Self's practice is focused on general family law matters, including dissolution of marriage, paternity, equitable distribution, custody, child support, and adoptions. Additionally, Mr. Self is also experienced in estate planning, corporate law, probate, landlord/tenant, and real estate law, to name a few.

Job Titles:

• Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Financial Officer, Paralegal
• Database Manager, and Analyst for the Virga Law Firm

Daniel Durnbaugh is a paralegal, the database manager, and analyst for The Virga Law Firm, P.A. Daniel Durnbaugh graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. Daniel Durnbaugh has been working extensively in Family Law since 2007. Additionally, Mr. Durnbaugh has worked in Bay County as a high school mathematics teacher where he was not only able to enlighten children on their path to adulthood, but be supportive in their time of need and help with family problems. Mr. Durnbaugh also worked as a part of the logistics and purchasing department in manufacturing, where he was responsible for buying numerous materials for the manufacturing process and ensuring that the materials were delivered on time and the materials were on hand when needed. Mr. Durnbaugh's technical knowledge and ability to collect and analyze data is invaluable to the firm, his contributions include: aiding the attorneys and paralegals in working cases, optimization for the business, the training of all employees, and much more. Mr. Durnbaugh is a key member of the Virga Law Firm, P.A. family, a father, and a husband. Mr. Durnbaugh believes in equal protection and justice not only for our clients, but also for our client's family and children. Mr. Durnbaugh has also spearheaded, or had a major hand in, our firm's charitable events and drives to provide shoes, backpacks, bicycles, toys and school supplies to local children. Mr. Durnbaugh is proud to contribute and work for a firm that not only passionately cares about helping families through some of the most difficult and stressful times in their lives, but also gives back to the community and assists children in need. "I will definitely be recommending to anyone I know that needs a child custody or divorce attorney!" - A Divorce Client

Job Titles:

• Associate
• Attorney
• City Beach Managing Attorney

Taylor is an associate attorney in our Orlando office, serving numerous counties throughout Central Florida. She helps parents, spouses, and families envision their new normal outside of the legal process. She provides a unique quality to the legal practice, as she has been noted for being able to hone in on the individual and family within each case and provide a level of service that leaves client's feeling heard, acknowledged, and aggressively represented.

Job Titles:

• Managing Attorney for the Virga Law Firm 's Pensacola
• Panama City Managing Attorney

William J. "West" Ritchie is a managing attorney for The Virga Law Firm's Pensacola office. He is well-versed in storm and hurricane insurance claims, construction defect litigation, BP oil spill claims, and insurance defense litigation. He also has 30 years of Family Law and Divorce experience. Mr. Ritchie has represented clients in the Panhandle for the past 28 years. Some of his current practice areas include Hurricane claims, Construction Defect Litigation, B.P. claims, and Insurance Defense Litigation. After Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle in October 2018, he got right to work to hear the stories of claimants who needed to file homeowners' insurance claims but did not know where to begin. Growing up in Alabama as the 12 th child in a family of 14 children, Mr. Ritchie learned the importance of togetherness and community involvement at an early age. This lesson would prove to be integral to his development into adulthood, pointing him to the path of becoming an attorney. Ever since he received his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law, Mr. Ritchie knew he wanted to help people in need and in tricky legal situations. As a lawyer with The Virga Law Firm in Florida, he is able to continue his career focus by contributing to family law/divorce, criminal, bankruptcy, and insurance law cases our law firm accepts. In terms of family law and divorce cases, he has personal insight, having gone through a difficult divorce and child custody case himself some years ago. He uses that experience to relate to his clients and guide them through their family law dispute with confidence. Mr. Ritchie often says his career highlight arose during a criminal defense case. He was defending a client who could have been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment with no chance of early release. After a hard-fought legal battle, the jury was convinced his client acted in self-defense and returned a not guilty verdict. Recently, Mr. Ritchie has sat on the Board of Directors of many civic organizations in his area. He believes in using his skills and education to help improve the lives of others, and such seats give him this great opportunity.