WELCOME VINCENT PRIOR, ESQ. TO OUR NORTON HEALTH LAW, PC TEAM

Norton Health Law, PC is pleased to announce that Vincent W. P. Prior, Esq. has joined the firm where he will focus on estate planning, estate and trust administration, elder law, consumer health law, and litigation matters. Vincent received his Juris Doctorate from Washington and Lee School of Law, where he gained legal experience as a Student Attorney at the Community Legal Practice Center until graduation in May 2023. Of his experience at Washington and Lee School of Law and specifically the Center, Vince said, “My time at W&L Law’s Community Legal Practice Center (“CLPC”) reinforced the fact that I wanted to practice law in a way that was meaningful to individuals in my community. While at the CLPC, I was able to assist underrepresented community members with a wide range of civil law matters including the drafting of wills, advance medical directives, durable powers of attorney, and designations of a designee to make final arrangements.” He added that he learned from fellow W&L Law students that even though the legal profession is largely adversarial, there’s always room for grace, humility, and humanity.

Commenting on Vince’s addition to the team, Norton Health Law, PC Founding Attorney Beth Norton said, “I’m excited to work with Vince because of his warm, caring nature, his excellent educational background, and his commitment to serving his community. Vince will be a tremendously valuable addition to our team, and I know our clients will love working with him.”

Prior to embarking on a career in law, Vince worked as a real estate entrepreneur, in service-related industries (both skilled trades and hospitality), as a business manager, and as a marketing consultant. Of his diverse background, Vince says it is his sincere belief that he can explain complex legal concepts and processes in ways that resonate with clients from a wide range of backgrounds. He says, “An attorney-client relationship is a very personal one and one that is based on trust and communication. I strive for clients to be confident in my legal representation as well as their understanding of the legal processes they are navigating.”

When asked what inspired Vince to change careers from business to law, Vince said he was inspired by his father who was an attorney in the small town of Arkville located in the western Catskill Mountains of New York. He had this to say about his father, “What really stood out to me about my father’s practice was the incredible difference he made in our community. My father, like Beth and I, came to the legal profession later in life. He went from a high school drop-out, Vietnam-era draftee, and single father to one of the most respected attorneys in the county. When I go back to the Catskills, people still stop me in the grocery store —a decade after his death— and reminisce about how my father helped them with some legal issue or another, and how they are still thankful. It’s his unique mix of kindness, understanding, and professionalism that I hope to emulate in my own legal career.”

Vince is originally from the Catskills Town of Hardenburgh, Ulster County, NY. He attended State University of New York in Delhi, NY and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Hospitality Management. He moved to Virginia in 2020 during the peak of COVID to attend Washington and Lee School of Law with his wife Emma. They live in Waynesboro with their 2 ½ year-old daughter Maya.

Vince is a member of the American Bar Association and the Virginia Bar Association- Elder Law & Special Needs Section, Health Law Section, and Wills, Trusts, and Estates Section.

Reflecting on his new position, Vince said, “I was drawn to Norton Health Law, PC for two main reasons. Firstly, the focus on client-facing practice areas aligns perfectly with my desire to work closely with individuals, making a real difference in their lives rather than representing a faceless corporation or government bureaucracy. I am passionate about being a positive force in people’s lives and directly impacting them in meaningful ways. Secondly, the firm’s specialization in consumer healthcare law and elder law is particularly appealing to me. These are niche areas where our work, though it might not involve multi-million-dollar settlements (and the accompanying attorney’s fees), holds immense value. What we do for our clients has the power to change lives; whether that means helping them gain access to a life-saving treatments or helping them sleep soundly at night, knowing that their wishes will be carried out if they pass or become incapacitated.”

Welcome, Vince, to the Norton Health Law Team where together we will continue to advocate for our client’s wellness through the law each and every day.