Heather Hays Lockerman
Heather supports the success of local governments, elected and appointed local officials, and local authorities by providing necessary legal guidance and helping them focus on the foundational issues that impact the lives of their constituents.
As a core member of our Government Group, Heather provides general counsel to local governments and school boards. Her experience both as a senior assistant attorney general and in private practice gives her a multifaceted understanding of the numerous legal issues affecting governmental entities. She understands the challenges and opportunities inherent in governing and advises clients on a myriad of issues, including Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) compliance, open meeting requirements, ordinances, contracts, and procurements.
Heather also knows the importance of developing sound litigation avoidance strategies. Her litigation background makes her well versed in the direct economic costs of litigation and its detrimental impact on morale and public confidence in government. She counsels clients on steps that may be taken in the present to prevent or, at the very least, mitigate, the possibility of costly, future litigation.
Prior to joining Sands Anderson, Heather was a senior assistant attorney general at the Virginia Office of the Attorney General. Heather advised her state government clients on legal and regulatory compliance, scope of delegated authority, personnel matters, litigation-avoidance strategies, lawsuits, and court challenges to final agency decisions. These clients provided services across a variety of substantive areas that included elections, unemployment, workplace safety, agriculture, housing, and economic development.
Before she began practicing in the public sector, Heather was a litigator at a large, international law firm and appeared in Virginia’s state and federal courts. Her clients included large corporations, small businesses, and individuals. In every case, she sought to minimize the costs and impact on the client’s productivity while ensuring that she gathered the necessary facts and evidence to successfully defend the client.
Outside of her local government practice, Heather enjoys gardening, reading, cheering for UVA (Go Hoos!) and, most of all, spending time with her husband, two sons, and their feisty rescue pup, Bambi.
Practice Areas
“Local governments are the first level responders in our representative democracy. Public servants who carry out the government’s work deserve timely, candid, and practical legal advice that enables them to make informed decisions. I am lucky to partner with these individuals on the foundational issues that impact the lives of their constituents.”
Heather Hays Lockerman
