Petersburg, VA

Christina Pendleton

As a founding partner of The Pendleton Law Team, Christina Pendleton has dedicated her career to fighting for individuals who have been injured due to negligence. With years of experience in personal injury law, she built a reputation as a fierce advocate for her clients, ensuring they receive the compensation and justice they deserve. Under her leadership, the firm has grown into a powerhouse for injury victims, handling cases involving motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, and wrongful death claims. Christina is known for her strategic litigation skills, client-centered approach, and unwavering commitment to leveling the playing field against insurance companies and large corporations. Born in Taegu, South Korea, she moved to the United States as a child and later attended the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill on a classical piano performance scholarship. During law school at North Carolina Central University, she clerked at the North Carolina General Assembly and the Durham County District Attorney’s Office. She is a trial attorney based in Richmond, Virginia, who has successfully handled thousands of cases throughout central Virginia.

Elizabeth West

Elizabeth West is one of the partners and shareholders of our firm. She dedicates 100% of her practice to litigation of personal injury, medical malpractice and product liability and vehicular accidents of all kinds. When not competing in the courtroom on behalf of her clients, Mrs. West enjoys competing on the tennis court and is a member of numerous USTA tennis teams. She is married with two sons and enjoys traveling with her family, biking, and skiing. She has served as a youth mentor and donates her time and talents to various local organizations. Mrs. West is often involved in the firm’s most complex cases. She enjoys the challenges that these cases present and the satisfaction of helping clients who have been seriously injured. Mrs. West is a graduate of the University of Richmond’s T.C. Williams School of Law and has been a member of the Virginia State Bar since 1991. Mrs. West is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and serves as chair to the firm’s medical malpractice section. From 2019 through 2025, Mrs. West was named a Super Lawyer by the Virginia Super Lawyers Magazine in the field of personal injury. Mrs. West is also a proud member of the National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Trial Lawyers. While attending law school she was chosen to serve as a member of the Moot Court Board where she competed in appellate argument competitions. During her legal career she has lectured to various legal organizations throughout Virginia on issues involving trial advocacy.

Jay Tronfeld

Jay Tronfeld is the founding shareholder of our firm. Since 1972, Jay Tronfeld has represented thousands of victims of personal injury and wrongful death claims. He has tried cases throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, in Federal and State Courts from Norfolk to Northern Virginia and from Richmond to Roanoke. These cases have involved individuals with all types of injuries from connective tissue to fractures and amputations; and, from post-traumatic stress disorder to traumatic brain injury. Mr. Tronfeld has obtained verdicts and settlements in various types of cases, such as automobile accidents, tractor-trailer accidents, medical malpractice, and wrongful death. He has represented victims of defective products such as automobile car seats, airbags, tires, mufflers, batteries, chairs, ladders, etc. Mr. Tronfeld has been an invited speaker at various professional continuing legal education programs for other attorneys speaking on various topics of personal injury law. He has spoken at the Virginia Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Forum in 1992, 1997, and 2003; the Richmond Bar Association in 2001; the National Business Institute in 1999 and 2003; and Richmond Defense Bar in 2008. He is a former President of the Richmond Trial Lawyers and member of Top 100 Trial Lawyers. He has obtained multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements. Mr. Tronfeld has been recognized as a member of Top 100 Trial Lawyers and Super Lawyers. Mr. Tronfeld is celebrating his 50th year in the practice of law.

John Newby

John Newby is a shareholder and the managing partner for the Chesterfield office. John began working in the field of personal injury law in 2001 after graduating from the Washington and Lee University School of Law. He has dedicated his entire professional career to helping injured people and their families. John has handled thousands of cases from the preparation stage through settlement or verdict. His experience includes auto accidents, wrongful deaths, premises liability, and many other types of personal injury cases. He is a member of the Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, the Richmond Bar Association and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Prior to college and law school, John served in the United States Army and was stationed at N.A.T.O. headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. He continued his military service with the Virginia Army National Guard until 2003. John grew up in Powhatan and Chesterfield Counties and graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a B.A. in History. After college, he attended law school at Washington and Lee University. From 2015 - 2025, John has been selected as a Super Lawyer each year in the field of personal injury. Prior to being selected as a Super Lawyer, John was selected as a Rising Star from 2008 - 2009, and 2011 - 2012.

Damon Pendleton is a personal injury attorney serving Central Virginia. He worked five years as a claims adjuster for one of the largest insurance companies in America, settling hundreds of cases. This experience led him to attend law school. While attending law school, Damon served as law clerk for the Honorable Judge Mary Terrell Gooden, Washington D.C. Superior Court, and for the Virginia Office of the Attorney General-Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and for the personal injury firm, Pulley, Watson, King, and Lischer in Durham, NC. Following graduation, he worked in litigation support at the United States Department of Justice. He handled injury cases for a fast-growing personal injury firm in Central Virginia.

David Durrett

David Durrett is Of Counsel with our law firm. He dedicates 100% of his practice to litigation of personal injury, medical malpractice and product liability cases. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the Virginia Trial Layers Associates, the Virginia Bar Association, the American Association for Justice, the Richmond Bar Association, and the Hanover Bar Association. Mr. Durrett is a former City of Richmond Senior Public Defender, where he represented clients in criminal cases for seven (7) years. Mr. Durrett chairs the firm’s trucking litigation section. Mr. Durrett grew up in Henrico County and graduated from James Madison University. Mr. Durrett is a graduate of the University of Richmond’s T.C. Williams School of Law and of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. From 2011 - 2022, Virginia Super Lawyers magazine recognized Mr. Durrett as one of the top personal injury lawyers in Virginia. In 2013, the National Trial Lawyers selected Mr. Durrett as one of the top 100 trial lawyers. Mr. Durrett has obtained several multi-million dollar recoveries for his clients. In 2013, 2016, and 2017, Mr. Durrett’s cases were featured in Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s listing of the largest settlements of the year. Mr. Durrett chairs the Trucking Litigation section at Tronfeld West & Durrett.

Charles H. Cuthbert

Charles H. Cuthbert, firm partner, focuses his practice on representing victims of serious personal injuries in the areas of motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, and wrongful death. He is a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Virginia School of Law. Mr. Cuthbert is a member of the bars in Virginia and North Carolina, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Cuthbert is certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in civil litigation. Charlie Cuthbert was born and raised in Petersburg, Virginia. In addition to practicing law, he devotes much of his time to the success of the City of Petersburg and currently serves as the 4th Ward representative on Petersburg City Council.