COLIN D. STOLLE.

• Position: Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney

Commonwealth's Attorney Virginia Beach (VA)

As the criminal prosecutors for Virginia's largest city, the Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney's Office prosecuted roughly 19,000 criminal charges in 2019. I supervise 44 attorneys, 23 paralegals, and with the rest of the staff a total office of about 100 dedicated public servants. My duties also involve overseeing and managing a multi-million dollar budget consisting of state, local, and grant funds. Even with the demands of management and policy responsibilities, I still handle some of the most serious and high-profile cases that come into the office. Virginia Beach routinely ranks as one of the safest cities of its size in America.

Qualifications

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1992.

Upon graduating from VCU, I entered the Virginia Law Reading Program. Virginia is one of a few states where one can still become an attorney by "Reading Law." It is the same process Thomas Jefferson completed to become an attorney and it is still in place today. While studying law in the evenings, I worked during the day in the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney. I served as the "Habitual Offender Coordinator" helping prosecutors remove the most dangerous drivers from our roads. It was at this point that I decided that the only thing I wanted to do with my legal career was to be a prosecutor. I successfully completed the Virginia Law Reading Program in 1995, passed the bar and was hired as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in 1996.

Professional Memberships and Activities

National District Attorney's Association, Executive Board, Past Member

Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys (VACA), President

Commonwealth Attorney's Services Council, Chairman

Virginia Criminal Justice Conference, Co-Chairman

VACA's Justice and Professionalism Committee

MEET A NDAA MEMBER

(1) What was the most unusual or interesting job you've ever had?

While I held many different jobs while going through school, including working in a warehouse, gift shops, and McDonald's--I'm not sure that there could ever be a more interesting, unusual, or, for that matter, rewarding, job than being a prosecutor.

(2) What is your proudest...