G. Rodney Young, II

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Rodney is a partner in the Staunton law firm of Timberlake Smith, where he specializes in Education Law and the representation of a significant number of Public School Boards throughout Virginia. He has served as general and special counsel to more than 35 Virginia Public School Boards and regional educational programs across the Commonwealth, regularly advising his clients on virtually every substantive area of law affecting public schools. He has proven experience in helping his clients effectively navigate and manage high-profile matters that involve intense media and public attention. Rodney previously practiced law in Richmond, Washington, D.C., and Harrisonburg, Virginia, and his prior legal experience included high-stakes litigation involving the representation of insurers for financial institutions during the Savings and Loans crisis, and the representation of hospitals and physicians in the defense of professional liability claims.

Rodney has been recognized by his peers as a leading Education Law practitioner by his inclusion in Best Lawyers in America® every year since 2007 and by his AV Preeminent® ranking by Martindale-Hubbell, its highest attorney rating. He earned a B.A. in English from Clemson University, where he graduated Phi Kappa Phi (top 10%) and a J.D. from the College of William and Mary, where he was inducted into the Order of the Barristers. In addition to his interest in Shakespeare and literature, he enjoys road cycling, travel, history, live music and collecting and curating selections for the vinyl music club he formed.