by Heather B.
Hayes
for Virginia Business December 2004
Henry
Woodward became a lawyer
because, at the time, it
appeared to be the path of
least resistance. He was
furthering a family legacy
in the legal profession that
included his father, grandfather
and great-grandfather. But
he has chosen a path that
may be among the toughest
for any lawyer to travel,
working for more than 34
years protecting the rights
of the poor and downtrodden.
As
the chief executive officer
for the Legal Aid Society
of Roanoke Valley, Woodward,
61, juggles a $500,000 budget
and a staff of five lawyers
and four support personnel
in serving the legal services
needs of eight counties. “There
are probably easier ways
to make a living within the
law,” he says. “But
I can’t imagine any
job that’s more satisfying.”
The
job also has taken him to
one of the pinnacles of legal
achievement: arguing a case
in front of the U.S. Supreme
Court. In 1986, Woodward
took on the issue of whether
poor people have the right
to sue in federal court when
their rights have been infringed
in violation of federal housing
laws. Wright v. City of Roanoke
Redevelopment and Housing
Authority was filed because
residents said the housing
authority overcharged them
for utility costs. “It
seemed like a pretty simple
thing: just get them to follow
the law,” says Woodward,
who argued the case at all
levels. “But the U.S.
District Court and the 4th
Circuit Court of Appeals
wanted to throw the case
out on the theory that, whether
the residents had civil rights
or not in this instance,
the federal courts weren’t
allowed to enforce them.”
Woodward persisted, and eventually the Supreme Court agreed with him. In 1987
on a 5-to-4 vote, the court ruled his clients had the right to pursue their
case in federal court.
A
native of Bristol, Woodward
became committed to the legal
rights of the poor while
in law school at Yale University.
There he worked for the New
Haven Legal Aid. Later he
became a volunteer lawyer
for the Peace Corps. But
he really became hooked on
the legal services field
during his first paid job
in Newark, N.J. He served
as lead counsel in Riley
v. New Rapids Carpet Center,
a class-action lawsuit in
which hundreds of poor people
claimed they were bilked
by a television ad scheme.
The case made it to the New
Jersey Supreme Court, which
ruled that Woodward’s
clients had the right to
bring a private, class-action
suit.
By
1973, Woodward was eager
to return to Virginia. He
became general counsel with
the Legal Aid Society of
Roanoke Valley. Since then,
he has enjoyed a number of
accomplishments. He has kept
the office afloat and thriving
for more than 30 years and
through numerous budget crises.
His staff lawyers have remained
in legal aid for longer than
average stints, with some
staying on for 20 years.
His professional and teaching
activities are all done with
the goal of furthering the
legal services cause.
Woodward’s
commitment, in fact, helped
him earn the Virginia State
Bar Association’s Legal
Aid Award in 1992. “In
my mind, Henry is the ‘godfather’ of
Virginia’s legal aid
community,” says John
Whitfield, executive director
of Blue Ridge Legal Services
Inc. in Harrisonburg, noting
Woodward’s enthusiasm,
wisdom, eloquence and keen
ability for legal analysis. “He
has been an outstanding mentor
for many legal aid lawyers
in Virginia, myself included.”
Woodward
continues to take on a variety
of cases and hopes to remain
head of the Legal Aid Society
for as long as he is useful
and able. “I have been
so fortunate to have been
in a position personally
and institutionally to enjoy
the satisfactions that come
from this sort of enterprise,” he
says. “It’s been
a privilege.”
