Attorneys in Portsmouth & Suffolk, VA with Over 35 Years of Experience

Our firm comes from a long lineage of accomplished jurists. In 1979, what is now known as Kozak & Davis was founded by Charles L. Marcus, who presently is one of the managing partners of a bankruptcy firm based in Chesapeake, Virginia. In 1981, the firm became Marcus & Santoro when Frank J. Santoro, who is now the Honorable Frank J. Santoro, joined the firm as a partner. In 2007, Mr. Santoro was appointed to the bench as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia where he presently presides.

Our History

In 1986, the firm was renamed to Marcus, Santoro & Kozak when now managing partner, Warren Kozak joined. In 1991, the now Honorable Kenneth R. Melvin became a partner with the firm, and the firm was renamed yet again to Marcus, Santoro, Kozak & Melvin. Kenneth Melvin later started his own practice and then in 2009, Mr. Melvin was appointed as Circuit Court Judge for the City of Portsmouth where he currently presides.

Over the years, the firm has enjoyed other talented and accomplished lawyers joining its ranks, such as from 1997 to 2000, when the late Honorable Judge Earl Mobley of the Portsmouth Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court was a senior associate with the firm before he left to successfully campaign for the position of Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Portsmouth, where he served until being appointed as a Judge in 2014. And, then, more recently, Nicole A. Belote, from 2013 to 2019, who was a partner with the firm until July 1, 2019 when she left after being appointed as a Judge for the Fifth Judicial District in the Suffolk General District Court.

We Are Always Ready to Assist Our Local Community

For over 35 years, our firm has provided advocacy for clients with the smallest and largest of legal problems with some of the best legal minds in the area. For our team, no case is too small and no legal matter is too complex. We are well-known throughout the Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Western Branch communities for our quality yet affordable representation as well as our willingness to accept payment plans.

If an area attorney has turned away a supposedly minor case, all hope is not lost and our team would be happy to consult with you regarding your case.

Contact our Portsmouth office at 757-222-2224 or ask to make an appointment at our Suffolk or Western Branch office