Spotlight on Eric Page
December 21, 2018
Eric Page joined the firm’s Richmond office in 2015. He grew up in Arlington County, Virginia, in a neighborhood where he fondly recalls riding his bike or walking with friends to elementary school. For more than 34 years, Eric and his wife Mary have lived in the Bellevue neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia, a community of old houses just north of downtown. Eric and Mary have a daughter named Kiersten, who is a physical therapist in Richmond and the mother of their four-month-old grandson, Michael. Their son Alexander is an assistant attorney general for the Commonwealth of Virginia, a title Eric also held from 1979 to 1983, before he joined private practice.
Eric represents regulated and non-regulated utilities and handles a wide range of regulatory and administrative matters for insurance companies, producers, and agencies in licensing, enforcement, and registration proceedings. His representation of utility companies and other regulated entities includes regulatory proceedings involving rates, services, affiliate transactions, transfers, financing, and other proceedings as well as transactional matters. He also represents securities dealers and brokers, financial institutions, and other clients in administrative proceedings before regulatory commissions. In his telecommunications practice, Eric assists numerous competitive local exchange carriers, Internet service providers, broadband companies, interexchange carriers, and Virginia municipalities in certification, transactional, and administrative matters in the competitive telecommunications industry.
Q&A
What led you to pursue a career in law?
I have always enjoyed unraveling mysteries and took classes in high school and college that involved lots of reading and writing. I took a class on constitutional law my junior year at Cornell and decided that being a lawyer would suit me well.
What do you enjoy most about your practice?
I most love moving a client from Point A to Point B in the most efficient way possible. I enjoy working with clients to solve problems or bring them to results they want. I also enjoy collaborating with colleagues to bring about client solutions. I have been most fortunate to have practice in an area of the law (regulatory/administrative) that allows me to be innovative and imaginative in solving problems.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
My father, who was a professional musician, taught me to play the violin. I spent about 15 years as the concertmaster of the Richmond Philharmonic, but my most wonderful memory is performing with the Cornell orchestra at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.
What is a movie that you can watch over and over again?
My Cousin Vinny is the absolute best lawyer movie ever made. Among all the hilarious bits and pieces is an outstanding road map for being a great litigator. Joe Pesci’s perfect cross-examination is something every lawyer should watch and emulate.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
My first mentor was a well-respected Richmond lawyer and former president of the Virginia State Bar. He told me how important it is to make each client know that the client is your most important client. Always respond, always anticipate the client’s needs, and over-communicate.
What’s your favorite place?
Bald Head Island, North Carolina, is the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate. After a half-hour ferry ride from Southport, at which we leave our car, we navigate the island by golf cart, bikes, and walking. The golf course is magnificent, with lots of water and a few alligators. It’s a 2.5-book-per-week vacation.
Who inspires you?
My wife of almost 41 years, Mary, is the principal reason for my success. With her unrelenting support and stable inspiration, Mary motivates me to be a good husband, father, and lawyer. Most of all, she keeps me humble and focused on the most important things in my life.