About Us
The Law Office of Douglas E. Crockett, J.D., M. Div.
About The Law Office of Douglas E. Crockett, J.D., M. Div.
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Douglas Crockett
Faith
Doug converted to Christianity at 19. That led him to the seminary in 1982. He led in the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Kansas (84-90) and then in Johnson City, Tennessee (90-95). He changed from full-time ministry in 1995 to part-time in 1998, but his devotion did not lessen. He retired from pastoral ministry in 2023. He credits divine intervention with everything good in his life.
Family
Rita and Doug met while attending Emory & Henry College, and they honeymooned on the way to seminary. They welcomed two children while in Kansas. They moved to Johnson City, Tennessee in 1990, then Williamsburg, Virginia in 1995. Williamsburg turned out to be a great place to raise a family, so they stayed after law school and have lived there ever since.
Doug enjoys spending time with the kids and their families, playing in a senior slow-pitch softball league, and playing pickleball with Rita. They attend Williamsburg UMC.
Education
Born in 1911 and 1921, Doug’s African American dad and mom were only able to complete the 7th grade due to a lack of secondary school options, but he credits them with instilling in him a desire for education. He received a Business and Economics degree in 1979 from Emory & Henry College, a Master of Divinity degree in 1985 from Gammon Theological Seminary, and a Juris Doctorate from Marshall-Wythe School of Law in 1998.
Justice
Doug’s love of justice comes out of the Christian church, beginning in his youth, and the public preaching and leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Doug directed food, clothing, and after-school ministries in Ogden, Kansas, from 1984 to 1988, and started a church there. Next, he supported and sponsored ministries of equality for minorities and women, justice for the poor, and hope for the future of the earth and world as Associate Council Director of the Holston Conference of the UMC from 1990 to 1995. Later, he served with two legal aid organizations in Lynchburg and Williamsburg, Virginia in landlord-tenant, creditor-debtor, and bankruptcy cases.
Doug opened the The Law Office of Douglas E. Crockett, J.D., M. Div. in 2014 in Highland Springs (Henrico County), Virginia. His daughter, a graduate of the University of Tennessee Law School, joined him in that practice in 2016. Together, they conducted in-church estate planning presentations and will-signing sessions from 2018 until the pandemic in 2020 in the Virginia Conference of the UMC.
Brianna Penfold
Brianna graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2015, was admitted to the Virginia State Bar in 2016, and shortly after that, she joined her father at the Law Office of Douglas E. Crockett. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling from Liberty University. Her passion for advocacy and justice comes from her years working with survivors of violent crimes.
At The Law Office of Douglas E. Crockett, J.D., M. Div., Brianna practices estate law with a focus on estate planning.
Among her favorite blessings are her long-time marriage to her best friend Matthew, being called mom by the most adorable preschooler, and living in beautiful Virginia close to family. She also enjoys traveling, writing fiction, and running.
About Us - The Duo
This father-daughter duo is available to bring their Christian ministry of estate planning to your church.
Brianna’s faith shines through her warm, engaging explanation of estate planning principles. She enjoys presenting in a question-and-answer format.
Doug brings years of study and practice of the Christian Bible and Virginia law. He enjoys using his gift for creativity, humor, and insight to present difficult ideas in fun and engaging ways, including as a Bible study and a football playbook.
Separately, or together, they will augment the ministries in your church. Call the office today!
