Marni E. Byrum

Marni E. Byrum, of Alexandria, Virginia, is an attorney in private practice with emphasis on labor, employment, and personnel law. Throughout her career, she has participated in a range of activities to benefit her profession. Byrum is a frequent lecturer on labor and employment law issues, is a member of the Boyd Graves Conference, is a former master of the George Mason Inns of Court, and was an adjunct faculty member at Washington College of Law at American University.

She has served as president of the Arlington County Bar Association, Legal Services of Northern Virginia, the Virginia Women Attorneys Association (VWAA), and the VWAA Foundation. She currently serves on the Special Committee on the Future of Law Practice for the Virginia State Bar (VSB). She has chaired the VSB Standing Committee on Legal Ethics Committee, the Multijurisdictional Practice Task Force, and the VSB Judicial Nominations Committee.Byrum was recognized as a Leader in the Law by Virginia Lawyers Weekly and inducted as a Fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation.

A longtime friend of the university and the College of Science, Byrum chaired the Dean’s Roundtable for the former College of Arts and Sciences and remains active on the College of Science Roundtable. She served on the board of directors of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association, the President’s Advisory Committee, and the Economic Development Advisory Board and was a member of the Northern Virginia Regional Campaign Committee. Byrum was inducted into the Gateway Society for her leadership in the Alumni Association and her commitment to the future of Virginia Tech and was a recipient of the university’s 2009 Alumni Distinguished Service Award.

An active participant in her community, Byrum has served on the board of Horizons Theatre, presenting theatre from a woman’s perspective with a focus on producing women playwrights and creating opportunities for women theatre artists. In addition, she has served on the board of Equality Virginia, a nonpartisan lobbying, outreach, and education organization seeking equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Virginians. She is a past president of the Virginia 4-H Foundation, which brings leadership and positive development opportunities to young people across Virginia.

Byrum graduated from Virginia Tech in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. She also holds a juris doctorate from Pepperdine University School of Law.