A lot can change in a decade.
Elliker went from teaching high school history and government to attending law school and investigating an unprecedented assault on the U.S. Capitol. Along the way, he graduated first in his class at William & Mary, worked for two esteemed federal judges, devoted hundreds of hours to pro bono clients in private practice and served the Richmond community as a federal prosecutor.
Having grown up in a family of public servants, his mission to pursue the public good has consistently informed the trajectory of his career. While Elliker has been involved in important trials and appeals in both private practice and as a federal prosecutor, his most notable work has been as a member of two significant investigations of political violence.
First, he was a member of the legal team that conducted the independent review of the City of Charlottesville’s preparation and response to the Unite the Right event in August 2017, and then he was an investigative counsel for the House Select Committee to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
In the last year, he feels he’s hit his stride in bringing together his various professional experiences. “I recognized that I could push myself much harder than I thought I could, especially when you’re working with the right group of motivated people” he says. “The work we did was important in drawing the public’s attention to democracy and the fragility of the election process.”
His career change grew out of his affinity for solving problems and his preference for working as a team. And while he practices law now, the teacher in him is never far from the surface.
“I enjoy teaching associates how to think about the law and the way we practice law,” he says. “My wife says if I won the lottery, I’d keep practicing law. Even if I retired from the firm, I’d mentor law students and volunteer to help people with legal problems. Or maybe be an adjunct at a law school and teach litigation, investigation and appellate practices. I’m a huge nerd who likes the law.”
