Michael B. Hamar is a graduate of the University of Virginia (History B.A., with high distinction, 1974) and the School of Law at the University of Virginia (J.D. 1977). He has practiced law in the Hampton Roads area for 39 years, with his practice concentrated in the areas of real estate (both residential and commercial), commercial and corporate transactions, business entity formation, and estate planning. Prior returning to Virginia, Michael was in private practice in Mobile, Alabama, with the Armbrecht Jackson law firm and also served as in-house counsel for a Fortune 50 corporation, Allied Corporation (now Allied-Signal, Inc.) in Houston, Texas, where his responsibilities included various legal aspects of domestic and international oil and gas exploration and production, business acquisitions and divestitures, natural gas processing and marketing, and various international exploration projects.

Michael is a member of the Virginia State Bar, the Alabama State Bar and the State Bar of Texas and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit; and U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. He was a member of the Virginia College Building Authority ("VCBA") by gubernatorial appointment from July, 2000, to June, 2004, serving as the Authority’s Vice Chairman from July, 2002 to June, 2004, and currently serves on the board of directors of the Virginia Air & Space Science Center. Michael was a founder and is a former member of the board of directors of the Hampton Roads Business Outreach (“HRBOR”) chamber of commerce.