H. Eugene Oliver, III, is the Managing Partner of Evans Oliver, PLC in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Eugene focuses his practice on criminal defense in both state and federal courts. Eugene dedicates a significant portion of his practice to indigent defense as his primary jurisdiction lacks a public defender’s office. He is also on the Criminal Justice Act panel for the Western District of Virginia. Eugene currently serves on the Membership, Diversity and Criminalization of Voting Rights committees of NACDL.
Eugene previously served as President of his state affiliate, the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in 2021 and served on VACDL’s Board of Directors from 2018 to 2022. During his time on the Board of Directors of VACDL, Eugene organized CLEs, taught at CLEs, participated in lobbying on several criminal justice reforms (including successful efforts in abolishing mandatory jury sentencing, probation reform, and eliminating presumptions against bond to name a few), and advocated for a renewed organizational commitment to criminal and social justice. He served as chair of VACDL’s Judicial Nominations, Indigent Representation, and Executive Committees along with being an active member of its Legislative Committee.
Eugene has dedicated considerable time and efforts into improving the criminal justice system in Virginia. He has advocated the Virginia General Assembly to improve compensation in indigent defense cases and to increase resources available to indigent defendants, including on bills on increasing access to mental health defenses. He regularly participates in lobbying efforts in the Virginia General Assembly in favor of criminal justice and reform bills. He took the lead within VACDL in advocating to members of both the House of Delegates and the State Senate in favor of SB5007 in 2020 which led to the once unthinkable elimination of mandatory jury sentencing in Virginia, which was one of the biggest deterrents to the constitutional right to a jury trial in Virginia. He is a big believer in the positive effects of changes and the efforts through a voluntary organization can have on the day to day lives of his clients and colleagues.
Eugene is married and the proud father to twins. He was the first person in his family to graduate from college (and subsequently law school), graduating with a B.A. from the College of William & Mary in 2005 and the George Washington University Law School in 2008. In his free time, he follows Baltimore sports teams, basketball in general, hikes, travels, and goes to concerts.
