Earle Duncan Getchell Jr.

1949 - 2024

GETCHELL, Earle Duncan Jr., died in Richmond, VA on May 1, 2024. He was born October 12, 1949, in Mobile, Alabama to Earle Duncan Getchell and Jean Thompson Getchell. He graduated from Emory University with high honors and then received his Juris Doctorate with distinction from Duke University Law School, where he was also on the staff and editorial board of the Duke Law Journal.

Following graduation, Duncan joined McGuireWoods LLP as an associate in 1974. A year later, he left to serve as an Air Force JAG officer (captain), returning in 1977. He was nominated by President George W. Bush to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2007, but withdrew his name from consideration in the face of stiff opposition from the Democrat-controlled Senate.

From the moment he arrived at the firm, Duncan was seen as the "go-to" lawyer on complex and often obtuse legal questions across a range of substantive practice areas. For many years he was the firm's leading appellate lawyer, having argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, federal courts of appeal, and state appellate courts. He held the distinction of being the first attorney to argue two cases on the same day before the Virginia Supreme Court, winning both. He laid the groundwork for the firm's highly successful Appeals & Issues practice team.

All told, Duncan delivered more than 100 appellate arguments. Duncan was a key adviser and legal strategist for many of the firm's longtime anchor clients who relied upon his analysis and predictions about the likely outcome of key issues in their cases. But Duncan's favorite court was his own - "holding court" with friends and colleagues in his office, over lunch, or in a conference room. Duncan always had the last word, and he was never, ever in doubt.

Duncan took a second leave of absence from McGuireWoods from 2010 to 2013 to serve as the Solicitor General of Virginia. In that role, he was lead counsel for the Commonwealth in matters pending before the Supreme Court of Virginia and the United States Supreme Court. Duncan returned to McGuireWoods in 2014, where he remained until his retirement from private practice in 2021. Shortly thereafter, Duncan was appointed Deputy Counselor to the Governor by then Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin.

Duncan was a voracious reader and a walking history encyclopedia. Duncan was also literate in Ancient Greek, Latin, and Hebrew and was known to translate ancient texts for his own entertainment. Duncan was also an avid dog lover and lifelong Atlanta Braves fan.

Duncan was predeceased by his parents and is survived by his wife, Christine O'Brien Getchell, of the home; his son, Duncan Christian Wilson Getchell, of Raleigh, NC; sister, Anne Riviere Getchell Propst, and her husband, Sims, of Greenville, SC; nephew Charles Sims Propst, Jr. (Jess) and niece Martha Riviere Propst Moody (Matt), as well as their children Catherine, Charlie, and Cora Riviere. He is also survived by his stepsons John Kevin Nielsen (Mallory) and Jerad O'Brien Nielsen (Amanda), of Richmond, and his grandchildren, Winnie, Cora, Coleman, William, and Jack, who fondly referred to him as "Papa the Alligator Man."

Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 9th at Bliley's Funeral Home on Augusta Ave. A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 10th at 11 a.m. at Bliley's Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Tunnels to Towers, or happepets.org.