Attorney Darryl W. Cunningham graduated from Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, in 1981 with a B.S. in education. After teaching for four years, he attended the Penn State Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he was awarded the Joseph Leyburn Kramer Award.
Attorney Cunningham practiced law in Pennsylvania from 1988 through 2007, during which he represented clients in domestic matters from abuse to custody and divorce; criminal matters from minor offenses such as traffic citations, to drug charges and DUI, to various misdemeanors, to various felony classes, and even capital murder; bankruptcy; landlord – tenant issues; and civil litigation from small collections to medical malpractice. He has over 30 years experience in Family Law and Criminal Defense including many jury trials. Mr. Cunningham also taught Family Law and American Jurisprudence for a paralegal program and was been active in various community affairs in Pennsylvania and Virginia. The York County, Pennsylvania Bar Association honored him for Pro Bono efforts.
In 2007, he left private practice to work as the Senior Staff Attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia in Williamsburg, Virginia. He also worked as an Adjunct Professor at William & Mary School of Law establishing and supervising the Family Law Clinic, supervising the Domestic Violence Clinic and taught basic legal skills to aspiring lawyers. While in Virginia, Attorney Cunningham handled or supervised nearly 3000 matters for low-income clients, more than 800 of those involved domestic violence.
William & Mary Law School honored Attorney Cunningham twice. The George Wythe Society student group honored Attorney Cunningham with its annual award recognizing a member of the Law School community who performs outstanding service and demonstrates fidelity to those qualities of character, leadership, and selfless service that distinguished the life of George Wythe, appointed by Thomas Jefferson as the first law professor.
Attorney Cunningham also received the 2023-24 St. George Tucker Adjunct Professorship Award at William & Mary Law School. The annual award recognizes an outstanding member of the Law School’s adjunct faculty for service on behalf of students and is selected by nomination from the Law School Community. St. George Tucker was the second professor of law at William & Mary, succeeded George Wythe on the faculty, and was a pioneer in legal education.
Attorney Cunningham is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania (1988) and Virginia (2008) as well as federal courts. He will focus on family law in the firm’s Chambersburg office.