# Virginia HB2174: Legal duty; action for damages for legal malpractice concerning estate planning. Virginia HB2174, Legal duty; action for damages for legal malpractice concerning estate planning., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Nadarius E. Clark (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-03-24 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0450)) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2174-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB2174 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Legal duty; action for damages for legal malpractice concerning estate planning. - Status: to governor - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-07 - Last action: 2025-03-24, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0450) - Sponsor: Nadarius E. Clark (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (217 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Legal duty; action for damages for legal malpractice concerning estate planning; third parties to an attorney-client contract. Provides that an attorney does not owe a legal duty to a person other than the client for the purpose of the client's estate planning, including the provision of legal advice or the preparation of legal documents, unless the client and attorney enter into a signed, written agreement expressly allowing for such. The bill provides that its provisions are declarative of existing law. The bill also repeals the provisions under current law that specify the statute of limitations for legal malpractice actions relating to contracts for legal services concerning estate planning and the tolling of such statute of limitations. This bill is a recommendation of the Boyd-Graves Conference and is identical to SB 1115. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Nadarius E. Clark (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-12 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2025-02-11 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2025-02-10 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 12 | 0 | | | 2025-01-30 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 96 | 0 | | | 2025-01-24 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 22 | 0 | | | 2025-01-20 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 8 | 0 | 1 | ## Actions (24) - 2025-03-24: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0450) (Governor) - 2025-03-24: Approved by Governor-Chapter 450 (Effective 07/01/25) (Governor) - 2025-03-03: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor) - 2025-03-03: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 3, 2025 (House) - 2025-02-20: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2174ER) (House) - 2025-02-17: Enrolled (House) - 2025-02-17: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-12: Passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-12: Read third time (Senate) - 2025-02-11: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-11: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-02-11: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2025-02-10: Reported from Courts of Justice (12-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-31: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate) - 2025-01-31: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (96-Y 0-N) (House) - 2025-01-29: Read second time and engrossed (House) - 2025-01-28: Read first time (House) - 2025-01-24: Reported from Courts of Justice (22-Y 0-N) (House) - 2025-01-20: Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N) (House) - 2025-01-17: Assigned Courts sub: Civil (House) - 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House) - 2025-01-07: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25102767D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1076852.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1076851.PDF) - Enrolled, 2025-02-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1050190.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1050189.PDF) - Introduced, 2025-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015420.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015419.PDF) ## Related bills - HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted) - SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed) - HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed) - HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed) - SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed) - HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1076852.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1076851.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1050190.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1050189.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015420.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015419.PDF) ## Related - [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025) - [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025) - [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025) - [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025) - [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025) - [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2174-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).