Imie Aisiku Harber, Director

Imie is a Director and member of the Civil Litigation, Business Law, and Municipalities & Local Governments Practice Groups.

Her practice focuses on personal and commercial liability defense, workers’ compensation defense, and corporate legal matters.

Before joining McCandlish Holton, Imie served eight years as in-house counsel in the litigation department of one of the country’s largest insurance providers. She handled thousands of liability cases and workers’ compensation claims involving individuals and public and private corporations, including complex matters with multiple parties and cross actions.

Her workers’ compensation experience includes appeals before the Full Commission and Virginia Court of Appeals, including oral arguments. She also has extensive experience in settlement negotiations, mediation, and arbitration.

Imie served as lead attorney for major manufacturing clients in the Richmond area, conducting site visits, management roundtables on workplace accident best practices, and presentations on industry-related legal issues.

Previously, Imie represented claimants in workers’ compensation matters and handled personal injury claims, including wrongful death and toxic tort, misdemeanor criminal defense, and family law. She was certified as a Guardian ad Litem for children. Following law school, she externed with the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, litigating misdemeanor and felony cases and preparing appellate briefs for Virginia’s Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.

Imie is committed to community service. She has mentored with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, contributed to Crossover Healthcare Ministry, which provides healthcare to uninsured individuals and those on Medicaid, and mentors diverse new associates through her firm’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. She also leads annual seminars for BLCK Street, advising Black small business owners and entrepreneurs on legal issues.

Representative Outcomes:

• Obtained a zero dollar verdict in a multi-day jury trial in the City of Richmond in which the plaintiff sued for $1M in damages.
• Successfully argued for the admissibility of a defense billing expert to challenge the amount in medical bills claimed by the plaintiff in Circuit Court.
  
• Successfully argued a pretrial motion in City of Richmond Circuit Court, dismissing a $500,000 personal injury action brought against a local government agency by an individual in the custody of the agency.
• Obtained defense jury verdict in Nottoway County Circuit Court awarding $0 in damages in a single vehicle, personal injury claim for $300,000 in which defendant stipulated to liability. Following the verdict, Imie successfully opposed plaintiff’s motion for additur, thereby upholding the $0 jury verdict award.
• Successfully asserted a contributory negligence defense and received a defense verdict in a jury trial of a $300K personal injury action in Henrico County.
• Obtained a denial of medical and compensation benefits in a claim brought by an injured worker alleging PTSD from witnessing an alleged traumatic event while in the course of employment. The denial was affirmed by the Full Commission of the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission.
• Obtained a denial of medical and compensation benefits in a claim brought by a worker who was shot by an unknown assailant during the course of his employment at a construction worksite.
• Obtained a defense verdict from a jury in a slip and fall claim brought against a national restaurant chain in Hanover County, Virginia.
• Negotiated a $5,000 settlement on behalf of a national hotel chain sued in federal court for $5 million alleging negligence against the hotel.

RECOGNITIONS

• Virginia Business Magazine, Legal Elite, Civil Litigation, since 2025
• Best Lawyers^®
  
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, since 2026

Professional and Community Involvement

• Virginia State Bar
• Local Government Attorneys of Virginia
• Big Brothers Big Sisters | Mentor, past
• Phi Delta Phi, International Legal Honor Society, past 

PUBLICATIONS

• Thomas M. Cooley, Journal of Practical and Clinical Law  |  Associate Editor