force behind legislation to strengthen various franchise laws, from warranty/recall issues to dealer data management and employment concerns. He was the brains behind groundbreaking Virginia legislation that strengthened the Commonwealth’s franchise laws to prevent manufacturer-controlled sales. Don Hall, President and CEO of the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association, recalled Mr. Charapp’s guarded, emotionless demeanor when it came to franchise matters. “For Mr. Charapp,” Hall says, “it was all about the rule of franchise and corporate law.” “When it came to legal matters, he always cared about one thing: the zealous protection of his clients, which includes Virginia auto dealers, and doing the best he could do,” Mr. Hall said. “He had a unique way to motivate me to win. He knew how to get me riled up. He knew that defeat for me was not an option.” He recalled Mr. Charapp’s guidance on the sale of VADA’s insurance division, Integrum Advisors, to a brokerage in 2022. Transaction consultants advised VADA to hire an attorney specializing in mergers and acquisitions, but Mr. Hall refused, leaning instead on Mr. Charapp’s counsel. “The consultants said they’d never seen a lawyer as smart as him on M&A matters, and all he considered for the association and clients, despite having such little experience,” Mr. Hall said. Mr. Charapp had no tolerance for political infighting, his VADA peers noted. “He didn’t have the patience. He just wanted to drill down to the legal merits, do what needed to be done and get out,” says Ms. Gambardella who, along with Mr. Hall, handled the lobbying. “The politics drove him crazy.” Before working exclusively with dealers, Mr. Charapp was a trial attorney, where he litigated and tried white-collar criminal cases, medical malpractice cases and complex civil litigation cases in state and federal courts throughout the country. He was admitted to the Virginia State Bar in 1974 after earning his law degree from Georgetown. For many years, Mr. Charapp and attorney Eric L. Chase teamed up as featured speakers at the 600-member National Association of Dealer Counsel’s annual conventions. Mr. Charapp was a founding board member and Past President of the NADC. “He sparkled with his listeners, and evoked their roaring laughter, even as he gave them thoughtful, useful and memorable takeaways,” Mr. Chase recalls, noting their talks always scored the highest in audience feedback. “As an attorney or a client, if you had a special problem and just wanted to talk about it for a few minutes, you could pick up the phone and call him,” Mr. Chase said. “He always responded quickly, always helped out, and he would do it pro bono. He 8 Virginia Auto Dealer
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