Van Graham

Van Graham to make bid for SC attorney

by Jim Carbley

Attorney Van Graham, who practiced law in Pinedale for 14 years through 1999 when he accepted a position teaching law to MBA students at Gardner Webb University in Boiling Springs, N.C., has decided to return to Sublette County and run for the office of county attorney in the coming election.

In an interview Friday, the 61-year-old Graham said he has turned down an offer to continue teaching at Gardner Webb and will be returning to Sublette County with his wife Pat sometime in mid-May.

When asked what was bringing him back, Graham said: "One is that we miss Wyoming and would like to come back. This was initially a one-year teaching appointment and they just renewed it each year and we just continued to stay and do it.

"Now I think it’s time to get home. It’s been long enough.

"In addition to that, people in Sublette County have been very good to me all these years, and I feel like the county attorney’s office might be a way that I can serve and maybe give something back," Graham added.

Graham, who has continued to serve as Big Piney and Marbleton town attorney despite the distance, said: "I’ve really enjoyed being involved with the towns. It’s been a very satisfying thing for me, and if I can expand that and serve the people of the county in general, I can’t think of anything more satisfying."

When asked why someone should vote for him, Graham said: "I hope that people would vote for me because they think I’ll do a good job.

"I care about the people there ... feel like I can serve them, and if they agree with that, then I hope they will vote for me for that reason," Graham added.

When asked if there was anything else he wanted to say, Graham said: "No, just that we’re looking forward to it and are pretty excited about it. The people have been very loyal and good to me even here. I continue to have a number of clients who allow me to do their work even from here ... that’s fun, keeps me in touch, I get personal contact from people who don’t even need anything done, which is always gratifying.

"I’m very grateful to them, and again I feel like that’s the place that maybe we can serve those people and give something back.

"The more we begin to make plans and put things in place, the more exciting it seems. There was kind of a little pause when I came down to turning down the contract here, and having done it now and made the choice, we’re excited," he added.