A second Virginia Beach law firm is expanding its practice into downtown Suffolk.

The move is bringing Moody E. &uot;Sonny&uot; Stallings, a partner with Stallings & Bischoff, one step closer to his Suffolk roots.

Stallings, who grew up in Riverview, still spends occasional weekends at a waterfront family home off Crittenden Road. His father was commonwealth’s attorney in Suffolk for more than two decades.

Stallings & Bischoff will be opening at 429 N. Main St. in the law office operated by former Suffolk Judge Robert Gillette. The firm handles an array of work, ranging from traffic and domestic cases to criminal cases.

&uot;We’re looking forward to opening by June 1,&uot; said Stallings.

Although he will be spending two days weekly in town, one of the firm’s 11 attorneys and an office worker will be working out of Suffolk on a daily basis.

Stallings’ announcement comes just days after another Virginia Beach law firm, Pender & Coward, announced plans to open its Western Hampton Roads regional office at the corner of Washington and Saratoga streets in September. The building, which for decades housed Gurley Press, is now undergoing a $400,000 renovation.

&uot;We probably won’t be the last (Beach/Norfolk law firms) expanding into Suffolk,&uot; said Stallings. &uot;There have been so many changes and growth in Suffolk in recent years and that is not going to decline anytime soon.

&uot;We are looking forward to being here.&uot;

allison.williams@suffolknewsherald.com