Attorney General-elect Jones announces new Public Advocacy Division, senior leaders

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Attorney General-elect Jay Jones recently announced the addition of several senior leaders to his team, as well as the establishment of the Public Advocacy Division.

According to a Jan. 12 release from Jones' office, the Public Advocacy Division will contain three sections -- Consumer Protection, Civil Rights and Utilities Regulation & Insurance -- in an attempt to protect residents and their rights.

“I promised Virginians that I would keep them safe, lower their costs, and protect their fundamental rights and the divisions of Public Advocacy and Criminal Justice and Public Safety will do just that,” Jones said. “My office will use every tool at our disposal to put Virginians first and protect them from bad actors. The newly announced individuals to my senior team share this commitment and will bring integrity and experience to the office while delivering results for our Commonwealth. I look forward to beginning this important work and standing up for every Virginian.” 

Jones also announced the addition of the following three senior leaders:

Helen Hardiman, Deputy Attorney General for Public Advocacy Division

Hardiman is a civil-rights and public interest lawyer whose work has focused on fair housing and disability rights. She previously served as a Trial Attorney in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of General Counsel.

Hardiman has also served in public leadership roles, including appointments to the Virginia Housing Commission and the Virginia Board of Housing and Community Development.

Jae K. Davenport, Deputy Attorney General for the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Division

Davenport has over two decades of experience in Virginia law, criminal justice and public safety. She started out as a public defender, eventually serving with the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission as the Standards of Practice Enforcement Attorney for Indigent Defense Counsel and Legislative Advocate. She also served as Deputy Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security under Governor Ralph Northam.

Randall Eads, General Counsel

Eads has served as city manager and city attorney for the City of Bristol for nine years. His professional background includes work regarding constitutional and administrative law, economic development, public finance, land use, regulatory compliance and litigation strategy. His work often required coordination with state Cabinet members, state agencies, legislators, regulators and private stakeholders. In 2025, Eads was honored as a Leader in the Law by Virginia Lawyers Weekly.