Mark Herring is the first Democrat elected to serve as Virginia’s Attorney General in almost a quarter century — and he’s bringing a modern approach to the job.

Just days into office, Mark became the first Attorney General in the nation to argue successfully in court that his state’s ban on marriage violates the U.S. Constitution. He looked at the law regarding in-state tuition and found that DREAMers—children whose parents brought them to the U.S. without documents, but who are now considered lawfully present by the federal government—qualify for an affordable college education. He was the first Bay-state Attorney General to file a defense of our Chesapeake Bay cleanup plan in court against Attorneys General from 21 other states as far away as Alaska.

Mark was raised by a single mom who taught him a life-long lesson as a child: if you see a problem, you've got a responsibility to try to fix it. And you keep working on it until you get it done.

Working in a bipartisan fashion on public safety, Mark and his team helped get measures passed to better protect victims of stalking and witnesses of violent crimes. They worked together to enact new legislation to fight dangerous synthetic drugs. He stood up for small businesses and Virginia innovation by working to help enact tough new limits on predatory lawsuits over intellectual property.

As a state senator serving Loudoun and Fairfax Counties, Mark worked on issues facing one of America’s fastest-growing counties and some of the world’s most innovative businesses. Up to 70 percent of the world’s Internet traffic routes through his home of Loudoun County on a daily basis, and Mark understands how we can better use technology to fight crime, how criminals are using it, and how Virginia can lead the way in better ensuring everyone’s personal and financial data are secure.

Mark also served on Loudoun County’s Board of Supervisors, working cooperatively for solutions. Throughout, he’s been a lawyer in private practice in Leesburg for more than 20 years. Mark received a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Virginia, and graduated with honors from the University of Richmond School of Law.