Business Litigation Attorney

Build and lead a new business litigation practice at a growing Arlington/Woodbridge firm. Commercial and business disputes, fiduciary and estate-related litigation, and IP enforcement — full docket ownership from intake through resolution in Virginia circuit courts, D.C. Superior Court, and federal court.

About the Firm

Don Shaw Law, PLLC is a growing law firm serving clients from offices in Arlington and Woodbridge, Virginia. Our established practice spans estate planning, probate, guardianship, and business and IP counseling, and regularly generates disputes we currently refer out. We are a small, collegial team with modern systems, defined processes, and no interest in billable-hour arms races.

The Role

We are hiring an attorney to lead and build our business litigation practice. You will handle matters from intake through resolution, including:

• Business and commercial disputes — contract, partnership and LLC disputes, owner disputes, dissolution and derivative claims
• Fiduciary and estate-related litigation, including will contests, trust disputes, and contested guardianship and conservatorship matters
• Intellectual property enforcement and disputes — trademark, trade secret, copyright, and licensing
• Business counseling that overlaps with our transactional and IP work, including risk assessment and pre-litigation strategy

You will appear in Virginia circuit courts, before the D.C. Superior Court, and in federal court as matters require.

Qualifications

• Active Virginia Bar License (D.C. and/or Maryland admission a plus)
• 3+ years of civil litigation experience, including independent management of your own docket
• Demonstrated courtroom experience — motions practice, hearings, depositions, and at least some trial work
• Strong writing, sound judgment, and the ability to explain risk plainly to business owners and families
• Comfort working across two offices and with a distributed support team

Preferred, Not Required

• Registration to practice before the USPTO (patent bar) or a technical background suited to it. This is a plus, not a threshold.
• Prior experience in a small-firm or entrepreneurial practice environment
• Interest in developing business and growing a practice area you own

Compensation and Benefits

The posted range reflects base salary. The position also includes performance-based incentive compensation, which we will discuss in detail with candidates who advance. Benefits include health coverage, retirement plan participation, paid time off, and payment of bar dues and CLE for firm-relevant jurisdictions.

Why This Position

This is a build-it role, not a seat-filling role. The firm has the client flow, the infrastructure, and the referral relationships to support a litigation practice; we are looking for the attorney to own it.