Local Counsel & Pro Hac ViceLocal CounselWith two offices in Virginia and one office in Washington, D.C., we serve as local counsel to other lawyers and law firms in the state and federal courts of Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC at all levels. We handle the filing of pro hac vice motions to the extent we are retained to assist another law firm we have a lot of experience working with other firms in the manner best suited to that firm's comfort level. We have worked for public and private banks, energy companies, biotechnology companies, developers and national construction companies. A listing of our local counsel admissions and practice may be found at the end of this webpage. Call Tom Dunlap directly for more information at 703-777-3885 or 202-316-8558 or 240-744-7150, or via e-mail at tdunlap@dglegal.com. Virginia - Federal Courts / State CourtsVirginia is divided into the Eastern District of Virginia, with the Alexandria, Richmond, Norfolk and Newport News Divisions (also known as the "Rocket Docket") and the Western District of Virginia, with the Harrisonburg, Lynchburg and Roanoke Divisions. The Eastern District has a very short and intensive discovery process, generally governed by the Magistrate Judges. Continuances are rarely if ever granted and final trial on the merits can be set anywhere from five to nine months from the date of service. There is a Criminal Motions Docket at 9 a.m. and Civil Motions Docket every Friday at 10 a.m., with most other motions being specially set. We are minutes from the Alexandria courthouse and we do not bill for travel time to any courts in Virginia, Maryland or Washington, DC. We are also admitted in the United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia and regularly practice in both. We are familiar with the judges and their individual and differing policies and attitudes based upon our past experience. The trial court of general jurisdiction in Virginia is the Circuit Court. We handle matters in the all 31 Circuits (21 courts), including in the General District Courts (courts of limited jurisdiction - $15,000 and landlord tenant matters for possession). We are also admitted to and handle cases in the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, Virginia Court of Appeals, and Virginia Supreme Court. Washington, D.C. - Federal Courts / State CourtsWhile entirely Federal, Washington, D.C. has a court system similar to the state courts of other jurisdictions. The United States District Court for the District of Columbia and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit are the courts for Federal matters, however there are state-equivalent courts called the Superior Court and the Court of Appeals. The Courts are located mere blocks from our Washington, DC office. Maryland - Federal Courts / State CourtsThe Federal District Court of Maryland is a single District with two Divisions, one located in Greenbelt and one in Baltimore. The circuit courts of Maryland, are located in all 23 counties and Baltimore City, and are the trial courts of general jurisdiction. We are admitted to all of the Courts in Maryland. We are admitted to and practice in the United States Tax Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Trademark Trial and Appeals Board, and have regularly handled FAA and NTSB matters.
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