Anthony T. Pierce is a litigator who has handled a variety of complex disputes in state and federal courts, including commercial litigation, intellectual property, employment matters and internal investigations. He is the partner in charge of the firm’s Washington, D.C. office and a member of the firm’s management committee.

Practice & Background

Mr. Pierce’s litigation and trial experience covers a diverse group of industries, including technology and telecommunications, health care, energy, entertainment and media, financial services and government contracting.

As an outgrowth of his service as an investigator for the U.S. Government Accountability Office during law school, Mr. Pierce also has significant experience in internal investigations. He has conducted internal investigations to determine possible civil and criminal liability for clients for accounting fraud, employee misconduct and theft of intellectual property.

Mr. Pierce received his J.D. in 1987 from the Georgetown University Law Center where he served as the case and notes editor of the Georgetown Immigration Law Journal.

Mr. Pierce is a frequent speaker on legal issues ranging from how to conduct internal investigations to the unique aspects of litigating in the “rocket docket.” He has also spoken on how to structure software licenses to protect against future litigation. In his management capacity, Mr. Pierce has been a frequent speaker on diversity issues facing the legal community.
Representative Matters

Mr. Pierce’s representative matters include:

defense of a massive trade secrets case involving claims of breach of contract, fraud and theft of intellectual property in the automotive industry. The matter involved defense of multiple civil actions in the U.S. and Europe well as a parallel criminal investigation
prosecution of an APA claim of arbitrary and capricious treatment of a pharmaceutical client by federal agency that prevented the client’s access to the market. Litigation resulted in drug approval and successful entry into the market
defense of an online, consumer-facing services provider served with an FTC civil investigative demand relating to consumer privacy and data security concerns
defense of multiple employment matters ranging from Title VII and retaliation claims to wrongful discharge and misclassification as well as advice on gender and racial disparities in employee populations
representation of major energy company in litigation over a gas supply contract. Jury trial resulted in $3.5 million verdict for client
defense of a patent infringement claim for a pharmaceutical client brought by the client’s major competitor to prevent entry of competitive product in the marketplace
representation of multiple clients in multiple industries in software licensing disputes involving allegations of improper use or theft of software
several internal investigations of accounting fraud, misappropriation of trade secrets, sexual and racial discrimination across several industries and public and private companies
representation of government contract in defense of investigation of violation of federal regulations regarding ownership and operation of minority business
defense of directors of a major publicly-held real estate company in a multimillion dollar breach of fiduciary duty case by a minority shareholder claiming improper valuation of a company in the sale of that company. Case resulted in favorable settlement before trial
prosecution of breach of fiduciary duty and securities law claims by a minority shareholder and potential acquirer of the company against directors and company in connection with refusal to accept tender offer
representation of a government contractor for telecom services in dispute with a prime contract for fraudulent and discriminatory behavior. Jury trial resulted in a $20 million plus verdict for client
representation of major food company in franchise litigation involving joint venture operations. Jury trial resulted in settlement mid-trial after cross-examination of principal of the joint venture partner
representation of a technology start-up in multimillion dollar dispute over ownership rights in the company. Jury trial resulted in complete defense verdict against plaintiff’s claim for $26 million in damages
representation of a major technology company against breach of contract and employment litigation involving claims to corporate stock options. Jury trial resulted in complete defense verdict against plaintiff’s damages claim on $22 million
representation of a major manufacturer-retailer in arbitration and related litigation to protect trademark and brand reputation against infringement by a foreign competitor
representation of a major telecom services provider in litigation to recover overcharges by multiple government entities for use of rights of way for telecom lines.

Community Involvement

Mr. Pierce takes an active role in addressing legal and business issues facing the greater Washington, D.C. community. He has served on numerous boards and assisted with various philanthropic fundraising activities. Most recently, Mr. Pierce joined the board of Washington 2024, the organization formed to promote Washington, D.C.’s bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. He is past president and a member of the board of trustees of the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, serves on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia’s Advisory Committee on Pro Se Litigation and is a member of the D.C. Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure. Mr. Pierce is chair-elect of the Greater Washington Board of Trade and a member of the Leadership Greater Washington Class of 2002.
Awards & Accolades

2014 Power 100, Washington Business Journal
2013 Most Admired CEO, Washington Business Journal
2012 Minority Business Leader, Washington Business Journal
Legal Elite, Virginia Business
Top Washington Lawyer, Washington Business Journal
Top 25 Verdicts from the Past 25 Years, Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Washington D.C. Super Lawyers