Intellectual Property & Business Law Firm in Leesburg, Virginia

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Other Offices: Washington (DC)  Naples (FL)  Atlanta (GA)  

Law Firm Overview

Dunlap Weaver is a multi-faceted law firm serving clients nationwide with office locations spread out throughout the country. The firm was founded by U.S. Army officers with over 200 years of combined experience and expertise in a wide variety of industries and sciences. Their military background means that they have the dedication, discipline, and tenacity to pursue results, and their wide range of expertise means they can take on any case and bring innovative, outside-the-box solutions to even the most complex issues.

The team of highly skilled attorneys at Dunlap Weaver has handled a wide variety of cases involving corporate/finance law, intellectual property laws, and government contracts. The firm has a great deal of experience handling government contracts as well as compliance to federal guidelines in other industries, such as aviation. Additionally, the firm also has a great deal of experience in the field of entertainment law, with a focus on the film industry, and two of the firm’s partners have even been credited as associate producers to a major motion picture.

No matter what your legal needs may be, Dunlap Weaver is here to help. The firm’s experience in so many different fields gives them the ability to handle all types of cases at any level of complexity with ease. The firm’s reputation and track record is well established amongst colleagues and clients, and their discipline and integrity are a testament to the values of the armed services.

Year this Office was Established: 1999

Languages: French, Spanish, English

Areas of Law

Areas of Law Description

Our practice includes:

- Intellectual Property

We help our clients obtain and register the patents, trademarks, copyrights and licenses that protect their products, services and brand identities. We manage intellectual property portfolios and provide deep discount trademark monitoring services to our clients so they can protect their brand and keep the value of the particular mark. We offer well-qualified legal counsel on matters of trade secrets and business intelligence to help them get ahead in the market. We also provide representation in infringement disputes that involve cease and desist letters, declaratory judgment actions and Markman hearings. We can also help you respond to an office action for a trademark that you have filed yourself, and assist with any other follow up action that might be necessary in the trademark application process.

* Copyright
Copyright is a form of legal protection for written works including computer software, music and recordings, dramatic works, choreographic works, photographs, paintings, graphics, sculptures, audio video works, and architectural works. Generally any creative work that can be seen, heard or touched (either directly or with the aid of a machine) is protected by copyright laws. As such Copyright can provide significant protection for a broad range of intellectual property. However, securing all of the benefits of copyright protection can be tricky and failure to take certain prescribed action can result in loss of rights.

* Patent
Our firm has extensive preparing and prosecuting patent applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Our prosecution group consist of a number of “Of Counsel” attorneys who are experts in various technical fields, and their collective experience includes successfully prosecuting patents in all areas of technology—including the electronic, chemical, biotechnology and mechanical arts—for all manner of clients, from Fortune 500 corporations to start-ups.

* Trademark
A “trademark” is any word, slogan, phrase, logo (see some of our clients' Representative Marks) or a combination of those items that is used to identify the products of one company from the products of other companies. Trademarks represent branding efforts by a company and they are an incredibly important business asset because they enable businesses to promote the reputation of their products. Trademarks enable businesses to distinguish themselves from their competitors by allowing business owners to market their products free from fear that a competing product of lesser quality will dilute or diminish the perception of quality consumers associate with their products’ brands.

* Entertainment Law
Dan Grubb spent ten years in front of the camera managing a news station and as the anchorman for an ABC news affiliate.
Our lawyers provide entertainment law services to entertainment clients in entertainment law matters include: co-production, digital distribution, endorsement, film, game show, internet distribution, licensing, literary option and purchase, live performance, management, merchandising, modeling, music agent, photography, player, publishing, recording, royalty, sampling, social media distribution, songwriter, synchronization, television distribution, theater, touring, and venue; business planning services; post entertainment and sports career advising; and intellectual property protection services.

- Corporate and Finance

We partner with individuals and the businesses they run to help service all of their corporate and transactional legal needs on a local, national and international scale. Knowing that each business and each situation is different, we tailor our approach to your company's unique needs. Our status as a boutique law firm allows us to partner with and service our clients in this manner. We choose transactions and business matters selectively and provide our clients with a level of personal service not often found at larger law firms. We enjoy servicing the corporate needs of businesses of all sizes and in all industries-from start-up companies just forming a business plan to larger, established businesses undergoing growing pains. We regularly act as an outside counsel for corporate clients, working with their in-house counsel to address all of their legal needs. The firm is a leader among area law firms and specializes in start-ups, contracts, licensing, employment agreements, government contracts, mergers & acquisitions, franchising, and private securities.

* Franchising
DunlapWeaver PLLC has a robust Franchise & Distribution practice, representing the business, real estate and intellectual property needs of franchisors and franchisees in many industries. Franchising, for both franchisors and franchisees, can be one of the most efficient and effective ways to achieve the American dream. However, the decision to franchise a business—or to purchase a franchise—should not be made lightly. It is a fundamental shift in the type of business you are probably used to undertaking. For new franchisees, buying a franchise certainly can be filled with risks.

* Business Law
A “business attorney" or "business lawyer" generally refers to a lawyer who represents business entities of all types including corporations, LLCs, general partnerships, limited partnerships, sole proprietorships, associations, organizations and joint ventures. Usually business lawyers also represent individuals who act in a business capacity (such as owners, proprietors, principals, managers, partners, directors, officers, controlling shareholders, entrepreneurs). Some business lawyers also represent other individuals in their dealings with business entities (e.g. contractors, subcontractors, consultants, minority shareholders, employees).

* Venture Capital
Our firm is located in the Washington, DC Metro area, the leading location for start-up companies and business seeking capital in an unstable economy, where venture capital and the government converge. Our attorneys have experience working with venture capital firms, angels and private investors across the United States and overseas.

* Mergers & Acquisitions
From helping to grow and preserve your assets to achieving your business and financial goals, DunlapWeaver PLLC partners with you through every step of a merger or acquisition. Our lawyers assist businesses locally and across the nation in buying, selling or combining different corporate structures to maximize business potential, market share and wealth.

- Litigation

Our firm offers its clients the many benefits of a highly focused, small-sized business litigation firm, but with all of the important advantages of top national law firm experience. The result for our clients is intense, sophisticated, high-quality legal representation, provided in a cost-effective manner. While DunlapWeaver PLLC focuses its practice on business disputes and intellectual property matters, the firm represents clients in all facets of business litigation and complex commercial matters, in cases involving breach of contract, partnership issues, securities, probate, employment, corporate control, copyrights and trademarks, and franchise and dealer termination matters. Our lawyers have extensive trial and appellate experience across a broad spectrum of corporate litigation disputes, for both plaintiffs and defendants, and have successfully represented individuals, small businesses, and large corporations.

* Mediation and Arbitration
Lawyers at the law firm of DunlapWeaver PLLC are advocates of a variety of alternative dispute resolution methods. As a law firm committed to keeping legal costs reasonable, we have found that alternative dispute resolution (ADR) may, under the circumstances, be a much less expensive way to solve problems and resolve business disputes. There are a number of arbitration forums and sometimes parties are bound to arbitration without realizing it. Our firm has handled AAA Arbitration (American Arbitration Association), NASD Arbitration (now subsumed under FINRA), JAMS, HKIAC (Hong Kong International Arbitration), AIA contract arbitration (which is AAA commercial arbitration) and a variety of other private arbitration and mediation processes in jurisdictions across the US and in foreign countries.

- Labor and Employment Law

The success of your business can often depend on your relationship with your employees. Making sure that you comply with laws and regulations can be critical to keeping you out of court. But if an employee takes legal action, finding a smart and effective resolution can help you get back on track. At the Washington, D.C., area law offices of DunlapWeaver PLLC, we represent employers who want to make the best choices for their business. We help them avoid the courtroom by creating the right legal protections and mitigating the negative effects of any employment law action.

- Real Estate

We maintain a dynamic real estate practice, representing clients involved in commercial and residential transactions, zoning matters and litigation. Our real estate attorneys stay finely tuned into the real estate market as it evolves and matures. Our attorneys have extraordinary experience representing clients engaged in every facet of buying, selling, developing, operating, leasing, capitalizing and financing real estate for operators, investors and consumers. Our real estate litigation attorneys serve clients who are facing threatened or actual litigation concerning real estate or zoning matters, or who need to enforce their rights in a real estate dispute.

- Aviation Law

Tom Dunlap serves as a panel attorney for AOPA (the only one located in the immediate Dulles Airport area). He is a licensed instrument pilot and flies a Cirrus SR-22 from KJYO, where he serves as an Airport Commissioner. The firm’s aviation litigation practice includes air crash, aviation tort and aviation products liability defense and aviation-related commercial trial work. Additionally, Dunlap, Grubb & Weaver represents pilots and aviation businesses in disputes, enforcement and civil penalty litigation with the Federal Aviation Administration before the NTSB, particularly with respect to violations of the National Capitol Area TFR, Camp David TFR and the Washington DC SFRA (Special Flight Rules Area, formerly ADIZ). Our aviation transactional practice includes formation of aviation businesses and preparing and negotiating aircraft and aviation facility leases, aircraft purchases, sales and financing, and aircraft operating agreements. Dunlap, Grubb & Weaver also assists aviation businesses with minimizing the risks of potential future litigation.

- Bankruptcy

Our bankruptcy practice is as old as the firm itself. Thomas Dunlap and Daniel Grubb were practicing bankruptcy law before they started the firm. We combine our experience in bankruptcy with our other areas of expertise in corporate law and asset protection to provide competent, comprehensive representation to our clients. Representation you can rely upon. Advice you can trust as informed, accurate and tailored to your individual needs. If bankruptcy is not the best solution to your problems, we will tell you that, even if it means losing your business.

- Career College Representation

We can help a wide variety of schools obtain a license to operate in almost any state in the country where licensure is required, including: Flight Schools; Truck Driving Schools; Cooking Schools; Computer and Technology Schools; Modeling and Acting Schools; Massage Therapy Schools; Cosmetology Schools; and Auto Repair Schools and many more. We often work with local counsel in states where our firm's attorneys are not licensed to practice. If you are considering opening a private secondary school, a vocational/career school, or even an avocational school, we can help.

- Estate Planning

Our law firm helps individuals and companies grow and protect their assets. For our lawyers, effective estate planning is one more tool to help our clients succeed. Our attorneys meet with clients to help them create asset protection plans that really work for individuals and businesses in the form of wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, living wills, and advance medical directives. Our firm is a small, boutique law firm that chooses cases selectively so that our clients receive the personal attention they deserve. Although our lawyers have the skill and experience to draft documents for clients’ individual needs.

- Military Justice

Our firm specializes in representing members of all branches of the United States military facing criminal and adverse administrative actions. All of our military attorneys served for years in the United States Army, and Dan Grubb continues to serve as a Major in the United States Army Reserve. Given the intricacies and complex nature of the military justice system, our extensive military experience uniquely qualifies us to assist military members facing disciplinary action. Our attorneys know the military justice system inside and out, and our extensive knowledge of the military and military justice system is invaluable to each of our clients.

- Civil & Criminal Litigation

From business disputes between contractors, former employees, vendors or with the government, when these matters end up in court a company’s entire business is affected and can be at risk. It is times like these when DunlapWeaver PLLC provides experienced, assertive and efficient legal counsel from years of litigating in trials before judges and juries, appeals, arbitrations, mediations and administrative proceedings for both individuals and businesses all over the country to achieve predictable and sought after outcomes for its clients. With former state, Federal and military prosecutors and a wealth of civil and criminal litigation experience clients get straight talk and results.

- Qui Tam and False Claims Act

The False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3733, imposes civil liability for false or fraudulent claims for payment to the United States government, including fraud involving any federally funded contact or program, with the exception of tax fraud.

- Product Liability Litigation

At DunlapWeaver PLLC, we have attorneys that specialize in representing corporate clients in complex product liability matters. We strive to vigorously represent manufacturers in the most cost-effective manner possible. As a boutique AV Rated firm with lawyers from top twenty schools and pedigree resumes, who left behind mega-firms—firms that have continually raised their hourly rates in recent years—we provide our clients with large firm expertise and service at economical rates.

Affiliations

Attorneys

	Ms. Mary Beaghler Attorney Copyright, Intellectual Property, Trademark		Mr. Ellis Bennett Attorney Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Business and Industry, Employment, Intellectual Property
	Mr. Thomas M. Dunlap Attorney Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Asbestos Mesothelioma, Aviation Law, Banking Law, Business Law		Ms. Melanie Hammelman Attorney
	Ms. Christina Heischmidt Attorney Alternative Dispute Resolution, Appellate Practice, Arbitration, Bankruptcy, Business Litigation		Mr. Daniel Hofherr Attorney
	Ms. Tamara Hudson Attorney Copyright, Intellectual Property, Trademark		Mr. Matthew Kamula Attorney Admiralty and Maritime, Banking and Finance, Business and Industry, General Practice, Litigation
	Ms. Carly Lynch Attorney Intellectual Property, Patents		Mr. William Mulgrew Attorney
	Mr. Cortland C. Putbrese Attorney Bankruptcy, Intellectual Property, Litigation		Mr. Kevin Repper Attorney Intellectual Property, Patents, Trademark
	Mr. Lyman Smith Attorney Intellectual Property, Licensing Law, Patents, Trademark		Mr. Jeffrey W. Weaver Attorney Aerospace Law, Agency and Distributorship, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Arbitration

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