Civil Litigation Attorney

Don Shaw Law; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Bar dues and CLE

Job summary

Don Shaw Law seeks an attorney to lead and build our civil litigation practice. You will handle matters from intake through resolution, including civil, business, fiduciary and estate disputes, and IP enforcement, appearing in Virginia circuit courts, the D.C. Superior Court, and federal court as needed.

This is a build-it role with two offices (Arlington and Woodbridge). The firm offers a base salary plus incentive compensation, health coverage, retirement plan, paid time off, and payment of

Qualifications

• Active Virginia Bar license required; D.C./Maryland admissions a plus.
• 3+ years civil litigation experience with independent docket management.
• Demonstrated courtroom experience – motions, hearings, depositions, and some trial work.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage civil disputes, business/commercial disputes, fiduciary and estate litigation.
• Handle IP enforcement and disputes.
• Appear in Virginia circuit courts, D.C. Superior Court, and federal court as needed.

Skills

Active Virginia Bar

Civil litigation experience

Courtroom experience

Risk communication

Two-office coordination

Tools

USPTO Patent Bar

Job description

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 civil litigation practice. You will handle matters from intake through resolution, including:

• Civil disputes
• Business and commercial disputes
• Fiduciary and estate-related litigation
• Intellectual property enforcement and disputes

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.