Anthony Pierce

Anthony T. Pierce is the partner in charge of the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. Tony draws on more than three decades of trial and litigation experience to deliver positive results. Clients look to Tony as a problem-solver, an aggressive advocate and a reliable source of practical legal advice. His clients span an array of industries, including technology, telecommunications, health care, energy, media and entertainment, financial services and government contracting.

His range of cases is equally broad. Tony has defended large class actions and complex commercial disputes involving breach of contract, consumer protection, data privacy, trade secrets, product liability, intellectual property and high-level employment claims. He also has conducted numerous internal investigations. An experienced trial lawyer, Tony brings well-honed litigation skills, ingenuity and a vigorous presence.

Throughout his career, Tony has been an active force in legal organizations, including the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia. Appointed by President Barack Obama, Tony serves as a Commissioner and the Vice-Chair of the D.C. Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure, which supervises the conduct and reappointment of D.C. judges.

Tony is also highly engaged in influential business organizations in the Capital Region. He is the past chair of the Greater Washington Board of Trade and serves on the board of the Greater Washington Partnership, a group of civic-minded business leaders investing in solutions that drive growth and create economic opportunity. He is also the General Counsel of the Economic Club of Washington and a member of the Executive Committee of the Federal City Council.

Experience:

• Is highly engaged in key legal and business organizations throughout the Capital Region.
• A litigator with a winning trial history across numerous industries and areas of law.
• Handles sensitive, high-value litigation.

Representative Work:

• Represented a defendant in 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 United States and Europe, as well as a parallel criminal investigation.
• Assisted a nationally recognized electronics manufacturer in a consumer class action concerning allegations of digital data collection and the sufficiency of the manufacturers’ privacy policy and related disclosures, resulting in dismissal of the action.
• Represented a large construction company in a discrimination and retaliation suit seeking substantial damages brought under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Age Discrimination in Employment Act. At trial, the jury found in the client’s favor in all but one of the plaintiff’s FMLA and ADA claims. Following trial, we successfully moved for judgment as a matter of law on the sole remaining claims.
• Represented a prominent sports and entertainment company in an age discrimination case involving a former lawyer for the company.
• Advised a multinational retail corporation, serving as national coordinating counsel on nationwide products liability actions.
• Prosecuted an American Pharmaceutical Association claim of arbitrary and capricious treatment of a pharmaceutical client by the Food and Drug Administration, preventing the client’s access to the market. Litigation resulted in the drug’s approval for release.
• Defends 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.
• For both public and private companies across multiple industries, conducts internal investigations of allegations of accounting fraud, misappropriation of trade secrets, and sexual and racial discrimination, among others.
• Represented multiple clients in multiple industries in software licensing disputes involving allegations of improper use or theft of software.

Affiliations:

• Past President and Member of Board of Trustees, Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia.
• Member, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia’s Advisory Committee on Pro Se
• Member, Leadership Greater Washington Class of 2002.
• Member, Greater Washington Partnership.
• Member, Federal City Council.
• General Counsel, Economic Club of Washington.
• Past chair, Greater Washington Board of Trade.

Education:

• J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1987
• B.S., George Mason University, 1983

Bar Admissions:

• District of Columbia
• Virginia