William B. Porter

Managing Partner

WPorter@bklawva.com

d. 703-293-7236
o. 703-691-1235
f. 703-691-3913

bio-photo

Bill Porter represents corporate, government, and individual clients in a wide variety of civil and commercial matters and has appeared in proceedings before the state courts of every jurisdiction in Northern Virginia and in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Bill is the Managing Partner of the firm. He also served as President of the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and recently completed a six-year term on Bar Council for the Virginia State Bar.

Credentials

Education
  • George Mason University School of Law (with Honors, 1997)
  • Randolph-Macon College (1992)
Bar Admissions
  • Virginia State Bar, 1997
  • Supreme Court of the United States, 2008
  • Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, 1997
  • Eastern District of Virginia, 1999
  • Western District of Virginia, 2009
  • United States District and Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia, 2015

Clerkships

  • Hon. Arthur B. Vieregg - 19th Judicial Circuit of Virginia (Fairfax Co.) 1997-98

Professional Honors & Activities

  • Rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Selected as “Top 100” lawyer in Virginia by Super Lawyer Magazine (2017-2020)
  • Selected as "Top Lawyer" by Washingtonian Magazine in 2022
  • Selected as "Top Lawyer" by Arlington Magazine since 2021
  • Selected as "Legal Elite" lawyer by Virginia Business Magazine since 2004
  • Selected as "Virginia Super Lawyer" since 2011
  • Selected as "Washington DC Super Lawyer" since 2012
  • Selected as "Virginia Rising Star" for the years (2007-2010)
  • Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (2018-present)
  • George Mason University School of Law, Dean's Scholar (1996-1997)
  • Articles Editor, George Mason Civil Rights Law Journal (1996-1997)


BAR ASSOCIATIONS

Federal Bar Association

  • Board of Directors, Alexandria, Va. Chapter, 2013-2020 (President 2018-2019)

Virginia State Bar

  • Faculty, Virginia State Bar Law School Professionalism Program  2015-present
  • Faculty, Virginia State Bar Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Course  2012-2015
  • Bar Council Representative for 19th Judicial Circuit 2012-2018
  • 5th District Disciplinary Committee (Chair and Vice-Chair) 2006 - 2012
  • Young Lawyers Division Professional Development Committee (Co-Chair 2005-2006) 2003-2007

Fairfax Bar Association

  • Board of Directors  2001-2002 
  • Young Lawyers Division (President 2001-2002) 1999-2003

Arlington Bar Association

  • Master, George Mason Inn of Court 2005-2015, 2019-present
  • Associate Barrister, George Mason Inn of Court 2000- 2004 


SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS:

  • “The Ultimate View from the Bench CLE: Best Practices, Procedures, and Ethics from the Judges’ Perspective,” Fairfax Bar Association (10/14/20 – moderator)
  • “Nuts and Bolts of EDVA Civil Practice,” Federal Bar Association, Northern Virginia Chapter (1/24/20)
  • “The Ultimate View from the Bench CLE: Best Practices, Procedures, and Ethics from the Judges’ Perspective,” Fairfax Bar Association (9/25/19 – moderator)
  • “Nuts and Bolts of EDVA Civil Practice,” Federal Bar Association, Northern Virginia Chapter (1/11/19)
  • “The Ultimate View from the Bench CLE: Best Practices, Procedures, and Ethics from the Judges’ Perspective,” Fairfax Bar Association (10/3/18 – moderator)
  • “Nuts and Bolts of EDVA Civil Practice,” Federal Bar Association, Northern Virginia Chapter (4/27/18)
  • “Federal Motions Practice,” Blankingship & Keith In-House CLE Series (11/7/17)
  • “The Ultimate View from the Bench CLE: Best Practices, Procedures, and Ethics from the Judges’ Perspective,” Fairfax Bar Association (10/4/17 – moderator)
  • “Nuts and Bolts of EDVA Civil Practice,” Federal Bar Association, Northern Virginia Chapter (4/21/17)
  • “The Ultimate View from the Bench CLE: Best Practices, Procedures, and Ethics from the Judges’ Perspective,” Fairfax Bar Association (10/18/16 – moderator)
  • “Should I?  Best Practices for Client Selection,” Prince William Bar Association (10/2/15)
  • ALPS Fall CLE Tour: Looking for Answers, Prince William, Virginia (9/15/15)
  • “The Ultimate View from the Bench CLE: Best Practices, Procedures, and Ethics from the Judges’ Perspective,” Fairfax Bar Association (9/9/15 – moderator)
  • “VA Traffic Case Defense and Malpractice Traps,” Attorneys Liability Protection Society, Inc. (11/4/14)
  • “The Ultimate View from the Bench CLE: Best Practices, Procedures, and Ethics from the Judges’ Perspective,” Fairfax Bar Association (10/22/14 – moderator)
  • “Avoiding Legal Malpractice,” Fairfax Bar Association Tides Inn Convention (10/8/10)
  • “Voir Dire,” Blankingship & Keith In-House CLE Series (7/28/05).
  • “The Real Scoop on Litigating in Virginia, Maryland, and DC,” Virginia Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, George Mason University Law School (4/14/04).
  • “Buying a Better Sentence: The Troubling Results from Libretti v.
  • United States,” 7 GEO MASON U.C.R.I.J. 83 (1997)

Community Service

  • Vestry, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Arlington, Virginia (Sr. and Jr. Warden) 2011-2014
  • General Counsel, Culmore Clinic 2012-present
  • General Counsel, Virginia Chamber Orchestra 2011-present
  • Coach, over 40 Arlington County youth teams for baseball, basketball, and football

Representative Cases

  • Defended numerous businesses and individuals facing claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference with contract, business conspiracy, misappropriation of trade secrets, and other business torts.
  • Defended numerous employment discrimination claims brought against large and small employers resulting in dismissals or client favorable settlements.
  • Defended malpractice claims against lawyers and law firms resulting in dismissals or client favorable settlements.
  • Successfully handled cases involving non-compete and non-solicitation covenants among companies and employees.
  • Obtained defense verdict for two members of a LLC who were sued by multiple investor members for state securities law claims and fraud.
  • Assisted in the representation of a major international telecommunications company that recovered a nine-figure settlement in an action involving a "true up" provision in a shareholders agreement and the loss of a directorship.
  • Represented an international insurance company in the defense of a multi-million dollar bad faith action.
  • Represented an internet company in the dissolution of a joint venture and teaming agreement involving claims of copyright infringement and breach of contract in the United States Federal Courts for the District of Nebraska and the Eastern District of Virginia.
  • Represented a large medical practice in a shareholder dispute involving claims of fraud, conspiracy, and breach of fiduciary duties resulting in a favorable seven-figure judgment.
  • Defended the beneficiary of the estate of the owner of a popular regional restaurant against claims of conspiracy and tortious interference with contract involved in the sale of the restaurant.
  • Has "first chaired" at trial dozens of cases at both the district and circuit court levels.