Thomas M. Wolf
Partner
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Thomas M. Wolf is a partner in our Richmond , Virginia office . A Virginia Lawyers Hall of Fame trial lawyer focusing on business litigation, particularly in cases involving construction law, corporate governance and shareholder disputes, intellectual property, general commercial law and international law.
In addition to his notable litigation practice, Tom acts as general counsel to a number of companies. He is former president of the International Alliance of Law Firms, a network of business-oriented law firms from around the world. He also is active in a number of construction-related industry groups.
Tom joined O’Hagan Meyer litigation team after heading the Richmond office of Miles & Stockbridge. Before Miles & Stockbridge, Tom was a principal with LeClairRyan, where he headed both the General Counsel Practice and the Construction Industry Team and chaired the Diversity Committee and the Pro Bono Committee.
Tom has practiced law in Richmond for more than 40 years. He has served the Virginia State Bar as chair of both the International Practice Section and the Construction Law and Public Contracts Section. Since 1986, he has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Richmond School of Law.
Tom is listed for commercial litigation, construction law, and construction litigation in The Best Lawyers in America©. He has been recognized repeatedly by Virginia Business magazine as one of Virginia's "Legal Elite" and Law and Politics magazine as a Virginia "Super Lawyer" for both civil litigation and construction law. Tom is a frequent lecturer on construction law, litigation, employment law and international law both in the U.S. and abroad.
- Practice Areas
- Education and Admissions
Education
- B.A. from Vanderbilt University – Cum Laude
- J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law – Order of the Coif
Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court Western District of Virginia
States Licensed
- Virginia
- Professional Organization Memberships
- Virginia Law Foundation: Board Member
- Federal Bar Association
- Greater Richmond Bar Foundation
- International Alliance of Law Firms: Former President
- Old Dominion Bar Association
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce: International Policy Committee Member
- Virginia State Bar: International Practice Section Former Chair; Construction and Public Contracts Section Former Chair
- Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
- Richmond Bar Association, Member
- News, Honors, Publications & Speeches Representative Matters
- Multi-million-dollar recovery for the co-founder of a business who was forced out by the other co-founder and investors (Charlottesville 2020).
- Obtained summary judgment for defendant, an overseas industrial supplier, on alleged breach of multi-year commercial contract with Virginia company (E.D. Va. 2020).
- Successful defense of power plant owner in $300 million federal suit by EPC contractor (2020).
- Successful defense of power plant owner in suit threatening plant’s water permit (M.D. Pa. 2016).
- Successful recovery by contractor building liquid natural gas pipeline in Pennsylvania and West Virginia (E.D. Va. 2016).
- Successful defense of $70 million suit for rescission of agreement to purchase energy industry supplier (W.D. Va. 2013).
- Successful defense of one of the world’s largest manufacturers in $600 million federal suit for breach of contract (E.D. Va. 2010).
- Trial victory against EPC contractor on behalf of owner of power plant in three-week trial in federal court. Verdict for the owner of $11 million plus attorney’s fees, and zero to the contractor on claims of $50 million. Old Dominion Electric Cooperative v. Ragnar Benson, Inc., 2006 WL 2252514 (E.D. Va. 2006).
- Successful defense of asbestos manufacturer in a $1 billion case to remove asbestos from all state-owned buildings in Virginia. Commonwealth v. Owens Corning Fiberglass Corp., 385 S.E.2d 865 (Va. 1989).
- Victory in Richmond Circuit Court trial that required the defendant LLC to pay plaintiff more than $6.5 million to buy out his ownership interest (Jan. 2018).
- Landmark verdict on behalf of a group of minority shareholders ordering the dissolution of a $200 million corporation because of oppression and waste by the controlling shareholders. Colgate v. The Disthene Group, Inc., 2012 Va. Cir. LEXIS 67, *15 (Va. Cir. Ct. Aug. 30, 2012).
- Senior member of a trial team that won the then largest jury verdict in Virginia history – $100.5 million. Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Inc. v. Nationwide Ins. Co. (City of Richmond 1998).
- Defense verdict for client after six-day trial in the Circuit Court for the City of Baltimore. The client, a national company in the oil industry, was sued for $2.7 million by a competitor for alleged conspiracy and unjust enrichment related to the purchase of allegedly stolen oil (Dec. 1, 2014).
- $1M jury verdict for corporate client against a lawyer who had orchestrated the theft of intellectual property (Henrico Circuit Court 2013).
- $3 million jury verdict for developer based on an oral amendment of a joint venture agreement. Henderson v. Perkins (Cir. Ct. City of Williamsburg and James City County 2010).
- Landmark First Amendment victory in criminal case striking down a Virginia statute as overbroad infringement on right to speak anonymously. Jaynes v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 276 Va. 443 (2008).
- Received the only defense verdict after an 8-week jury trial against multiple defendants in a $100 million federal suit related to the construction and operation of an Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) facility. Jama v. U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service (D.N.J. 2007).
- Obtained a $1.1 million jury verdict against the investment banking firm that had forced him out as a partner (Richmond Circuit Court 2005).
- Successful defense of a $100 million class action suit in federal court in Alabama. Register v. RUS of Auburn, Inc., 193 F.2d 1273 (M.D. Ala. 2002).
- First jury verdict in favor of a software user against a computer consulting firm for malpractice in the implementation of SAP R/3. Omni Services, Inc. v. Osprey Systems, Inc. (E.D. Va. 2000).
- $4 million jury verdict for plaintiffs who were injured by an attack while on vacation in St. Martin. King v. Trust Ins. Co. (Chesterfield County Cir. Ct. 1988).
- Received the first RICO decision in favor of customer against a major brokerage house. Donato v. Merrill Lynch, 663 F.Supp. 669 (N.D. Ill. 1987).
- Successful defense of a European pharmaceutical company in a case challenging the safety of the world’s number one prescription drug (M.D. W.Va. 1986).
- Governor Tim Kaine Transition Committee Member
- University of Richmond School of Law: Adjunct Professor Construction Law (1986-present)
- Virginia Commission on Parole Review: Member (2015)
- Virginia Port Authority: Former Board of Commissioners Member
- Virginia Poverty Law Center: Former Board Member
- Virginia Lawyers Weekly: Go To Business Litigation Lawyers (2023); Virginia Lawyers Hall of Fame (2022); Leaders in the Law (2020)
- American Bar Foundation Fellow (2013-present)
- Benchmark Litigation: The Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys: Listed as Litigation Star Construction and Intellectual Property (2014-2021, 2023)
- Best Lawyers in America®: Selected for inclusion in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, and Litigation - Construction (2007-2022)
- Chambers USA - America’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Listed in the area of Construction (2022)
- Virginia Business Magazine: Legal Elite (2001-2020)
- Virginia Super Lawyers®: Listed in the area of Business Litigation (2006-2022); Named among the Top 100 Virginia Super Lawyers (2012-2022)
- The Virginia Bar Association's 48th Annual Advanced Business Law Conference, Avoiding and Handling Business Owner Deadlocks, Disputes and "Divorces" (2022)
- Virginia CLE's 43rd Annual Construction Law and Public Contracts Seminar, Recent Developments in Construction and Public Contracts Law in Virginia (2022)
- “New Legislation Makes General Contractors Liable For Wages Of Subcontractor’s Employees”, Virginia Construction Voice, March 24, 2020
- “Force Majeure Clauses and Construction Contract Issues Related to COVID-19”, Bloomberg Law, March 6, 2020
- “Insight: Fifth Circuit ‘Home Cooking’ Ruling Harms Future U.S. Trade Partners”, The United States Law Week, March 6, 2020
- “Virginia Construction Law Deskbook”, Contributing Author, Virginia Law Foundation, 2019
- Numerous papers and articles related to construction law, civil litigation, employment law and transactional litigation
- Languages
- English
- French
- Italian
- Spanish