As co-chair of Shulman Rogers’ Employment and Business Litigation Practice Groups, Mr. Grant brings extensive experience to the Firm and his clients from twenty years of representing all types of business entities, executives (including officers and directors) and other individuals, in all forms of business and employment-related disputes - as well as in dispute avoidance - whether in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia or numerous other jurisdictions across the country where his clients regularly transact business.

Mr. Grant’s primary focus is on the protection of his client’s economic or personal interests, competitive advantages and legal rights whether in the commercial, or Federal marketplace. His counsel is commonly relied upon by clients in dealing with their own employees, officers, directors, or  independent contractors, and the joint venture partners they may affiliate with.  He espouses a pragmatic, cost-benefit approach in the resolution of all business and employment related concerns through client counseling, negotiation, mediation and, if necessary, litigation or arbitration. 

Emphasizing that “dispute avoidance” is just as – if not more – valuable to his clients than just his zealous advocacy, he encourages clients to review and, when warranted, revise not just their existing business contracts but their internal policies use controls, on a regular basis. Mr. Grant routinely assists his clients either in creating or with the review and revision of these documents. Thereafter, he regularly provide training and management counseling to help implement these policies.

As co-chair for Business Litigation, Mr. Grant identifies each client’s unique interests and goals and, then, creates a strategy that reflects those unique interests while attaining the client’s goals.   Mr. Grant’s technical experience in complex business disputes reflects the sophistication and diversity of Shulman Rogers’ capabilities. Mr Grant regularly:

• Represents companies in breach of contract, fraud, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and other business disputes;
• Represents partners/owners in negotiated or litigated “business divorces” and related separation or dissolution matters;
• Represents companies or individuals in defending or prosecuting trade secret, trademark, copyright, patent rights as well as other intellectual property related claims;
• Represents Chapter 7 bankruptcy Trustees or creditors in adversary actions including fraudulent conveyance and preference actions and creditors in Chapter 11 proceedings pursuing their Administrative claims and objections as warranted;
• Represents franchisors/franchisees in disputes involving franchise agreements, disclosure statements and the satisfaction of dissociation obligations.

As co-chair for Employment Litigation, Mr. Grant is asked to handle complex matters in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia involving employee-employer, partner, fiduciary and officer /director obligations and/or disputes in commercial business operations.  As a result, he regularly pursues Temporary Restraining Orders (TRO’s) and Preliminary Injunctions in both state and federal courts when prosecuting restrictive covenant (non-compete and non solicitation), confidentiality (non-disclosure) and trade secret violations.  Recognizing the benefit of his “plaintiff” experience and insight, Mr. Grant is also often asked defend exiting executives or other high-level employees (or their new employers) from overbroad contract restrictions and other unfair restraints on trade. 

As part of his employment practice, Mr. Grant represents financial advisors and investment brokers “in transition,” whether they are joining a member of the Protocol for Broker Recruitment or pursuing an independent path with a greater potential for litigation or arbitration. He counsels them regarding separation issues, including the disclosure of client information, industry-accepted client transfer practices, and any financial obligations owed to a former employer.

Representative Cases:

Secured Permanent Injunctions in the Eastern District of Virginia federal court against former employees and judgments against their new employers, successfully prosecuting breach of contract, trade secret and breach of fiduciary duty claims;

Successfully protected trademark rights of Virginia-based financial advisor group in D.C. federal district court, without protracted, costly, litigation;

Secured TRO and Permanent Injunction in Maryland federal court against former employees and their new company for a large Virginia-based Government Contractor;

Currently, co-counsel defending large California-based internet communications company in patent infringement case in Maryland federal district court;

Successfully defended departing financial advisor group from overbroad restrictive covenants and alleged trademark violation claims – allowing them to seamlessly transfer a very lucrative portfolio to an independent broker-dealer without protracted, costly litigation;

Secured TRO and Permanent Injunction in Prince William County, Virginia against a former owner/seller (and his new company) for the new owners/buyers of a Manassas, Virginia-based general contractor;

Successfully narrowed existing TRO in Montgomery County, MD and negotiated favorable settlement of non-compete/trade secret dispute for the parent of the Mobile Travel Guide;

Secured TRO/Permanent Injunction against a former member of a cardiology practice in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Outside of the courtroom, Mr. Grant routinely represents clients in EEOC or locally-initiated investigations of employee or former-employee claims of discrimination, retaliation or other statutory violations.  He regularly counsels clients regarding employee discipline issues and assists in properly identifying, analyzing and working through the myriad of challenges faced by office managers, HR Directors, Presidents, or small business owners every day as they try to interpret and comply with the ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA as well as corresponding state and local statutes.

In addition to representing “for-profit” commercial entities, Mr. Grant serves as “outside in-house counsel” to several 501(c)(3) not-for-profit associations and federations.  While offering much of the same support and counsel as provided to commercial entities, Mr. Grant also counsels these clients in uniquely applicable matters including anti-trust compliance, membership (exclusion and expulsion) issues, standards setting and certification - and offers training programs to assure continued compliance.

Mr. Grant counsels government contractors in federal compliance matters and has defended them in civil prosecutions including False Claim Act cases.  He also has represented contractors in civil suspension and debarment proceedings resulting from IG or DOJ investigations and prosecutions.

In between receiving two degrees from Georgetown University, Mr. Grant served as assistant to the Executive Vice President and Provost of the University, where he gained invaluable experience in academic administration and fund-raising - all while managing to spend summers “in residence” at Georgetown’s Villa le Balze in Fiesole, Italy. 

He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and currently lives in Northern Virginia. 

News

• When HR Sues
• Protecting Interests, Within Legal Reason
• Court gives claws to ‘cat’s paw’
• SHULMAN ROGERS ATTORNEYS RECOGNIZED AS “LEGAL ELITE”
• Office policies on sexual harassment can help prevent claims -- from men or women
• Recession Causes Rise In Man-On-Man Sexual Harassment Claims
• More Men Make Harassment Claims
• The Navigator: When travel companies sue their customers
• What a Shame: Local Judge Mutes Jon Gosselin
• Gosselin circus could be coming to town

Events

• The ABC's of Employee Discipline and Termination
  July 28, 2011
• The ABC's of Employee Discipline and Termination: A Proactive Approach for Association Executives.
  May 13, 2011
• Employment Roundtable: The ABC's of Employee Discipline and Termination
  October 28, 2010
• Women in Technology “Connect Series”
  October 21, 2010
• Employment Roundtable: The Employee v. Independent Contractor Dilemma
  April 22, 2010

Professional & Community Affiliations

• Bar Association of Virginia, Member
• Bar Association of Maryland, Member
• Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Member
• Bar Association of Fairfax, Virginia, Member
• Bar Association of Montgomery County, Maryland, Member
• John Carroll Society