Robert M. “Bob” Tata

Bob is a first chair litigator who focuses his practice on complex commercial and IP litigation in Norfolk, Virginia and beyond. He has lived and litigated in the Norfolk region for over 30 years, including frequently appearing in the Eastern District of Virginia “Rocket Docket” and regional Virginia State courts and authoring an acclaimed Rocket Docket article in Law360 for 12+ years. He managed the firm’s former Norfolk office for years.

Bob once won the then largest jury verdict in the history of Virginia and he and his team are frequently hired as “go to” local counsel for other national firms litigating intellectual property and other notable cases in the Norfolk Division of the Rocket Docket. His practice includes high stakes commercial litigation, intellectual property litigation (trade secret, false advertising, trademark, copyright, and patent), products liability defense, and other significant disputes in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere.

Bob has received many awards recognizing his excellence in multiple litigation fields and Virginia Business has named him numerous times to its annual “Power List” identifying Virginia’s top 500 business leaders. He is also a prolific author and speaker, which includes repeat presentations of an introductory business law seminar to the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and others on “Emergency Escape Ladder Case Record Verdict Lessons Learned”,

• Frequently hired by the Commonwealth of Virginia to represent its public colleges and universities such as University of Virginia, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, James Madison University, and Old Dominion University in significant litigation matters.
• Won X-IT Products v. Walter Kidde, a copyright, trade dress, patent trade, and secrets case, obtaining the then largest jury verdict in Virginia history ($116 million), which is the basis for a Harvard Business School Case Study that Bob presents at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.
• Won Lake Wright Hospitality, LLC v. Holiday Hospitality Franchising, Inc., defeating a $16 million hotel franchise claim on summary judgment in federal court and winning an $868,000 attorneys’ fees award.
• Won DACS, Inc. v. Sierra Shelving, obtaining a patent portfolio, award of product, and $450,000 fee award, and shutting down a competitor company in a state court intellectual property dispute.
• Won certiorari to the United States Supreme Court in Garris v. Norshipco, a maritime wrongful death case, and later won a defense judgment at trial, earning selection as one of the “top ten” annual defense wins in Virginia Lawyers Weekly.
• Won Ballard v. Sony Pictures Entertainment, obtaining dismissal of a copyright and Lanham Act case regarding the movie “The Wedding Planner,” which grossed $97 million.
• Won seven-figure settlement in Wood Logic v. Lehigh, a patent and trade secret case, for the inventor of the “Woodpegger.”
• Won Matter of Earl Industries, B-309996, a $60 million bid protest at GAO overturning an award of contract for repair of the Navy’s East Coast Frigate fleet.
• Resolved Turner Construction Company v. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University on favorable terms for the owner of $33 million construction dispute regarding Virginia Tech's football stadium after being hired by the Commonwealth of Virginia to represent the University.
• Statewide Coordinating Counsel for a Fortune 100 pharmaceutical company, regarding high profile prescription drug litigation.
• Defended a wide range of clients in employment law and defamation disputes.
• Represented maritime clients, including shippers, shipowners, shipyards, terminals, and equipment manufacturers, in all aspects of maritime law and asbestos defense.
• Defended numerous consumer fraud cases.
• Long history of public service, including: Board of Visitors, Old Dominion University; Chairman, Virginia Beach General Assembly Delegation Judicial Endorsement Panel; Commissioner, Virginia Port Authority; Member, Greater Norfolk Corporation Board; Commissioner, Virginia Beach Resort Advisory Commission; and Captain and intelligence officer in the United States Naval Reserve.

• Selected as Lawyer of the Year for Trade Secrets Law, Virginia, The Best Lawyers in America, 2024
• Selected as a Best Lawyer for Litigation – Intellectual Property and Trade Secrets Law, Virginia, The Best Lawyers in America, 2007–2024
• Selected as a Super Lawyer for Business Litigation, The Washington Post Magazine and Virginia & West Virginia Super Lawyers Magazine, 2006-2024
• Recognized as a Leader in Litigation: General Commercial, Virginia, Chambers USA, 2004-2023
• Recognized in “The Power List” as one of Virginia’s 500 “Most Powerful Leaders” among all statewide business leaders, Virginia Business, 2020-2023
• Named one of the Top 10 Dynamic and Influential Commercial Litigation Lawyers in Virginia, Business Today, 2023
• Recognized as one of the 100 Influential Leaders in Business in Coastal Virginia, CoVaBizMag, 2023
• Selected as Complex Commercial Litigation, Governments Investigations, and IP Litigation Lawyer of the Year in Virginia – 2022, Global Law Experts, 2022
• Named among Inside Business Annual Power List, The Virginian Pilot, 2021-2022
• Named among The 2022 Inside Business Power List The Next 65, Inside Business magazine, 2022
• Selected as Lawyer of the Year for Litigation – Intellectual Property and Trade Secrets Law, Virginia, The Best Lawyers in America, 2021
• Selected as Lawyer of the Year for Litigation – Intellectual Property, Virginia, The Best Lawyers in America, 2020
• Selected as a 2019 Top Rated Lawyer in Commercial Litigation, American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell, 2019
• Recognized as a Leader in the Field of Intellectual Property and General Commercial Litigation, Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, 2004-2019
• Named among the Legal Elite for Civil Litigation, Virginia Business magazine, 2018-2019
• Selected as a 2013 Top Rated Lawyer in Intellectual Property Law, American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell, 2013
• Recognized in Samaritan House inaugural “100 Men Campaign” fighting domestic violence in Hampton Roads, 2013
• Founding Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
• Received Bar Service Award, Virginia Beach Bar Association, 2010
• Named among The Lawdragon 3000 Leading Lawyers in America, 2006
• AV® Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
• Navy Football, Holiday Bowl Champion and set numerous school records as Navy placekicker

• Chairman, Judicial Endorsement Panel, Virginia Beach General Assembly Delegation, 2010–2021
• Past Chairman, Judicial Recommendation Panel, Virginia Beach Bar Association
• Past President, Virginia Beach Bar Association
• Member, Intellectual Property Law Section, Virginia State Bar

• Member, Board of Directors, Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia, 2015–present
• Member, Board of Directors, Greater Norfolk Corporation, 2016–2020
• Member, Board of Visitors, Old Dominion University, 2013–2019
• Triton, Virginia Beach Neptune Festival, 2012
• Commissioner, Virginia Port Authority, 1997-2003