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Thomas Dunlap

Partner

Office: Leesburg, VA, Tysons Corner, VA, San Juan, PR, London, UK

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absolutely the sort of attorney that you want on your team.

- Nikki Kahn

Biography

Tom Dunlap is a founding partner at Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig, a veteran-owned law firm with over 75 attorneys nationwide. As a former prosecutor and Army officer with extensive litigation experience, Tom has secured notable victories, including a $31 million patent jury verdict and multiple Federal Circuit appeals. His expertise spans government contracts, trademarks, patents, and general intellectual property law, currently serving as an outside counsel for US HHS and the Commonwealth of Virginia. A true renaissance professional, Tom holds a JD, MBA, and an MS in Biotechnology and is an inventor... with multiple patents, including technology used in COVID testing. Recognized in the WTR 1000 as one of the world’s leading trademark lawyers and a Virginia Super Lawyer for over a decade, Tom combines practical experience as a former CEO and founder of Ceres Nanosciences with academic contributions as an adjunct professor at Washington & Lee University and Lafayette College, where he teaches intellectual property law. Outside of his legal practice, Tom is a PADI Master Diver, instrument pilot, saber fencer, and former Burmese National Kickboxing Silver Medalist.

Personal Narrative

Tom Dunlap is a founding partner at DBL, focusing on intellectual property and government contracts transactions and disputes. Tom has litigated and won state and Federal jury trials, preliminary injunctions, summary judgment motions, bid protests, and Federal Circuit Appeals, including a precedential $31 million patent jury verdict (EDTX) and a $2.6 million counter-claim jury verdict (Loudoun) and numerous appellate cases, including 6 in the Federal Circuit, and 3 United States Supreme Court cases. He has been included in the WTR 1000 (2024) as one of the world’s leading trademark lawyers.

Tom is the lead attorney for the Firm’s multi-year government contracts as outside intellectual property to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (through NIH’s OGC, 2019-2023 first award, 2024 – 2028 re-award), where work has included obtaining CDC trademarks for vaccination cards during the COVID pandemic, among hundreds of other matters. Tom is also lead counsel for the Firm’s contract with the Commonwealth of Virginia as outside intellectual property counsel (awarded as of 2025).

Tom has authored and taught numerous classes for the last 25 years to students, attorneys, and businesses, including Essentials of Intellectual Property Litigation (2025), Ethical Use of AI in the Practice of Law (2025), Essentials of Intellectual Property (Eds 2020 and 2024 VA CLE), Essentials of Intellectual Property Litigation and Disputes (eds 2021 and 2025 VA CLE), Determining Damages in Patent Infringement Cases (2017), Patent Damages: The Rise of the Footprint Approach in Patent Litigation (2016), and the Virginia Lawyer’s Deskbook, Chapter 8 – Intellectual Property (new ed. 2024).

Tom holds a JD, MBA, and MS in biotechnology, and is a former Army officer (Armor and Cavalry), a former special prosecutor (Loudoun County), has served as co-chair of the ABA’s Copyright CLE subcommittee, and is a former board member and past president of the Loudoun County, Virginia bar association.

Tom is an adjunct professor at Washington & Lee University, where he teaches Intellectual Property Litigation, and at Lafayette College, where he teaches Intellectual Property for Scientists & Engineers at the School of Engineering. Tom has guest taught at several universities on intellectual property matters, including George Washington University and Washington & Lee University, where he also served on the undergraduate advisory board for the Entrepreneurship Program.

Tom has been a SuperLawyer (2014-2024) for intellectual property in Virginia and Washington, DC. Outside of his legal practice, Tom is a PADI certified Master Diver, instrument pilot with high-performance and complex aircraft ratings, a life member of MENSA, the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (Leesburg), Free Mason Lodge #114, and participates in marathons and triathlons annually. Tom served as an airport commissioner for Leesburg Executive Airport (KYO) for seven years and as a commissioner for the Loudoun Historic District Review Committee for five years.

Tom is the former CEO (2007-2010), inventor/ patent holder (US US9383299B2), founder, and former Chairman (2010- 2017) of the biotechnology company Ceres Nanosciences Inc. (ceresnano.com), for which he raised $4.5 million in initial funding, and which completed a $9M A round (Greybird Ventures), and a $12M B round, and is the past recipient of more than $20 million in grants from the Department of Defense (DARPA), NIH, the Gates Foundation and the governor of Virginia for test for Ebola, malaria and Zika. The company’s primary commercial products include the NIH-awarded COVID reagent ($6 million grant) and COVID wastewater detection suite ($8 million grant), as well as a Lyme Disease diagnostic test and a research discovery toolkit sold principally with Shimadzu mass spectrometers. The principal products rely on patents, and Tom is one of the original inventors. Tom holds other patents in various technologies.

Experience

Serves as lead attorney for the Firm’s multi-year government contracts as outside intellectual property to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through NIH’s OGC, 2019-2023 first award, 2024 – 2028 re-award) Work has included obtaining CDC trademarks for vaccination cards during the COVID pandemic, among hundreds of other matters.
Serves as lead counsel for the Firm’s contract with the Commonwealth of Virginia as outside intellectual property counsel (awarded as of 2025).
Former CEO (2007-2010), inventor/ patent holder (US US9383299B2), founder, and former Chairman (2010- 2017) of the biotechnology company Ceres Nanosciences Inc. (ceresnano.com), for which he raised $4.5 million in initial funding, and which completed a $9M A round (Greybird Ventures), and a $12M B round, and is the past recipient of more than $20 million in grants from the Department of Defense (DARPA), NIH, the Gates Foundation and the governor of Virginia for test for Ebola, malaria and Zika. The company’s primary commercial products include the NIH-awarded COVID reagent ($6 million grant) and COVID wastewater detection suite ($8 million grant), as well as a Lyme Disease diagnostic test and a research discovery toolkit sold principally with Shimadzu mass spectrometers. The principal products rely on patents, and Tom is one of the original inventors. Tom holds other patents in various technologies.
Served as Airport Commissioner (Chair of Operations Committee) for Leesburg Executive Airport (KYO)
Served as a Commissioner for the Loudoun Historic District Review Committee.

Awards/Honors

NOVA Top 10 Lawyers, Northern Virginia Magazine
Top 100 Power Lawyers in Entertainment, Hollywood Reporter (2010)
Virginia SuperLawyer, 2008 – 2009, (Rising Star), 2011-2023 (SuperLawyer)
Washington, D.C. SuperLawyer 2013 – 2023
Martindale-Hubbell Peer Rated
Who’s Who in American Law
Virginia Legal & Business Elite 2012, 2013, 2016
AVVO 10.0
Leaders in the Law 2018

Education

B.A. English/ Theater, Lafayette College
J.D. Law, Washington & Lee University School of Law
M.B.A. University of Maryland
M.S. Biotechnology, University of Maryland
Summer Program, Boston University, Semester at Sea, Woods Hole, MA
Summer Program, Tulane University School of Law with Antonin Scalia, Crete, Greece

Admissions

State

District of Columbia
Maryland
Virginia

Court

U.S. Supreme Court
District of Columbia State Courts
International Trade Commission
Maryland State Courts
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
U.S. Tax Court
Virginia State Courts

Memberships & Associations

American Bar Association, Co-Chair Copyright Litigation Committee, Commercial Litigation, (2009-2012)
Antitrust & Intellectual Property Sections Attorney’s Arbitration Services, Arbitrator/ Mediator, Panel Member (2004 – 2012)
Standard & Poor’s Vista Research – Society for Industry Leaders, Expert Panel Member (2001 – present)
American Legion, Post 34 – Leesburg, Member (2002 – present)
Veteran’s of Foreign Wars, Post 1777 – Leesburg, VA
Virginia State Bar Association, Litigation, Business Law & Intellectual Property Law Section Member
Maryland State Bar Association, Intellectual Property Law Section, Membership Committee (2006 – Present)
Loudoun County Bar Association, Past President (2004), Board Member (2003, 2005)
American MENSA (1998 – present) and Capitol M, Member (2001-present)
Airplane Owners and Pilots Association (Panel Attorney)
Rotary International (2004 – present)
Shenandoah University – NOVA Advisory Board (2002-2004)
LoudounCares Board Member (2005-2010)
Loudoun Community Free Clinic, Board Member (2003 – 2014)
Leesburg Executive Airport, Commissioner (2007 – present)
Free Mason, Olive Branch Lodge and 32nd Degree Scottish Rite, Alexandria
Washington, D.C. Bar, Intellectual Property Section

Teaching and Academia

Tom has authored and taught numerous classes for the last 25 years to students, attorneys, and businesses, including Essentials of Intellectual Property Litigation (2025), Ethical Use of AI in the Practice of Law (2025), Essentials of Intellectual Property (Eds 2020 and 2024 VA CLE), Essentials of Intellectual Property Litigation and Disputes (eds 2021 and 2025 VA CLE), Determining Damages in Patent Infringement Cases (2017), Patent Damages: The Rise of the Footprint Approach in Patent Litigation (2016), and the Virginia Lawyer’s Deskbook, Chapter 8 – Intellectual Property (new ed. 2024).
Tom is currently an adjunct professor at Washington & Lee University, where he teaches Intellectual Property Litigation, and at Lafayette College, where he teaches Intellectual Property for Scientists & Engineers at the School of Engineering. Tom has guest taught at a number of universities on intellectual property matters, including George Washington University and Washington & Lee University, where he also served on the undergraduate advisory board for the Entrepreneurship Program.

Military

USA & USARNG, Armor & Cavalry (2000 -2009)
2LT Scout Platoon Leader, A Troop, 1-158th CAV (RECON), Aberdeen Proving Grounds
1LT Executive Officer, HHC, HQ, 29th ID, Fort Belvoir
CPT Aide de Camp, MG Wyman, 29th Infantry Division
CPT Company Commander, HHC, 116th Infantry, BSTB, Fredericksburg, VA

Outside of Work

Outside of work, Tom enjoys flying planes (as a licensed instrument pilot), diving (PADI Master SCUBA diver), and enjoys hanging with his family, friends, and dogs (and tolerates the family cat), and occasionally competing in marathons (most recently Paris 2023) and triathlons with friends. Tom was a Division I varsity fencer (saber) in college and played rugby from high school at the International School of Geneva, Switzerland, through law school, and is a former silver medalist in Burmese kickboxing. Additionally, Tom is an adjunct professor at Lafayette College where he teaches the Intellectual Property for Scientists & Engineers (ME340) course at the School of Engineering.