Local Counsel
Butler Williams & Skilling, P.C. frequently serves as local counsel in federal and state courts in Virginia, particularly in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Our attorneys have served as local counsel in cases ranging from simple business and employment disputes to complex intellectual property cases. Commonly referred to as the “Rocket Docket,” the Eastern District of Virginia is an attractive forum for litigants seeking swift justice. The Eastern District of Virginia consistently has one of the shortest time periods from initial filing to trial of any court in the nation.
The Local Rules of the Eastern District of Virginia require the participation of an attorney admitted to the Eastern District, and address important procedures different from, and in addition to, those set forth in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Additional procedures and timelines can also be found in the various pre-trial orders, which vary by Division, and even by Judge, within the Eastern District. Our knowledge of the Local Rules and procedures enables us to serve as cost-effective local counsel for litigants who are unfamiliar with the practices of the Rocket Docket.
In the past we have worked with lawyers from many of the nation's most respected law firms including:
- Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP;
- Pepper Hamilton LLP;
- Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, PC;
- Cozen O'Connor;
- Dewey Ballantine LLP; and
- Piper Rudnick LLP.
We are proud to have been awarded the coveted AV rating by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.
Representative Engagements:
- Our attorneys litigated patent infringement claims as local counsel for the plaintiff in Personalized Mass Media Corp. v. The Weather Channel, et al., Civil Action No. 3:95cv00859. In the “PMMC” case, our attorneys argued multiple motions and ultimately served as the plaintiff’s representative in all communications with opposing counsel.
- We served as local counsel for the plaintiff in Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. v. Rambus, Inc., Civil Action No. 3:05CV406.
- In addition to representing plaintiffs in intellectual property matters, we also assist defendants who are sued in the Rocket Docket against their will. For example, we were local counsel for the defendants in Lucent Technologies, Inc., et al., v. Gateway, Inc., et al., Civil Action No.: 3:02-CV389. In that case, the defendants succeeded in having the case transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
- We also assisted in the defense of a supplier of fill material used in construction of a large shopping center which included several “big box” stores. Our deposition of one owner’s construction expert resulted in the reduction of its claim from $11 million to $4 million.
- We also serve as local counsel for appeals. In one such representation, we were hired by a D.C. law firm to assist them with an appeal to the Supreme Court of Virginia. The appeal was made more challenging when the D.C. firm’s courier attempted to file the notice of appeal “after hours” on the last day such a filing would be timely. When the opposing party sought to have the appeal dismissed on this ground, our attorneys sidestepped this thorny issue by arguing on brief that the order appealed from was not “final” after all. The Supreme Court agreed, the matter was remanded to the trial court for further proceedings, and the D.C. firm was able to perfect a timely appeal at a later date.