Practice areas: Business & Corporate, Constitutional Law, General Litigation; view more
Licensed in Virginia since: 2009
Education: Florida Coastal School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2023 - 2026 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2016 - 2022 Call today:
771-240-0367
Virtual Appointments 
Free Consultation Scale LLP
8500 Arlington BlvdFairfax, VA 22031 Visit website
Andy Baxter has been practicing as a trial attorney in State and Federal Courts in Washington, D.C. and Virginia for over 15 years. His trial practice focuses on First Amendment Law and Business Litigation. Andy has become a leading First Amendment attorney, advocating for businesses and individuals in the areas of Defamation, Trade Secrets, Non-Competes, and other Business Torts. Andy specializes in cases where Constitutional rights intersect with business and property rights. Andy has successfully represented clients in the following areas:
- 1st Amendment and Anti-SLAPP Protections
- Business Defamation and Business Conspiracy
- Trade Secrets and Unfair Competition
- Non-Compete, Non-Solicitation and Non-Disclosure
- Tortious Interference and Unfair Competition
- Copyright and Trademark
- New Media and Influencer Advertising
- Cryptocurrency and Financial Fraud
- Anti-Cybersquatting and Computer Crimes
- Government Contracts
- Non-Profit Fundraising
- Partnership and Ownership Disputes
- Business Dissolution and Dissociation
- Corporate and Executive Counsel
Andy Baxter has managed litigation teams handling a wide variety of litigation matters for businesses in the D.C. Metropolitan Area. Andy led complex litigation and discovery in multiple Federal and State courts. He has been successful in obtaining excellent results for our clients at Trials, Binding Arbitrations, Appeals, Mediations, and negotiated settlements. Recently, he has led landmark 1st Amendment Litigation concerning Retaliatory Defamation Suits and Virginia’s Anti-SLAPP statute before the Virginia Court of Appeals and the Virginia Supreme Court in Rolofson v. Fraser (2024). Andy previously served as Lead Counsel on the team that obtained a $3.8 Million Jury Verdict in Heard Construction Inc. v. Waterfront Marine Construction Inc. – the largest Virginia commercial jury verdict in 2017.
Areas of Expertise:
1st Amendment Law
Commercial Litigation
Partnerships, Joint Ventures, and LLC’s
Media and Advertising
Corporate Counsel
Mediation and Arbitration
State and Federal Courts
Practice areas
Business/Corporate, Constitutional Law, General Litigation, Intellectual Property, Media and AdvertisingFocus areas
Business Formation and Planning, Business Organizations, Communications and Media Law, Contracts, Copyrights, Defamation, Intellectual Property Law, Libel, Limited Liability Companies, Litigation, Partnership, Patents, Restraining Order, Slander, Sub-chapter S Corporations, Trademarks
- 20% Business/Corporate
- 20% Constitutional Law
- 20% General Litigation
- 20% Intellectual Property
- 20% Media and Advertising
First Admitted: 2009, Virginia
Professional Webpage: https://www.scalefirm.com/team-members/andy-baxter
Bar / Professional Activity
- District of Columbia
- United States District Court for the District of Colorado
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- United States Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of Virginia
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- Supreme Court of Virginia
- United States District Court for the District of Columbia
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Lead counsel in Heard Construction, Inc. v. Waterfront Marine Construction, Inc. et al., which was 2nd largest jury verdict in 2017 as determined by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (https://valawyersweekly.com/2018/01/22/medical-malpractice-suit-tops-largest-verdicts/), 2017
- Lead Counsel in Rolofson v. Fraser before the Virginia Supreme Court, Virginia Court of Appeals, and Fairfax Circuit Court, 2024
Videos
- How does defamation relate to business practices? Defamation is the publication of any false statement with the knowledge that it is untrue with the intent to harm another person. Any public communication about an employee's fitness to perform could be considered defamatory. As an employer, you must take care in email conversations, performance evaluations, job references and other management communications., Virginia Lawyer Andy Baxter on Defamation, 2018
Honors
- Selected to Rising Stars, 2016 – 2022, Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers, 2023 - 2024, Super Lawyers
- Lead counsel in Heard Construction, Inc. v. Waterfront Marine Construction, Inc. et al., which was 2nd largest jury verdict in 2017 as determined by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (https://valawyersweekly.com/2018/01/22/medical-malpractice-suit-tops-largest-verdicts/), 2017 Virginia's Largest Jury Verdicts, Virginia Lawyers Weekly
- Top Rated Business Litigation Attorney in McLean, VA, Super Lawyers
Educational Background
Valdosta State University, Bachelor’s Degree, Majors: Music Composition and Performance
- Haifa Law Institute, Haifa, Israel, Majors: International Corporate Law, Comparative Law, and International Humanitarian Law
- Government Contracting; Insurance; Construction; Technology; 1st Amendment
- Non-Profit Fundraising
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2023 - 2026
- Rising Stars: 2016 - 2022
