Practice Areas: Business Litigation, Media & Advertising, Civil Litigation
Licensed in Virginia since: 1996
Education: American University Washington College of Law
Languages Spoken: Dutch, English
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2014 - 2023 BerlikLaw, LLC
1818 Library StreetSuite 500
Reston, VA 20190 Phone: 703-722-0588 Email: Lee E. Berlik Visit website
Details
For over 20 years, Lee has been providing effective representation for technology companies, government contractors, and other small and large businesses in complex litigation and arbitration involving contracts, trade secrets, reputation management, business torts, and various statutory violations in state and federal courts across Virginia and the District of Columbia. Lee devotes a substantial part of his practice to the representation of individuals who have suffered harm to their reputations by defamatory statements. Lee formed BerlikLaw in early 2009 with a mission of offering his clients increased responsiveness, greater value and flexibility, more predictable fees, and better service. He is the author of two established blogs focusing on Virginia defamation law and developments in business litigation.
First Admitted: 1996, Virginia
Professional Webpage: https://www.berliklaw.com/lee-e-berlik.html
Representative Clients:
- Ambassador Eric E. Hotung, Development Partners, Inc., Euneos, LLC, Global Analytic IT Services, Inc., Government Horizons, Inc., Huyen's Hair Design, Inc., Koosharem Corporation (d/b/a Select Staffing), MCSP, Inc., MIZ Engineering, Ltd., New Horizons Partners, LLC, Patterson Companies, Inc., Pixl, Inc., South Carolina Development Partners, LLC
Educational Background:
- Rochester Institute of Technology (B.S., high honors), Professional and Technical Communications, 1992
- Washington College of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1995
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- Co-author of contribution to chapter in Employment Law treatise, Contributor, Annual Review of Developments in Business and Corporate Litigation, Employment Law, 2006
- Wrote article for Martindale-Hubbell on electronic discovery, Discovery in the Information Age, Martindale.com, 2009
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Sponsor of Washington and Old Dominion Trail - clean trail of garbage several times a year to keep the park beautiful, 2008
- Coach of Loudoun Youth Soccer, 2007
- Gave pro bono representation to pedestrian struck by a negligent cyclist, eventually recovering a six-figure settlement., 2009
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Served on Board of Directors of Loudoun County Bar Association, 2008
- Served as co-chair of subcommittee of American Bar Association's Section of Litigation. In that capacity won award for best newsletter.
- Served on Fairfax Bar Association's Technology Committee and Continuing Legal Education Committee
Verdicts/Settlements:
- Successfully defended an international corporation in a patent dispute filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Damages in excess of $3.2 million were claimed, but the case was settled shortly before trial on terms that involved zero damages (our client was not required to pay any amount of money to the opposing party), 2009
- Successfully removed non-productive LLC member from the company on terms very favorable to the business. The defendant offered to settle moments before the court was to issue a ruling., 2008
- After an entire year of contentious litigation, obtained very favorable settlement for business owner wrongfully accused of shareholder oppression. Case settled for almost same amount as was offered before the plaintiff even filed the lawsuit., 2011
- Won $1.1 million jury verdict against world’s largest management-software company, 2006
- Prevailed on motion to create mirror-image copy of opponent’s personal computer in copyright-infringement case, which led to discovery of destruction of material evidence, 2003
- Won a $55,860 judgment against a tenant who caused less than $12,000 in damage to the leased premises. The high damages award was the result of applying a relatively unknown “double damages” statute and also included an order that the tenant reimburse the landlord for all attorneys’ fees incurred., 2008
- Successfully obtained temporary restraining order and subsequent preliminary injunction in federal court under Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, enjoining threatened “shut down” of client’s website and mandating transfer of domain names and registrar account to client, 2004
- Negotiated a six-figure settlement for a pedestrian struck by a negligent bicyclist in the District of Columbia., 2009
- Successfully briefed and argued Hotung v. Hotung in the Supreme Court of Virginia, obtaining reversal of $600,000 defamation judgment. , 2014
Honors/Awards:
- In 2009, less than a year after opening his own firm, Martindale-Hubbell awarded Lee Berlik the nation's highest and most prestigious legal rating, AV, putting him in the top 3% of all United States litigation attorneys. He has earned the honor every year since, AV Peer-Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell, 2011
- Won an Outstanding Newsletter Award in connection with his work for the newsletter published by the ABA Section of Litigation's Committee on Pretrial Practice and Discovery, Outstanding Newsletter Award, American Bar Association
- Rated "Superb" (10.0 out of 10.0) by lawyer-review site Avvo.com, based on a number of factors including client feedback and peer feedback, Rated 10/10 (Superb), Avvo.com
- Included among list of Virginia's "Legal Elite" in category of civil litigation, Virginia's Legal Elite, Virginia Business Magazine, 2012
- Recipient of RIT's Annual Outstanding Alumnus Award, Outstanding Alumnus Award, Rochester Institute of Technology, 2002
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- Interviewed by Virginia Lawyers Weekly an an authority in defamation law and quoted in coverage of Fairfax County defamation case. Article at http://valawyersweekly.com/2011/05/30/no-defamation-claim-from-draft-legal-complaint/, 2011
- Began firm in March 2009 with just 3-4 clients. Less than two years later, the Firm has gained over 180 clients and Lee has had to retain the services of numerous contract and "of counsel" lawyers to help him keep up with the steady influx of new clients. Clients have been very happy with the low fees, the flexible billing arrangements, and the results achieved., 2011
Industry Groups:
- Information Technology
- Professional Services
- Public Figures
- Retail
Office location for Lee E. Berlik
1818 Library Street
Suite 500
Reston, VA 20190
Selections
10 Years Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers: 2014 - 2023