Practice Areas: Intellectual Property, Business Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation; view more
Licensed in Virginia since: 2010
Education: Liberty University School of Law
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Darkhorse Attorneys
307 Market St SESuite 203
Roanoke, VA 24011 Visit website
Details
Andrew Connors stands out as a renowned intellectual property and business attorney in Virginia. Operating from Darkhorse Attorneys located in Roanoke, Virginia, he passionately represents a diverse portfolio of various businesses, ranging from technology firms and software developers to attorneys, medical practitioners, construction professionals, culinary establishments, insurance agencies, retail shops, e-commerce platforms and online content creators across Lynchburg, Roanoke, and the entire state. His mission is to provide exceptional legal representation and guidance, enabling his clients to transform innovative concepts into prosperous ventures.
For over 13 years, Mr. Connors has acted as legal counsel for his clients across a diverse array of cases involving intellectual property, business law, commercial conflicts, contract negotiation, software and technology law, ADA website defense, as well as related legal proceedings and subsequent appeals. He has advocated on behalf of litigants involved in an assortment of disputes, appearing in both state and federal court settings. Additionally, he has successfully supported websites in safeguarding against unwarranted litigation under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
After completing his Bachelor of Science degree in applied mathematics at the University of Virginia in 2005, Mr. Connors attended the Liberty University School of Law and received his Juris Doctor in 2010. He obtained his license to practice in Virginia the same year he graduated law school. Furthermore, he is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Western and Eastern Districts of Virginia, the U.S. District Court for the Western, Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States.
Prior to founding Darkhorse Attorneys, Mr. Connors held positions at a business and intellectual property firm in Blacksburg, Virginia. Furthermore, he served as a judicial law clerk at the Court of Appeals of Virginia. Preceding his legal education, he functioned as a software developer at a prominent publicly traded government consulting organization.
Outside his law practice, Mr. Connors serves as the vice president of the Montgomery Bar Association. He is also an active member of the Virginia State Bar. Moreover, he works at Liberty University School of Law, where he teaches intellectual property, trademarks, mediation and first-year legal research and writing. He is also in charge of the school's intellectual property clinic.
With a perfect 10.0 rating on Avvo, Mr. Connors was acknowledged by Virginia Business magazine as a member of its Legal Elite in the year 2017 as well as in the field of intellectual property in 2019. He further shines as a skilled author and captivating speaker, generously sharing his knowledge with his peers and the public. Likewise, he has been prominently showcased across diverse media platforms.
Practice areas
Intellectual Property, Business Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation, Technology TransactionsFocus areas
Copyrights, Intellectual Property Law, Internet, Non-Compete Agreements, Patents, Science and Technology Law, Trade Secret, Trademarks
- 50% Intellectual Property
- 20% Business Litigation
- 20% Intellectual Property Litigation
- 10% Technology Transactions
First Admitted: 2010, Virginia
Professional Webpage: https://darkhorse.law/about-our-law-firm/darkhorse-attorneys...
- “Intellectual Property and Business Planning in Practice,” presented to Liberty Law Business Planning class (2017)
- “Remarks on Starting a Business,” given at Virginia Tech Entrepreneur Club 1000 Pitches Awards Ceremony (2015)
- “Trademark and Copyright Law,” a workshop with the Virginia Tech Entrepreneur Club (2015)
- “Making Your Criminal Case to the Court of Appeals of Virginia,” a CLE presentation given at Liberty University School of Law (2012)
- “Making Your Case to the Court of Appeals of Virginia,” a CLE presentation given to the Montgomery-Radford Bar Association 20th Annual Family Law Seminar (2013)
- “Public Safety & Government,” presented to the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Leadership New River Valley Class (2016)
- “First Amendment Protections for Sharing and Exercising Your Christian Faith,” presented to Northstar Church: Saturday Seminary class (2016)
- “Case Management Software, On the Go: Web-Based Solutions,” a CLE presentation for Virginia Trial Lawyers Association’s Building A Successful Law Firm seminar (2016)
- Provides an overview and discussion of common intellectual property issues faced by artists., Co-Author, Understanding Intellectual Property: A Guide for Artists, Liberty University Law Review, Intellectual Property, 2013
- A case note examining a unique end user license agreement in a computer game., Author, Dissecting Electronic Arts' Spore: An Analysis of the Illicity Transfer of Copyright Ownership of User-Generated Content in Computer Software, Liberty University Law Review, Contracts, Copyright, Intellectual Property, License Agreements, 2010
- Garner v. Higgins, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16761, Civil Case No. 7:14-cv-00461 (W.D.Va., closed 2015)
- Kepa., Inc. v. Va. Dept. of Health, 62 Va. App. 614, 751 S.E.2d. 671 (2013) (en banc), rev’d by 289 Va. 131, 766 S.E.2d 884 (2015)
- Automation Creations, Inc. v. 8 Rivers Capital, LLC et al., Civil Case No. 7:14-cv-00063 (W.D.Va., closed 2014)
- Lead attorney in Gather Workspaces, LLC v. The Gathering Spot, LLC, United States District Court for the District of Georgia, 2021
- Garner v. The Republican Party of Virginia, Inc., Civil Case No. 7:15-cv-00410 (W.D.Va., closed 2016)
- Broadcast Music, Inc., et al. v. TSK Investments, LLC, et al., Civil Case No. 7:16-cv-00529 (W.D.Va., closed 2017)
- Unimex Corp. v. Mendelson’s LLC, et al., No. CL00107895-00 (Loudoun Cnty. Cir. Ct., closed 2017)
- Chew v. PopSugar, Inc., Civil Case No. 3:2018-cv-00094 (W.D.Va, closed 2018)
- Mattress Clearance Center of Morgantown, LLC, et al. v. MCCOA, LLC et al., Civil Case No. 7:2019-cv-00452 (W.D.Va, closed 2020)
- Brittney Mejico v. Alba Web Designs, LLC, Civil Case No. 7:20-cv-00039-GEC (W.D.Va, closed 2021)
- Jacques Singy v. A-Head for Profits LLC et al., Civil Case No. 6:2021-cv-00031 (W.D.Va, closed 2022)
- J. Cathell, Inc. v. Wear to Wander Co. LLC et al., Civil Case No. 1:2022-cv-05039 (N.D.Ga, closed 2023)
- Power-Con LLC v. Integrity Pop Culture Shows LLC, Civil Case No. 4:23-cv-1289
- Lead Attorney in Meraki Salon, LLC v. ML Emerson LLC, Chesterfield County Circuit Court, 2021
- Lead attorney in Mattress Clearance Center of Morgantown, LLC, et al. v. MCCOA, LLC et al., U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia case no. 7:2019-cv-00452, representing the plaintiffs. Plaintiffs alleged that the defendants had engaged in a fraudulent scheme to extract exorbitant franchising fees through a false promise to sell products at below-wholesale market rates. The parties came to an amicable settlement of the matter., 2020
- Lead attorney in Chew v. Popsugar, Inc., U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia case no. 3:18-CV-00094-GEC, representing the plaintiff. The plaintiff was a social media influencer paid to promote beauty and other products on her social media accounts. The complaint alleged that the defendant had used an automated process to scrape hundreds of photographs from the plaintiff's social media profiles in which the plaintiff promoted products under paid sponsorship. The complaint further alleged that the defendant reproduced the photographs on their website and used them to obtain commissions for the sponsored products contained within the posts. The case was settled to the mutual agreement and satisfaction of the parties., 2019
- Lead attorney in Unimex Corp. v. Mendelson’s LLC, et al., Loudoun County, Virginia Circuit Court case no. CL00107895-00, representing the plaintiff. In a UCC sale of goods contract that later converted to a contract for bailment, the plaintiff alleged that the defendant had stolen substantial quantities of inventory belonging to plaintiff without agreed upon compensation. The parties mutually agreed to a settlement of this matter., 2017
- Lead attorney in JTM Consulting LLC v. Fiba Tech Industries Limited, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia Case No. 7:2017cv00210, for the plaintiff. Plaintiff filed a declaratory judgment action seeking a declaration that the plaintiff had not infringed trademarks allegedly belonging to the defendant, a company based in the United Kingdom, based on the trademark fair use doctrine and the alleged existence of a naked license. The parties reached a mutually agreeable settlement in the matter., 2018
- Lead attorney in Broadcast Music, Inc., et al. v. TSK Investments, LLC, et al., U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia case no. 7:16-cv-00529, representing the defendant. The plaintiffs, a well-known performing rights organization and several popular music artists, sued the defendant, a restaurant and billiard hall in Roanoke, Virginia, alleging that the defendant hosted bands that performed unlicensed music. The parties reached a mutually agreeable settlement in the matter., 2017
- Lead attorney in Garner v. Rising Tide Media Group, Inc., U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia Case No. 7:2016cv00387, representing the plaintiff. The plaintiff alleged that the defendant had used her photograph of Democratic candidate for House of Representatives, Sam Rasoul, without permission, violating her copyright in the photograph. The parties reached a mutually agreeable settlement in the matter., 2017
- Lead attorney in Garner v. The Printing Express, Inc., U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, representing the plaintiff. The plaintiff alleged that the defendant had used her photograph of Democratic candidate for House of Representatives, Sam Rasoul, without permission, violating her copyright in the photograph. The parties reached a mutually agreeable settlement in the matter., 2017
- Lead attorney in Garner v. Republican Party of Virginia, Inc. U.S. District Court for Western District of Virginia case no. 7:2015cv00410, representing the plaintiff. The plaintiff alleged that the defendant had used her photograph of Democratic candidate for House of Representatives, Sam Rasoul, without permission, violating her copyright in the photograph. The parties reached a mutually agreeable settlement in the matter., 2017
- Lead attorney in Garner v. Higgins, U.S. District for the Western District of Virginia Case No. 7:2014cv00461, representing plaintiff. The plaintiff alleged that the defendant had used her photograph of Democratic candidate for House of Representatives, Sam Rasoul, without permission, violating her copyright in the photograph. The parties reached a mutually agreeable settlement in the matter., 2015
- Lead attorney in KEPA, Inc. d/b/a/ She-Sha Cafe and Hookah Lounge v. Virginia Department of Heath, Va. App., 751 S.E.2d 671 (2013) (en banc) representing hookah lounge. Obtained a reversal of imposition of fines on hookah lounge by the Department of Health for a purported violation of the Virginia Indoor Clean Air Act on the basis that the establishment was a retail tobacco store exempt from regulation under the Act. Later reversed on appeal by the Attorney General of Virginia to the Virginia Supreme Court., 2013
- 2017-Present, Master, Ted Dalton Inn of Court, Roanoke, Virginia.
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
- Virginia, 2010
- 2020-2023, Member, Board of Governors, Litigation Section, Virginia State Bar. Newsletter Editor of Litigation Section, Virginia State Bar.
- 2016-2018, Vice President, Montgomery-Radford Bar Association.
- B.S., University of Virginia, 2005
- J.D., Liberty University School of Law, 2010
- Recognized as top intellectual property lawyer by Virginia Business Magazine., Legal Elite - Intellectual Property, Virginia Business Magazine, 2019
- Perfect 10 rating on AVVO, Avvo
- Rising Star, Appeals, Business Litigation, and Intellectual Property, 2013 – 2022, Virginia Super Lawyers Magazine
- Recognized as top intellectual property lawyer by Virginia Business Magazine., Legal Elite - Intellectual Property, Virginia Business Magazine, 2017
- Received 4th best oralist award out of about 66 competitors., Best Advocate, 4th Place, ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, Washington D.C. Region, 2010
- Won schoolwide competition as both the Champion oralist and as best brief writer., Champion and Best Brief, Liberty University School of Law 2L/3L Moot Court Competition, 2009
- Computers & Software
- E-Commerce
- Internet
- Medium Business
- Small Business
- Technology
These comments were made by fellow attorneys during the annual nomination process.
“Andrew is a fantastic attorney, an IP professor, and a meticulous litigator. ”
“Andrew is my go to lawyer for anything having to do with business litigation or intellectual property. His knowledge of the law is second to none and his expertise in litigation, appeals, and IP makes him an excellent lawyer in those fields.”
“Andrew is an excellent attorney. He knows intellectual property law like the back of his hand. He is the only one I'd trust to protect IP.”
Selections
- Rising Stars: 2013 - 2023