Tom Cummins
Top rated General Litigation attorney in Washington, Washington DC
Washington Global Law Group
Practice areas: General Litigation, Business Litigation
Licensed in Washington DC since: 2010
Education: George Mason University School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2024 - 2025 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2020 Call today:
202-580-6519
Washington Global Law Group
1701 Pennsylvania Ave, NWSuite 200
Washington, DC 20006 Visit website
Details 
Tom Cummins focuses on business and complex litigation.
Mr. Cummins has extensive experience litigating contract actions, fraud claims, and business torts. Before entering private practice, he clerked for state and federal judges. Clients praise Mr. Cummins' trusted counsel, strategic thinking, and tenacious advocacy in handling their most important matters.
Mr. Cummins attended the George Mason University School of Law, graduating magna cum laude. While in law school, he was an articles editor on the law review. Before law school, Mr. Cummins was a master captain in the U.S. Merchant Marines. He is the author of several books, including Virginia Contract Defenses and Virginia Contract Law.
Mr. Cummins is widely recognized as an outstanding choice for those involved in business and complex litigation. He has been selected by clients and fellow lawyers, and met the stringent SuperLawyers selection criteria, as a top-rated attorney in both Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Practice areas
General Litigation, Business Litigation- 50% General Litigation
- 50% Business Litigation
First Admitted: 2010, Washington DC
Professional Webpage: https://washglobal-law.com/attorneys/tom-cummins/
Bar / Professional Activity
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Negotiated settlement of $1,750,000 in attorney fees arising from $15,000 fee dispute, which federal court approved and opposing party then paid, 2025
- Won approximately $1,000,000 attorney fee award in arbitration over $50,000 contract dispute, 2024
- Successfully litigated case for plaintiff and negotiated multi-million dollar settlement in plaintiff's favor, with the final settlement more than amount sought in the complaint , 2023
- Argued Dodd-Frank whistleblower case raising issues of first impression before DC Circuit Court of Appeals, 2023
- Repeatedly won dismissal of all claims brought against corporate defendant in multiple rounds of shareholder litigation, 2023
- Won bench trial verdict in favor of co-defendants in breach of contract action, 2023
- Successfully represented homeowners in arbitration against general contractor; ultimately negotiated in six-figure settlement in homeowners' favor, 2023
- Won complete dismissal of all claims against defendant corporation and voluntarily dismissal of all claims against co-defendant in complex commercial litigation in Virginia state court, 2023
- Represented plaintiff in two-week trial held by international tribunal; ultimately resulted in plaintiff receiving substantial monetary award, 2022
- Won summary judgment on liability in Virginia state court (rare outcome in this jurisdiction) , 2020
- Advised company on continuing operations in wake of state and federal orders on coronavirus crisis , 2020
- Won dismissal of all claims in derivative lawsuit against former chief executive of international manufacturing conglomerate, 2016
- Won dismissal of all claims in shareholder derivative lawsuit arising out of one of nation's largest data breaches; win resulted in global settlement short time later, 2016
- Won denial of class certification in data breach case involving novel state law issues of standing, commonality, and predominance; win resulted in comprehensive settlement between parties a short time later, 2016
- Won complete dismissal of all claims against individual client based on subtle standing argument; win resulted in conclusive resolution of parties' dispute, 2017
Representative Clients
- Chief executive officer being sued by his former employer for alleged business torts, 2025
- Whistleblower seeking whistleblower award from federal agency, 2025
- Investor suing former business partners for business torts, 2024
- Whistleblower seeking award from federal agency, 2024
- Firm suing contract counterparty for breach of contract, 2023
- Whistleblower seeking award from federal agency, 2023
- Publishing company requiring advice on attacking federal receiver's report and plan of distribution, 2020
- Film production company and Emmy award-winning director requiring defense against breach of contract and tag-along tort claim in federal court, 2020
- Fortune 50 retailer, 2016
- Telecommunications entities, 2019
- Vice president of human resources, mid-market government contractor, 2017
- Lieutenant colonel (retired), U.S. Army Rangers, 2017
- Fortune 50 tech company, 2015
- Small business owner, 2018
- Mid-market private equity fund, 2017
- Regional tech company, 2018
- United States Ambassador, 2019
Educational Background
- George Mason Law Review, Articles Editor
- George Mason School of Law, JD, magna cum laude, 2010
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- A succinct guide to the coronavirus crisis's effect on parties' contract rights and obligations, Coronavirus & Contracts: Five Key Contract Rules in the Current Crisis, Amazon, 2020
- A comprehensive guide to Virginia contract law, Virginia Contract Law, Amazon, 2019
- The definitive guide to Virginia contract law defenses, Virginia Contract Defenses, Amazon, 2019
- A concise volume of five sets of practical recommendations for improving your contracts (and litigation, should it come to that), Contracts, A Litigator's Perspective, Amazon, 2019
- Code Words, 5 Journal of Law 89, 2015
- Appellate Review III - October 2012 Term and Counting, 4 Journal of Law 385, 2015
- Appellate Review II – October Term 2011, 3 Journal of Law 37, 2013
- Appellate Review, 2 Journal of Law 59, 2012
- Web 2.0 in the Federal Courts, 3 Journal of Law 31, 2012
- Shute: The Math is Off, 8 Journal of Law, Economics & Policy 1, 2011
- Danforth v. Minnesota: The Confrontation Clause, Retroactivity & Federalism, 17 George Mason Law Review 255, 2009
Other Outstanding Achievements
- Master Captain, U.S. Merchant Marines
- Member, Mensa International
Industry Groups
- Appellate Litigation
- Business Tort Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Contract Litigation
- Corporate Litigation
- Cybersecurity Litigation
- Data Privacy Litigation
- Personal Injury Litigation
Office location for Tom Cummins
1701 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Suite 200
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-580-6519
Selections
2 Years Super Lawyers
1 Year Rising Stars
- Super Lawyers: 2024 - 2025
- Rising Stars: 2020
