Patrick H. O’Donnell
Biography
Pat has more than 35 years of experience advising clients in civil litigation, federal white-collar criminal defense, and government contract matters. Additionally, he specializes in compliance training and counseling, internal investigations, construction law, admiralty and maritime law, and U.S. export and import control laws (ITAR and EAR). Pat is a member of the firm’s Litigation, Government Contracts and Construction, International Trade, Maritime, and White-Collar Defense and Investigations practice groups. Before joining Kaufman & Canoles, Pat served as law clerk to The Honorable Richard B. Kellam, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Representative Matters
- Argued before United States Supreme Court in Norshipco v. Garris, 532 U.S. 811 (2001), for the recognition of a wrongful death action under general maritime law
- Defended Chairman and President of a Virginia bank accused of 31 counts of bank fraud in federal court
- Defended Virginia attorney on federal conspiracy and fraud charges arising out of commercial real estate transactions
- Defended chief financial officer of Virginia corporation on federal conspiracy and government contract fraud charges
- Protested the award of multi-million-dollar U.S. Navy ship overhaul contracts before the GAO
- Defended the award of a multi-million-dollar U.S. Army training contract before the Court of Federal Claims
Recognition & Honors
- Best Lawyers in America, 2024-2025
- Top Lawyers; CoVaBIZ, 2017-2024
- Virginia’s Legal Elite; Virginia Business Magazine, 2005–2024
- Student Legal Assistant; University of Virginia, Legal Advisor’s Office, 1986-1988
- Distinguished Attorney; Martindale-Hubbell
Associations
- Virginia Ship Repair Association
- Tidewater Government Industry Counsel
- American Bar Association
- Virginia Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- Norfolk-Portsmouth Bar Association Officer
- Tidewater Association of Service Contractors
- Virginia Maritime Association
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia
- United States District Court, Western District of Virginia
Education
- Radford University; B.S., Economics, 1981
- University of Virginia School of Law; J.D, 1988
Press & Publications
- 51 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2024
- 55 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America 2025, 7 Named “Lawyer of the Year,” and 13 Named “Ones to Watch”
- 36 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Top Lawyers 2024 in CoVaBIZ Magazine
- 53 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2023
- 54 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America© 2024, 6 Named “Lawyer of the Year,” and 10 Named “Ones to Watch”
- 44 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Top Lawyers 2023 in CoVaBIZ Magazine
- 53 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2022
- DOJ Civil Cyber Fraud Initiative and Cyber Incident Response and Reporting
- 40 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Top Lawyers 2022 in CoVaBIZ Magazine
- 52 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2021
- 40 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Top Lawyers 2021 in CoVaBIZ Magazine
- 53 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2020
- 45 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named CoVaBIZ Magazine’s “Top Lawyers” 2020
- 48 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2019
- 48 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2018
- 40 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named as Top Lawyers 2019 in CoVaBiz Magazine
- BTI Industry Power Rankings 2017
- 48 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite 2017
- Manufacturing & Distribution Client Advisory – January 2017
- 48 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite 2016
- 44 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite 2015
- 45 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite 2014
- 54 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite 2013
- 55 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named to Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite 2012
- 53 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite 2011
- 39 Kaufman & Canoles Attorneys Named Virginia Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” 2010
- The News on Noise