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    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