Thomas G. Slater, Jr.

Tom’s practice focuses on complex litigation matters, with an emphasis on antitrust and intellectual property. Tom serves as chair emeritus for the firm’s litigation, labor and competition practices, and has over 30 years' experience handling antitrust and competition trials. His work focuses on complex antitrust, intellectual property, franchise, and unfair trade practice disputes, as well as white-collar criminal defense representations.

Tom has handled more than 70 jury trials in state and federal courts throughout the United States and has been admitted pro hac vice in multiple jurisdictions, including California, Delaware, Alabama, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Florida, Texas, Indiana and South Dakota.

Tom has served as lead trial counsel for Fortune 100 companies in numerous national and state class-action antitrust and patent infringement cases. Notable recent representations include successful results in major national litigation in the processed meat, electric utility, and mobile telecommunications industries.

A member of the Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference, Tom is admitted to practice before the Fourth, Fifth and District of Columbia US Circuit Courts of Appeal and US Supreme Court. He has been active in bar and community activities and is a past president of the Richmond Bar Association and a former member of the Virginia State Bar Executive Committee.

For more than 10 years, Tom has been listed in Best Lawyers in America for his antitrust and corporate litigation experience.

• Lead trial counsel in antitrust action against electric generator by purchaser of wholesale power resulting in dismissal of all federal and state antitrust claims.
• Lead trial counsel for Fortune 50 company in patent infringement case which resulted in a dismissal with prejudice on the eve of the scheduled Markman hearing.
• Lead trial counsel in contempt proceeding on behalf of Fortune 5 company resulting in favorable ruling, which was published as corrective advertising in an industry publication, and the awarding of attorneys’ fees.
• Lead trial counsel in patent infringement case on behalf of a Fortune 100 company, resulting in a multi-million dollar award to client (2003).
• Lead trial counsel for nationwide franchisors in two precedent setting cases.
• Lead trial counsel for Fortune 100 industrial firm in antitrust action against interstate gas pipeline involving novel claims of monopoly leveraging.
• Lead trial counsel in numerous patent actions involving diverse technology ranging from nuclear reactors to magnetic resonance imaging devices to antiballistic polymers.
• Lead trial counsel in wide variety of product liability cases ranging from robotic manufacturing equipment to fuel dispensing nozzles.
• Lead trial counsel in numerous Lanham Act and unfair trade practice cases, including leading case in Fourth Circuit on product disparagement.
• Lead trial counsel for Fortune 100 firm seeking damages in major fraud, Lanham Act and unfair competition case involving discovery in the US and Europe, resulting in multi-million dollar settlement being paid to client.

• Recognized as a Leader in Commercial Litigation, Virginia, Chambers USA, 2007-2024
• Selected as a Super Lawyer for Antitrust Litigation, The Washington Post Magazine and Virginia & West Virginia Super Lawyers Magazine, 2006-2024
• Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Competition, 2017
• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers, American Bar Foundation and Virginia Law Foundation
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America – Antitrust Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Intellectual Property Litigation, Regulatory Enforcement Litigation, 1993-2019, 2023-2024
• Listed as a “National Litigation Star” in Benchmark: Litigation, 2013-2016
• Listed as a “Leading Lawyer” in Benchmark: Litigation, 2007-2014
• Listed for Antitrust in The Legal 500 United States: Volume III Litigation, 2007-2012
• Named Law Dragon Top Trial Lawyer USA, 2006
• Recipient, Distinguished Service Award, Virginia Military Institute Foundation, November 2012
• Recipient, Randolph Williams Award Pro Bono Service, 2006 and 2014
• Bar Association of the City of Richmond, Hunter W. Martin Professionalism Award, 2014

• Co-chair, Inaugural Committee for Governor-Elect Northam
• Member, Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
• President, Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors, 2008-2011
• Member, Virginia Military Institute Foundation Endowment Campaign Committee
• Chairman, Virginia Historical Society, 2011-2013; Board Member 2016-2022
• President, Central Virginia Legal Aid Society, 2010-2012
• Legal Aid Justice Center Board of Directors
• Member, Board of Trustees of the Virginia Outdoors Foundation
• Board Member, John Marshall Foundation
• Member, American College of Trial Lawyers, Virginia State Committee
• Vestry Member, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church