Virginia M. Bruner
Virginia Bruner is an experienced trial attorney and litigator. She represents corporations and individuals under investigation by state and federal authorities, as well as internal investigations and compliance matters in Virginia and across the U.S. Virginia also manages complex civil litigation matters in federal court.
Her experience includes advising clients in criminal and civil matters within the financial sector, health care industry, and higher education. She has assisted clients in conducting sensitive internal investigations, responding to subpoenas, and negotiating deferred prosecution agreements and other settlements before government agencies.
Before joining Williams Mullen, Virginia spent several years at the U.S. Department of Justice. She served as an assistant special counsel, investigating the discovery of classified documents found in the home and office of President Biden. She also served for nearly seven years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Iowa, where she tried multiple cases to verdict, and briefed and argued appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
As a federal prosecutor, she focused on investigating and prosecuting white collar crimes, including fraud involving government programs. Virginia has tried several jury trials to verdict and argued cases to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. She currently serves on the board of directors of Girls on the Run for Greater Richmond, a nonprofit organization which empowers girls in grades 3-8 to be healthy and confident using lessons that integrate running and movement.
Virginia previously worked at international law firms in Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia, and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Peter J. Messitte of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
Virginia earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law where she was on the editorial board for the Virginia Law Review and she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University. Before law school, Virginia was a counterterrorism analyst for the CIA.
- University of Virginia School of Law (J.D.), 2011
- New York University (B.A.), 2006
Professional Affiliations
- Federal Bar Association
- Virginia Women Attorneys Association
- Women's White Collar Defense Association
Bar Admissions
- District of Columbia Bar
- Virginia State Bar
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Maryland
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia
Experience
THE CASES BELOW ARE ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE MATTERS HANDLED BY VIRGINIA BRUNER. CASE RESULTS DEPEND UPON A VARIETY OF FACTORS UNIQUE TO EACH CASE. NOT ALL CASE RESULTS ARE PROVIDED. CASE RESULTS DO NOT GUARANTEE OR PREDICT A SIMILAR RESULT IN ANY FUTURE CASE UNDERTAKEN BY THE LAWYER.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
Investigations
- Defended corporate client accused of False Claims Act violations, resulting in no adverse actions by the government.
- Led several internal investigations into employee misconduct, to include sexual discrimination allegations, campaign finance misconduct, bullying, and other legal and policy violations.
- Led multiple internal investigations for corporate clients facing False Claims Act inquiries from U.S. Attorney’s Offices, including allegations of Medicaid and Medicare fraud, and Paycheck Protection Program fraud.
- Assisted clients with responses to grand jury subpoenas.
Federal Criminal Prosecutions
- Represented a client federally indicted on multiple fraud charges and secured a complete dismissal of all charges prior to trial.
- Counsel for an individual in CIPA proceedings using TS/SCI clearance; federal criminal charges were fully dismissed against client.
- Represented an individual defendant indicted on multiple fraud charges and obtained a pretrial diversion agreement.
- Led internal investigation for financial institution into potential misconduct.
- Led internal investigation of a health care client with patient-facing employee criminally charged with child exploitation offenses.
Civil Enforcement and Litigation
- Represented clients facing federal False Claims Act claims by relators.
- Negotiated resolutions with U.S. Attorney’s Office in False Claims Act investigations alleging health care fraud and PPP program fraud.
- Defended landlord in fair housing litigation in federal court.
- Assisted a university in investigating, responding to, and negotiating a resolution into allegations by the NCAA relating to the award of financial aid to student athletes.
- Represented a university in a Title VI investigation into allegations of antisemitism by the Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights.
- Represented a health care client alleging breach of contract claims in federal court.
- Represented multiple state agencies in defensive litigation in Virginia state court.
- Counseled state agency on FOIA requests.
