Bill Devine has a diverse practice in federal and state courts, arbitration panels and before governmental agencies throughout Virginia and in state and federal courts around the country. Bill works closely with management and in-house counsel to attain the client’s strategic objectives throughout the litigation process. Practicing in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, where cases routinely go to trial within six to eight months of filing, has taught Bill to hone in on the critical issues in cases and to focus discovery and aggressive motions practice on these areas. Recognizing the importance of early, accurate risk assessment and budgeting in litigation, and the potential benefits of alternative dispute resolution in appropriate cases, Bill applies legal project management principles to case analysis and strategy, staffing, information management and budgeting in order to increase efficiency of case management and maximize the predictability of litigation expenses.

Bill Devine has a diverse practice in federal and state courts, arbitration panels and before governmental agencies throughout Virginia and in state and federal courts around the country. Bill works closely with management and in-house counsel to attain the client’s strategic objectives throughout the litigation process. Practicing in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, where cases routinely go to trial within six to eight months of filing, has taught Bill to hone in on the critical issues in cases and to focus discovery and aggressive motions practice on these areas. Recognizing the importance of early, accurate risk assessment and budgeting in litigation, and the potential benefits of alternative dispute resolution in appropriate cases, Bill applies legal project management principles to case analysis and strategy, staffing, information management and budgeting in order to increase efficiency of case management and maximize the predictability of litigation expenses.

Bill handles complex commercial litigation involving contracts; intellectual property; business torts; unfair business and trade practices; interference with contracts and business expectancies; misappropriation of trade secrets and proprietary information; breach of fiduciary duties; fraud and deceptive business practices; business conspiracies; oppressive conduct; dissolution of corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships and other business entities; defamation; and multiple claimant litigation on behalf of a wide variety of clients. Some of his clients include national retailers, municipalities, manufacturers and suppliers, distributors, lenders, real estate developers, resorts and malls. Bill has represented national retailers in recovering overcharges of common area maintenance, taxes, and insurance and has defended national manufacturers and retailers against antitrust, intellectual property, unfair business practice, trade secrets and related claims, as well as a wide variety of contract and business tort actions. Bill has defended municipalities in toxic tort actions and against claims of improper rezonings and constitutional violations and has represented developers in challenging the inclusion of property in special tax districts and the denial of development permits. He has represented businesses and individuals in insurance coverage disputes and commercial disputes.

Bill is a member of the firm's State and Local Taxation practice group, focused primarily on property tax assessments. He has represented numerous commercial and industrial property owners in challenging property tax assessments, resulting in significant recoveries of taxes and interest, as well as reducing future tax burdens for the owners. Bill is an active member of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation.

Bill has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America© (2010-present) and recognized by Virginia Business magazine as one of Virginia’s “Legal Elite" (2008-2011, 2013-2014). He has been listed in Virginia Super Lawyers magazine (2007-present) and as a leading litigation attorney by Chambers USA (2009-2010, 2012-2014). He has also been named a "Local Litigation Star" by Benchmark Litigation (2012-present).

He has also lectured widely at continuing legal education programs focused on a variety of litigation topics, including the challenge of trying cases in the Eastern District of Virginia. Martindale-Hubbell has rated Bill an AV attorney, its highest rating available.

Bill is a permanent member of the Judicial Conference of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He is a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel, the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, Virginia Bar Association, Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, American Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute and the National Retail Tenants Association. He serves as a member of the board of directors of Hampton Roads chapter of U.S. Lacrosse and previously served on the board of directors of the Naval Base Little League.

Bill received his law degree from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary in 1986, where he was a member of the William & Mary Law Review and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in politics, cum laude, from Washington & Lee University in 1983. Bill was a partner at Hofheimer Nusbaum, P.C., which merged with Williams Mullen in 2004.

  • Represented real estate investment limited partnership in breach of contract and breach of warranty claims against a roofing company for in roofs installed on 27 building apartment complexes.
  • Represent national financial institution in enforcing an arbitration award.
  • Williams Mullen defended a government contractor sued for False Claims Act violation regarding translation services provided to Army. Potential damages exceeded $1 billion and suspension or debarment.
  • Served as local counsel for broadband communications company-client against allegations by a competitor of patent infringement related to Voice Over Internet Protocol.
  • Defended real estate investment trust against tort claims arising from incidents during shopping mall renovation.
  • Represented an outdoor patio furniture manufacturer in arbitration over client's alleged failure to pay royalties, pursuant to a patent license agreement between the parties, on artificial wicker used in outdoor patio furniture, on which Plaintiff owned an entire portfolio of patents. At issue were hundreds of our client's products, along with multiple types of artificial wicker and more than ten different patents. Following one hearing with live witnesses on a matter of contract interpretation, the case settled.
  • Defended international tool manufacturer against commercial breach of contract action.
  • Defended municipality from breach of contract and torts claims.
  • Defended police officers in section 1983 action involving multiple constitutional claims brought by pro se prisoner litigant.