Shareholders
Of Counsel
Associates
Paralegals
C. Dewayne Lonas
4110 East Parham Road
Richmond, Virginia 23228
(804) 864-4820
(804) 864-4870 (fax)
dlonas@moranbrownpc.com
C. Dewayne Lonas is a trial lawyer and counselor for business owners and professionals. Over the years, Mr. Lonas has fashioned a diverse practice, having tried to verdict breach of contract, breach of warranty, product liability, conversion and detinue, nuisance and trespass, premises liability, and insurance coverage disputes, to name a few. He also aggressively and effectively pursues motions to dismiss and summary judgment motions where appropriate.
Mr. Lonas’s practice extends statewide, and he is experienced and comfortable litigating in both the state and federal courts in Virginia. He has also worked extensively in cases in the state and federal trial courts in West Virginia, Maine, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas and California. In addition, he has represented clients in appeals to the Supreme Court of Virginia and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Although Mr. Lonas has handled a wide variety of cases in his career, his passion lies in commercial litigation. As a commercial litigator, Mr. Lonas has represented Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized enterprises, startup businesses and individuals. Regardless of the size of the case or the client, however, Mr. Lonas brings to each matter he handles the same responsiveness, thoroughness and passion for advocacy. It is these qualities that separate Mr. Lonas from his peers, and that elicit the most praise from his clients. In 2007, Mr. Lonas was selected as a Virginia Super Lawyer Rising Star in the category of Business Litigation—a honor reserved for the top attorneys in Virginia in their respective practice areas who are either 40 or under or who have been practicing 10 or fewer years.
Outside his law practice, Mr. Lonas enjoys following the Kentucky Wildcats, playing basketball, reading Southern American literature, and spending time with his wife and two wonderful kids.
Mr. Lonas’s trial court experience includes the following:
• Representation of major Central Appalachian coal producer in contract and tort actions in the state courts of Virginia and the federal courts in Virginia and Maine
• Defense verdict in $10 million product liability case against international construction equipment manufacturer (Henrico County Circuit Court, March 2007)
• Summary judgment for construction equipment manufacturer in multi-million dollar product liability case (McDowell County, WV Circuit Court, May 2006)
• Defense verdict in breach of contract action against occupational accident insurer (Richmond Circuit Court, December 2005)
• Plaintiff’s verdict for compensatory and punitive damages in conversion case (Henrico County Circuit Court, September 2005)
• Plaintiff’s verdict involving a slip-and-fall on an icy parking lot (Caroline County Circuit Court, November 2004)
• Summary judgment for lawyer in malpractice action (United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, November 2004)
• Defense verdict for Fortune 500 automobile dealer in breach of warranty case (Chesterfield County Circuit Court, 2003)
• Summary judgment for regional cement manufacturer on claims for nuisance and trespass (United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, October 2001)
• Summary judgment for international telecommunications company in spamming/computer trespass case (United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, October 2001)
Current Employment Position:
Principal and Shareholder
Areas of Practice:
• Commercial Litigation
• Professional Malpractice
• Product Liability
• Construction Litigation
• Complex Litigation
• Premises Liability
Bar Admissions:
• Virginia, 1999
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Virginia
• U.S. District Court Western District of Virginia
• U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
Education:
• University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, Virginia, 1999; J.D.
• Law Journal: Virginia Environmental Law Journal, Member, Managing Board, 1998 – 1999
•
Hardy Cross Dillard Fellow in Legal Research and Writing, 1997 - 1999
•
University of Virginia Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, Charlottesville, VA
• Coursework towards M.A. in English, 1992-94
•
Centre College, Danville, Kentucky, 1991; B.A.
Professional Associations and Memberships:
• Virginia State Bar
• Bar Association of the City of Richmond
• Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys
• Defense Research Institute, Inc., Member, Construction Law, Commercial Litigation and Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Committees
• Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers
• Energy and Mineral Law Foundation
• Civil War Preservation Trust
Representative Cases:
• Massey v. Rudimex, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1882 (E.D. Va. 2006)
• Massey v. Ontario Power Generation, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 81705 (E.D. Va. 2006)
Past Employment Positions:
• McGuireWoods, Associate, 1999 - 2001
• Michie, Hamlett, Lowry, Rasmussen & Tweel, PC, Legal Assistant, 1994 - 1996
Fraternities/Sororities:
Phi Beta Kappa