Gary A. BryantMember
For more than 20 years Gary has served as Head of the firm’s Litigation Group. He is a seasoned litigator whose practice includes complex commercial disputes, municipal representation, environmental litigation and appellate advocacy. Gary represents various business entities at the trial level throughout Virginia and in federal forums up and down the east coast. His work has taken him into high-stakes business litigation, civil rights disputes, cost-recovery and environmental contamination claims, mass torts, and multidistrict litigation, where clients rely on his ability to manage complex legal, technical, and regulatory issues with clarity and precision.
Gary has long served as lead litigation counsel for Virginia municipalities, including the Cities of Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake in high-stakes litigation that directly affects public governance and infrastructure. His work spans municipal liability, construction contract disputes, land use, and environmental law. He also defends government entities and their agents in claims alleging constitutional violations under Section 1983 and related statutes. In each matter, Gary combines technical precision with strategic foresight, ensuring that public entities can navigate legal risk while safeguarding community resources.
A significant part of Gary’s practice involves representing corporations and municipalities in cost recovery actions arising from accidental releases of hazardous materials and contamination tied to industrial operations, including construction activities. These cases often implicate the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), along with state law claims based on nuisance, trespass, and environmental statutes. Gary also represents individuals, businesses and municipalities in matters involving contamination of soil, structures, and water sources, where his litigation strategies balance the demands of complex regulatory frameworks with practical solutions for clients facing long-term environmental liabilities.
Beyond his municipal and environmental work, Gary represents individuals, and business entities including corporate clients in complex business disputes, including contract litigation and matters arising from the acquisition and development of real property. He has also litigated high-stakes commercial torts such as fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and business conspiracy claims. These matters frequently involve overlapping state and federal law, and Gary’s ability to dissect intricate legal theories while advancing practical, business-driven strategies has made him a trusted advocate for companies confronting existential challenges.
Appellate advocacy has been a defining part of Gary’s practice. He has represented clients before the Supreme Courts of Virginia and Maryland and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fourth, Sixth, Eighth and Eleventh Circuits. Many of these matters followed catastrophic loss cases and adverse trial outcomes, where Gary’s role was to reframe issues, preserve arguments, and pursue strategies that could alter the trajectory of litigation. His work has not only delivered meaningful victories for clients but also contributed to the development of important case law in multiple jurisdictions.
Norfolk Office
