WARREN DAVID HARLESS
Partner

Trials, Appeals and ADR
Complex Business and Commercial Disputes
Employment, Non-competition and Trade Secrets
Products Liability and Torts

909 East Main Street, Suite 1200 Richmond, Virginia 23219-3095
804.697.4138 phone
804.697.6138 fax
wharless@cblaw.com

David Harless is a partner in the firm's Litigation department and serves as head of the firm's Employment practice group. He represents a wide variety of corporations, closely-held companies, and individuals in complex business and commercials disputes, such as contract, business tort, restrictive covenant, trade secret, and employment litigation, and products liability, premises liability and tort defense litigation. He spends significant time advising clients regarding employment matters, and defending against discrimination, wrongful discharge, and hiring claims. He is admitted to practice in Virginia, the United States District Court and Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, and the U. S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mr. Harless, a member of the firm's Executive Committee, is active in bar leadership, currently serving on the Council of the Virginia State Bar, and formerly serving as the president of the Richmond Bar Association. He has served on the faculty of the Virginia State Bar's mandatory professionalism course and currently serves on the panel that trains such faculty. Additionally, he is a faculty member of the National Trial Advocacy College of the University of Virginia, and has lectured on numerous business, employment and products liability litigation topics.

Representative Business Litigation
• Defense of companies against business conspiracy, trade secret and interference with contract claims.
• Represent parties in disputes over indemnification and allocation of liability for asbestos and products liability claims.
• Defense of claims involving fiduciary duties of officers, directors, and members of corporations, closely-held companies and partnerships.
• Representation of broker-dealers and financial advisors in NASD arbitrations.
Representative Employment Matters
• Defense against and assert violations of restrictive covenants, such as non-compete, non-solicit and no-hire clauses.
• Representation of employers against alleged violations of overtime compensation and wage claims.
• Defense of numerous harassment, hostile work environment, sex, race, age, disability, workplace defamation and wrongful discharge actions.
• Representation of executives and companies in negotiating and preparing compensation and benefit packages, exit strategies, and severance and release arrangements.

Representative Products Liability/Tort Matters
• Defense of product liability claims against manufacturers and distributors of various products, such as forklifts and forklift products, construction equipment, brake systems, propane cylinders, all-terrain vehicles, playground equipment, breast implants, motorcycle helmets, commercial floor finishing products, pesticides and herbicides, and mechanical platform lifts.
• Representation of owner and property manager against claims of negligence and premises liability arising from tower fire.
• Representation of large retail chain against personal injury claims arising from falling merchandise, operation of equipment, and conditions of the premises.
• Assertion of tenant claims against owner of office facilities arising from black mold infestation.

Education
University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 1981
University of Kentucky, B.B.A., 1978

Prior Experience
• Judicial Clerkship - Hon. Glen M. Williams, U.S. District Judge, Western District of Virginia (1981-1982)

Recognitions
• Best Lawyers in America
Commercial Litigation, Labor & Employment, Personal Injury Litigation, 1998-2008
• Chambers USA Litigation:
General Commercial
• Virginia Super Lawyers
Business Litigation, 2006-2007
• Legal Elite (Virginia Business)
Labor/Employment, 2000-2007

Publications/Presentations
• Faculty, National Trial Advocacy College, University of Virginia Law School
• Co-author with Michael W. Smith and R. Braxton Hill IV, Business Torts Desk Reference, Virginia chapter, (Morton F. Daller ed., Aspen Law & Business 2007)
• Co-author with Craig T. Merritt and David B. Lacy, Survey of Virginia Employment Libel Law (Media Law Resource Center 1999-2008)
• Faculty, Virginia State Bar Mandatory Course on Professionalism, 2000-2003
• Numerous other law-related articles and lectures at numerous conferences and continuing legal education programs

Professional Affiliations
• American College of Trial Lawyers
Fellow
• Lewis F. Powell Jr., American Inn of Court
Barrister
• U.S. Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
Attorney Member
• Virginia State Bar
Member, Bar Council
• Bar Association of the City of Richmond
President, 1999-2000
• Virginia Bar Association
Council, Labor & Employment Law Section
• Boyd-Graves Conference
Attorney Member, 2007
• Virginia Law Foundation
Fellow
• Industrial Truck Association
Attorney Attendee
• Propane Gas Defense Association

Community Involvement
• Virginia Public Safety Foundation, Director Emeritus
Director, 1992-2006
President, 1997-1998
Distinguished Service Award Recipient, 2001
• Commonwealth Public Safety Medal of Valor Review Board
Member and Chair, 2003-present
• Boy Scouts of America, Heart of Virginia Council
Executive Board
Adult Advisor, Troop 772 Philmont Expeditions, 2001, 2003