John Erbach represents a wide variety of business entities and individuals in complex business and commercial litigation, including intellectual property litigation, employment disputes, defense of consumer protection claims, and other complex commercial litigation. As an additional part of his practice, John regularly serves as outside general counsel to small and medium-sized businesses, counseling on employment compliance matters, employment policies, employee handbooks, dispute resolution, commercial disputes, and insurance coverage matters. John regularly litigates cases in state and federal court, as well as arbitration, having taken a number of cases to successful verdicts upon trial.
Earlier in his career, John had the honor of serving as law clerk to three federal judges in Richmond, Virginia, including the Honorable Henry E. Hudson, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia; the Honorable Dennis W. Dohnal, U.S. Magistrate Judge; and, the Honorable David J. Novak, U.S. Magistrate Judge (now a U.S. District Judge). John regularly serves as local counsel for national and international law firms that have matters pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
In 2015, John was elected to represent the Dale District of Chesterfield County, Virginia, on the county's School Board. The School Board sets policy for the school system, makes key hiring decisions for an 8,000-employee organization, and oversees the school system's budget and capital improvement projects. John also served as the Board's vice chairman and chairman in 2017 and 2018, respectively. He declined to seek a second term and concluded his service after one four-year term. This experience has given John perspective as a client served by other lawyers—an experience invaluable to business clients often facing similar employment and operational issues to that of a large school system.
Education
Education
University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2008)
The College of William and Mary (B.S., Psychology, 2005)
Bar Admissions
Bar Admissions
Virginia
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Virginia
U.S. District Court Western District of Virginia
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of Virginia
U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
Clerkships
Clerkships
Law Clerk, U.S. District Court Judge Henry E. Hudson, 2012-2013
Law Clerk, U.S. Magistrate Judge David J. Novak, 2012
Law Clerk, U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis W. Dohnal, 2010-2012
Representative Experience
Representative Experience
Represented major university as local counsel in patent infringement suit involving anti-virus software
Successfully tried multiple cases in federal court involving intellectual property, employment, and business tort matters
Regularly advises community banks and small to mid-size businesses in developing employment policies and handbooks
Handled numerous employment litigation matters
Represented start-up in patent infringement lawsuit against a major Fortune 500 company
Defended banks, lenders and credit bureaus in series of consumer protection claims, including federal class actions
Represented major U.S. retailer as local trademark litigation counsel
Appealed award of a significant public contract in Virginia's circuit courts
Representative Cases
Representative Cases
Trs. Of Colum. Univ. v. NortonLifeLock, Inc., 580 F. Supp. 3d 236 (E.D. Va. 2022)
Geoscope Techs. Pte. Ltd. v. Apple Inc., No. 1:22cv1373, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 124876 (E.D. Va. July 19, 2023)
E. Claiborne Robins Co. v. Teva Pharm. Indus., No. 3:18cv827, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 160489 (Sept. 18, 2019)
CSX Transp., Inc. v. Norfolk S. Ry. Co., No. 2:18cv530, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 161339 (E.D. Va. Sept. 9, 2019)
GlobalOne Mgmt. Group Ltd. v. Tempus Applied Sols., LLC, No. 4:18cv59, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 207301 (E.D. Va. Dec. 7, 2018)
GGC Assocs., LLC v. Hamner et al., No. 3:17cv402, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 132610 (E.D. Va. Aug. 6, 2018)
Docs Billing Solns., LLC v. GENETWORx LLC, No. 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157480 (E.D. Va. Aug. 30, 2018)
Berman v. Davidson Media Va. Stations, LLC, No. 3:15cv299, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23945 (E.D. Va. Feb. 26, 2016)
Berman v. Davidson Media Va. Stations, LLC, No. 3:15cv299, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23945 (E.D. Va. Feb. 26, 2016)
Del Rossi v. SunTrust Mortg., Inc., No. 3:15cv334, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20035 (E.D. Va. Feb. 18, 2016)
Orbital Austl. PTY Ltd. v. Daimler AG, No. 3:14cv808, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 86631 (E.D. Va. July 1, 2015)
StarTrak Info. Techs., LLC v. Mark-It Servs., No. 3:14cv384, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 125926 (E.D. Va. Sept. 9, 2014)
Corning Optical Communs. Wireless Ltd. v. Solid, Inc., No. 3:14cv367, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 114876 (E.D. Va. Aug. 18, 2014)
Jellenek v. Joseph, No. 3:14cv230, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 88056 (E.D. Va. June 26, 2014)
buySAFE, Inc. v. Google, Inc., 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83139 (E.D. Va. June 16, 2014)
Global Tel*Link Co. v. Securus Techs., Inc., 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28773 (E.D. Va. Mar. 5, 2014)
Professional Associations and Memberships
Professional Associations and Memberships
Virginia State Bar
Virginia Bar Association
Civil Litigation Section
Labor Relations and Employment Law Section
Federal Bar Association
Treasurer, Richmond Chapter
National Representative
Federal Litigation Section
Intellectual Property and Communications Law Section
American Intellectual Property Law Association
Member of the Patent Litigation Committee
Chesterfield County Bar Association
Classes/Seminars Taught
Classes/Seminars Taught
Federal Bar Association Introduction to the Federal Courthouse Program, CLE faculty on Civil Discovery and Motions Practice 2024
Faculty member of Virginia State Bar Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Course
School Law: COVID-19, First Amendment, and Non-Discrimination, Virginia CLE Online Seminar, November 9, 2020. Served as faculty member and moderator for seminar.
