S. W. Dawson, Esq., is the founder and managing member of Dawson, P.L.C. Mr. Dawson specializes in bespoke litigation strategies, particularly in the realm of state and federal criminal defense. Mr. Dawson regularly represents clients throughout the entire Commonwealth of Virginia, but maintains his most active presence in the Hampton Roads and Northern Neck regions of Virginia. Over the course of his career, Mr. Dawson has successfully defended countless Virginians and visitors who have faced serious felony or misdemeanor charges in either state or federal court. He has successfully defended clients facing the most serious allegations imaginable, to include: homicide, money laundering, fraud, narcotics violations, rape, driving under the influence (DUI/DWI) and more. Mr. Dawson has also represented clients all over the United States in asset forfeiture cases (which are matters in which the Government attempts to seize and keep a citizen's property). Mr. Dawson also helps clients both in prosecuting and defending claims for monetary damages. Mr. Dawson particularly enjoys collecting debts owed to businesses and individuals. Active in his professional community, Mr. Dawson is a member of the Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Northern Neck Bar Association, and he has lectured on legal topics for several organizations. He sits on the board of directors of Norfolk Festevents, Ltd., and GraceInside, a prison ministry founded in 1920. In recognition of his accomplishments, Mr. Dawson has been recognized for many years in peer-to-peer review publications such as Virginia Super Lawyer Magazine, Virginia Business Magazine, and Coastal Virginia Magazine, among others. Mr. Dawson holds a license to practice law before all Virginia state courts, the United States District Courts for the Eastern District and Western District of Virginia, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Karin Porter is a practicing lawyer in Virginia who focuses on criminal cases. Ms. Porter has previously served as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in Virginia handling cases from DUI to violent felonies. She has tried cases involving drug charges, reckless driving, and many other practice areas.

Mr. Berry is the founding partner and represents federal employees, government contractors, employers, state employees, federal intelligence agency employees, law enforcement officers, firefighters, private sector employees, in various employment, labor and national security law matters. Mr. Berry’s primary practice areas include security clearance defense, disciplinary action defense, administrative investigation representation, and representation in equal employment opportunity (EEO) claims. For federal employees and government contractors, Mr. Berry represents them nationwide in security clearance appeals and federal disciplinary actions. Mr. Berry frequently defends federal employees in proposed removals, proposed suspensions, and performance matters before their respective agencies; represents federal employees in appeals before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB); represents individuals in Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaint matters before respective federal agencies and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); and represents federal employees and government contractors in security clearance matters before the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) and the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). In addition, Mr. Berry represents security clearance holders before all federal agencies (DoS, DoD, DoE) and those federal agencies within the Intelligence Community (NRO, NGA, CIA, DIA, NSA). Mr. Berry has represented hundreds of individuals in administrative investigations conducted by agency investigators, inspectors general (IG), internal affairs unit investigators and before the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) of various federal agencies. Mr. Berry also represents private sector, state, county, and municipal employees in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia in various types of investigations, county and state grievance procedures, disciplinary actions, whistleblower issues, and equal employment opportunity (EEO) matters. Mr. Berry previously served as the General Counsel to the United States Park Police and United States Capitol Police Federal Labor Unions representing law enforcement officers in disciplinary, wage and security clearance matters. Mr. Berry has also served as counsel for local businesses involving issues related to wage and hour matters, Human Resources Policy development, and employment legal defense. He is a security clearance lawyer and member of the Security Clearance Lawyers Association. Mr. Berry has been interviewed on radio and television networks, like CNN, and written and commented on articles for news organizations such as the Washington Post and others. He has taught continuing education courses for lawyers in his practice areas. He has written several published legal articles on various topics regarding employment and labor law as well as security clearance law. Mr. Berry authors articles for ClearanceJobs. In addition, he previously served as the Editor-in-Chief of the District of Columbia Bar Labor and Employment Law Newsletter and served as a guest speaker for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars on administrative, employment and labor law issues. Mr. Berry frequently provides legal guidance and training to Human Resources personnel of companies, nonprofit entities, and labor unions. In 2009, Mr. Berry was elected by his peers to the D.C. Bar Labor and Employment Law Section’s Steering Committee. The Committee works to advance the professional development and competence of its members by offering educational programs and publications in the substantive law fields of labor and employment law, as well as areas of practice and procedure. Since 2014, Mr. Berry has served as co-author of the firm’s legal articles on RestonNow, and ArlingtonNow. Since 2019, Mr. Berry has co-taught the District of Columbia Bar continuing legal education course on security clearance representation for other lawyers seeking to learn how to effectively represent clients in security clearance cases. Mr. Berry presented a class for the Virginia Continuing Legal Education program on the security clearance process in May of 2021 and a class regarding the MSPB and EEOC in November of 2022.

Ms. Watkins’ federal practice focuses on cases before various administrative agencies — including the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) – as well as security clearance cases before the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA), the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency Consolidated Adjudication Services (DCSA CAS), numerous cases before the Intelligence Community and before other federal agencies. In 2022, Ms. Watkins was selected for membership in the Security Clearance Lawyers Association by her peers. Ms. Watkins also advises private sector and municipal employees in the District of Columbia in various types of investigations, grievance procedures, disciplinary actions, whistleblower issues, and equal employment opportunity (EEO) matters. Ms. Watkins also focuses on various administrative matters involving federal law enforcement officers. Ms. Watkins has several years of litigation background and has guided countless clients through depositions and trial proceedings. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Watkins worked as an attorney advisor for the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, the appellate division of the Department of Veterans Affairs, authoring appeals decisions to resolve cases arising from Veterans benefits disputes. During law school, Ms. Watkins worked as a legal intern with the Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Prisons, providing legal support to DOJ attorneys on a variety of cases involving matters such as correctional law and litigation, civil rights disputes, mental health hearings, and FTCA claims. Prior to her legal training, Ms. Watkins obtained her undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University where she double majored in History and Political Science. While attending Wake Forest, Ms. Watkins also participated as a member of the University’s Equestrian Team. Ms. Watkins is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia and before federal agencies nationwide.

We know that all people make mistakes. We look at our job as to try to help our clients minimize the impact of these errors upon there lives. Alex Gordon has more than 23 years of trial experience. During his career he has represented more than 4,500 clients charged with serious felonies and misdemeanors in Northern Virginia. Alex is a member of the Virginia Bar and the State Bars of Florida and Georgia. He is a member of the Fairfax Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys. Alex has also served the public as both an Assistant County Attorney in Florida and as a Senior Assistant Public Defender in Fairfax, Virginia. Mr. Gordon earned a Bachelor of Science from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia in 1991 and graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1994.

Bernard Crane graduated from George Washington University with a triple major in Criminal Justice, Sociology and Dramatic Art. He earned his JD degree from The Catholic University's Columbus School of Law, in Washington, DC. He has been practicing criminal and business law in Washington DC and the surrounding areas since 1985.

Joe has been practicing injury law for over 37 years in the Hampton Roads, Virginia area. He is admitted to practice law in both Virginia and North Carolina. He has also successfully represented injured victims on a ‘pro hac vice’ basis in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Maryland, and Florida. Joe earned his B.A. at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, in 1984. He is a graduate of the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at William & Mary, where he received his Juris Doctor degree in 1987. Joe was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., but he has spent most of his life in the Hampton Roads area, having grown up in the Churchland area of Portsmouth and the Western Branch area of Chesapeake. He graduated from Western Branch High School in 1980. He currently resides in Norfolk, VA with his wife, two daughters, and their Australian Shepard, ‘Luna’ Outside of law practice, Joe enjoys engaging in religious studies, playing guitar, writing and recording music in his music studio, mountain biking, snow skiing, and just spending time with his family at home. Joe says his favorite part of practicing law is, “when it is crystal clear that the client you are helping is in dire need of your services. You realize that if the two of you had not been brought together, this person would likely be making choices that would have severe adverse consequences for him or her. It feels really good when you can present an injured client with advice and a plan of action that puts him or her on the right path to a successful future, a new start, and financial security. Just knowing that the client is sleeping better at night—with fewer clouds of worry and doubt that were there before you came along— that helps me sleep better as well." Joe was President of his own firm for over 25 years, until August of 2025, when he made the very wise decision to become part of the outstanding team of attorneys and staff at Rutter Mills, LLP in Norfolk, VA

Representing clients in complex immigration cases, advising clients on their immigration options, preparing and filing legal documents, and representing clients in court or administrative hearings.

Mark Mario Esposito, Esq., J.D., T.C. Williams School of Law, University of Richmond, VA (1984); B.S., James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va. (1980 Summa Cum Laude; Outstanding Student in Public Administration); "av" rated in Martindale-Hubbell; American Bar Association; Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Virginia Trial Lawyers Association (Elected Board of Governors (1998)); Henrico Bar Association; Richmond Bar Association (Judiciary Committee (2002-05)); United's Who's Who in American Law; member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum (2002 to present); admitted to practice in all courts in Virginia; United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals; Untied States Supreme Court. Mr. Esposito has consistently and aggressively defended the civil rights of individuals, unions, and small businesses against the negligent or intentional wrongdoing of corporations, governments, and other powerful interests. He has been recognized as a powerful and effective advocate and trial lawyer for his clients. He has successfully handled personal injury cases in states from California to Virginia and won significant awards and settlements. His successful defense of a small businessperson against an unconstitutional local taxing scheme was deemed one of the most significant appellate decisions in the state of Pennsylvania in 1997. Mr. Esposito's client was nominated for the Liberty Bell Award, which goes to the most significant case promoting civil liberties, in the state of Pennsylvania. Another successful case that same year in the Virginia Supreme Court, Walter Atkinson, Admin. v. Scheer, MD, et al, was deemed one of the most important medical negligence decisions for the plaintiff's bar in Virginia. Currently, Mr. Esposito handles significant motor vehicle/tractor-trailer accidents, professional negligence cases, traumatic brain injury cases, defective product and defective pharmaceutical cases, as well as other catastrophic loss cases. Mr. Esposito is married to the former Suzanne Daley. They have two sons, ages 20 and 24. They reside in Henrico County, Virginia, where he is actively involved in youth recreational sports and civic associations and boards. He is a frequent speaker at local area schools advocating greater exposure of the law and courts to young people.

Daniel J. Bounds founded Bounds and Bounds, PLLC in 2022 and serves as the Managing Partner of the Firm. Before practicing law, Daniel accumulated his experience through various leadership roles in both the private and public sectors. Graduating from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in History, Daniel commissioned as an Officer in the United States Marine Corps. Daniel was promoted to Captain in 2017 and served from 2012 to 2020 in various active and reserve duty roles as a combat engineer officer. Daniel’s time in the reserves allowed him to gain valuable business experience through holding leadership roles in the private sector: from operations manager at LKQ Corporation, a Fortune 500 company; to running the NATO conference center at Alion Science and Technology. Daniel earned his law degree from Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center while also attending George Mason University’s Law School for his final three semesters. During law school, Daniel held various legal positions, serving as a clerk to Judge Jeffrey Parker in Virginia’s 20th Judicial Circuit and working with the private firm of Turbitt, Leach, & Crum in Fairfax, Virginia. After law school, Daniel gained valuable trial experience as an Associate Attorney with Howard, Clark & Howard in Warrenton, Virginia. At Howard, Clark & Howard, Daniel primarily worked as a trial attorney, serving clients in civil, domestic, and criminal matters. While gaining trial experience, Daniel simultaneously grew his business law practice, serving a wide range of businesses, including those focusing on Virginia’s cannabis market. Today, Daniel’s diverse practice is enhanced by his past business experience, trial experience, and his time in numerous military and civilian leadership positions. Daniel also serves as General Counsel for AgriTech LLC, a tech company focusing on merging technology and agriculture to ensure a sustainable future.