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Mark Cummings

Mark Cummings

We interviewed the partners and staff at SCE, and asked Mark the following questions:

What is your favorite aspect of working at Sher, Cummings & Ellis?

The collegiate atmosphere in our office; we generally have two or three interns from the law school working alongside our legal staff.

What is the most rewarding part of your career?

The respect of a thankful client after achieving success in their legal endeavor.

What is your favorite book?

My favorite book is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Education:

  • Marshall-Wythe School of Law, College of William and Mary and International School of Law, J.D., 1978;

  • University of Virginia, B.A., 1973;

Admitted:

  • 1978, Virginia

  • 1979, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Virginia Supreme Court

  • 1987, U.S. Supreme Court

  • 1988, District of Columbia

  • 2002, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia

Memberships:

  • Arlington County Bar Association (Director, 1987-1989; President, 1990-1991; Member, Judicial Selection Committee), 1993-2002

  • Arlington County Bar Foundation (Board of Directors, 1990—present; Chairman, 2001-2002) and Virginia Bar Association (Member, Judicial Selection Committee, Federal Judiciary 2003—present)

  • Virginia State Bar (Bar Council, 1995-2006; 2007-2013)

  • The District of Columbia Bar; Virginia Trial Lawyers Association (Board of Governors, District 12, 2001—present)

  • American Association for Justice (2015-present.)

  • George Mason American Inn of Court (2017-present).


Biography:

  • Delta Theta Phi.

  • Articles Editor, International School of Law Review, 1977-1978.

  • Author: “Enforcement of the Federal Trade Commission Act: Does the Consumer Have a Private Right of Action in Federal Court?” ISL Law Review, Vol. 2, page 99, 1977.

  • Adjunct Professor, George Mason University School of Law, 2000—present.

Awards:

  • SuperLawyers Top Attorneys in Virginia, 2008-2017

  • Washingtonian Magazine’s Best Legal Minds, 2011

  • Washingtonian Magazine’s 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 Top Lawyers: Criminal Defense Attorneys

  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating

Representative Cases:

  • Mark L. Martin v. GFC Facilities Inc. et al. CL2020-05680 Circuit Court for Fairfax County (2022). $3 million dollar case settlement following mediation pending jury trial.

  • Securities and Exchange Commission v. Christopher J. Clark et al. United States District Court for the EDVA (December 13, 2021). Case Dismissed by Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law pursuant to Rule 50 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

  • United States v. W. Mark Felt and Edward S. Miller, Crim. No. 78-00179 (D.C. D.C., 1980)

  • Coleman v. Hogan, 254 Va. 64, 486 S.E.2d 548 (1997)

  • Weimer v. Commonwealth, 5 Va.App. 47, 360 S.E.2d 381 (1986)

  • Espinozo v. Hillwood Square Mutual Association, 525 F.Supp. 559 (E.D.1981)

  • Richmond Fredericksburg & Potomac Rail Road v. Davis Industries, Inc. 787 F.Supp. 572 (E.D. Va. 1992).