Ian Hoffman is a trial lawyer who represents clients in high stakes business disputes in courts across the country. Recognized as a "Rising Star" in the Washington, DC Super Lawyers magazine, Mr. Hoffman represents Fortune 500 companies, government contractors, financial services institutions, and individual corporate officers and directors. He has extensive experience in Virginia federal and state courts, including litigation in the "Rocket Docket" of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Recently, Mr. Hoffman won an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs for his work on behalf of a deaf inmate in federal prison. After trial and appeal, Mr. Hoffman won a decision from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals holding that deaf inmates have a First Amendment right to communicate with other deaf persons outside of prison, and that the prison was required to provide a videophone to allow such communication. Further, in 2020, Mr. Hoffman won a historic ruling against the White House on behalf of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), with the court ordering the White House to provide American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters for all briefings related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The case garnered national media attention, including from CNN, The New York Times, NBC, Forbes, and People.
Mr. Hoffman handles breach of contract, fiduciary duty, fraud, and other actions arising in a variety of contexts including prime contractor vs. subcontractor disputes, private equity transactions, and primary and secondary mortgage markets. Mr. Hoffman also handles all phases of complex civil litigation, including early case assessment and investigation, dispositive motions practice, discovery, e-discovery, depositions, expert discovery, trial, and appeal.
Mr. Hoffman maintains an active pro bono practice representing deaf clients in litigation seeking access to legally-required accommodations. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Hoffman served as a law clerk to the Honorable Claude M. Hilton, Senior Judge for the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (Alexandria Division).
Experience
- NAD Litigation Against the White House. Won preliminary injunction ordering the White House to provide ASL interpreters for all public briefings related to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the court finding the lack of access to health information put deaf persons at risk and that closed captions were not adequate. Nat'l Ass'n of the Deaf v. Trump, 486 F. Supp. 3d 45 (D.D.C. 2020).
- Inmate Litigation Against the US Bureau of Prisons. Following trial and appeal, won recognition of deaf inmate's First Amendment right to use a videophone to communicate with other deaf individuals outside the prison walls using American Sign Language. Heyer v. United States Bureau of Prisons, 984 F.3d 347 (4th Cir. 2021).
- Johnson Controls. Defended various Johnson Controls entities at trial against claimed damages related to a military project in Kuwait. Following trial, the Court denied all of the plaintiff's claims and awarded client $6.6 million in damages on its counterclaim. Technology and Supply Management LLC v. Johnson Controls Building Automation Systems LLC, et al., 2017 WL 3219281 (E.D. Va. July 28, 2017).
- Inverness Technologies. Obtained preliminary injunction for government contractor client that prohibited poaching of client's employees and enabled client to continue work on military training contract. Inverness Technologies, Inc., v. GBX Consultants, Inc., et al. No. CL-2018-0012618 (Va. Cir. Ct., Fairfax Co.).
- Young Yi. Defended healthcare company founder and chief in two-week federal jury trial against on charges of Medicare fraud and tax evasion. US v. Yi, et al., No. 1:17-cr-224-LO (EDVA) (J. O'Grady).
- CEO Litigation. Defended former CEO and board member in litigation involving breach of fiduciary duty claims arising out of bankruptcy of car haul company, with alleged damages exceeding $100 million.
- FHFA. Prevailed at the trial and appellate levels in multiple circuits on behalf of FHFA, the conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, against various institutional shareholders' attempts to undo portions of the funding agreement between FHFA and the US Treasury, and unwind more than $100 billion in dividends paid to Treasury. Jacobs v. FHFA, 908 F.3d 884 (3d Cir. 2018); Saxton v. FHFA, 901 F.3d 954, 957 (8th Cir. 2018); Roberts v. FHFA, 889 F.3d 397, 402 (7th Cir. 2018); Perry Capital v. Mnuchin, 864 F.3d 591 (D.C. Cir. 2017). Defending FHFA in ongoing litigation over related money damages claims.
- Aurora Loan Services. Successfully represented nationwide mortgage loan servicer in putative consumer class action suit concerning foreclosure forbearance agreements. Chao v. Aurora Loan Servs., LLC, 2015 WL 294823, at *1 (N.D. Cal. Jan. 21, 2015).
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Successfully defended foreign sovereign against alleged breach of contract and various torts. Defeated some claims on basis of immunity grounds; defeated remaining claims at trial. UNC Lear Services, Inc. v. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 581 F.3d 210 (5th Cir. 2009); 720 F. Supp. 2d 800 (W.D. Tex. 2010).
- Erdemir. Won dismissal of multiple lawsuits asserting claims for breach of contract against the Republic of Turkey's largest flat steel manufacturer. Corus Int'l Trading Ltd. v. Eregli Demir ve Celik Fabrikalari, T.A.S., 765 F. Supp. 2d 1079 (N.D. Ill. 2011); Tata Steel Int'l (N. Am.) Ltd., v. Eregli Demir ve Celik Fabrikalari, T.A.S., No. 4:11cv1820 (S.D. Tex. July 10, 2012).
- FHFA. Prevailed at the trial and appellate levels on behalf of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, in multiple lawsuits by state/local officials concerning PACE programs. County of Sonoma v. FHFA, 710 F.3d 987 (9th Cir. 2013); Leon Cnty., Fla. v. FHFA, 700 F.3d 1273 (11th Cir. 2012); Town of Babylon v. FHFA, 699 F.3d 221 (2d Cir. 2012).
- Bank of America. Represented national bank in a putative reverse false claims act suit alleging the bank failed to report certain unclaimed funds belonging to other banks. State ex rel. McCann v. Bank of Am., N.A., 191 Cal. App. 4th 897, 120 Cal. Rptr. 3d 204 (2011).
Perspectives
Recognition
Credentials
Education
- J.D., William & Mary Law School, 2007, Order of the Coif
- B.A., University of Virginia, 2004, with distinction
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
- District of Columbia Court of Appeals
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia
- Supreme Court of Virginia
Clerkships
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, The Honorable Claude M. Hilton