C. Dewayne Lonas

Dewayne Lonas engages in complex, high stakes litigation across Virginia and around the country, primarily in the areas of commercial litigation and product liability. He also has extensive experience litigating premises liability, professional liability and trucking cases.

Dewayne’s product liability practice is focused on the vigorous defense of designers and manufacturers of outdoor power equipment and industrial machinery. He also serves as national coordinating counsel for a major designer of food processing equipment. Although Dewayne has tried numerous product liability cases involving wrongful death and catastrophic injury to verdict, he has developed expertise challenging the qualifications and opinions of experts who criticize the thoughtful design choices of his clients and obtaining summary judgment in risky jurisdictions in cases involving devastating injuries.

As a part of his product practice, Dewayne routinely provides risk management for his clients, which includes the drafting of product literature, instructions and warnings, and interaction with regulatory bodies.

As a commercial litigator, Dewayne has tried numerous cases to verdict in matters involving breach of contract, insurance coverage, business torts, and real estate and construction law. He also has a robust practice litigating trade secrets, deceptive trade practices, and the laws and regulations surrounding the banking and mortgage industry.

Dewayne is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell, and has been selected a Virginia Super Lawyer in both business litigation and product liability defense for the better part of the past decade. He is included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation (Defendants), and Product Liability Litigation (Defendants).

Dewayne serves on the Admissions Committee of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, and sits on the board of directors of the Richmond Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. He is also one of a handful of Virginia lawyers in the prestigious Trial Attorneys of America.