Mikhael D. Charnoff
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Practice Areas:
- Business Torts
- Civil Litigation
- Contractual Disputes
- Real Estate Litigation
- Medical Malpractice
Biography
Mikhael D. Charnoff practices a wide range of civil and commercial litigation, including business torts, contractual disputes, and real estate litigation. He also handles professional liability cases, including legal malpractice, real estate, and federal statutory claims.
Mr. Charnoff’s trial history is extensive. He has personally handled litigation in over 35 Circuit Courts throughout Virginia. He has also litigated in several Circuit Courts in Maryland, DC Superior Court, every federal trial court in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. He has also been accepted as an expert witness in state and federal courts.
In addition to jury trials, Mr. Charnoff has 25 years of experience in bench trials, arbitrations, and professional licensure administrative hearings. His trials and motions practice has been covered in various publications, including The Washington Post and Virginia Lawyers Weekly. Mr. Charnoff is active with the George Mason American Inn of Court and three local bar associations and has taught over a dozen CLEs over the past several years.
Mr. Charnoff’s regular clients include large and small regional businesses, real estate purchasers, sellers, and professionals. Over the years, he has represented scores of lawyers, institutional and individual healthcare providers, and real estate professionals, including agents, brokers, appraisers, title companies, and escrow agents. Mr. Charnoff also has experience handling significant insurance coverage matters, including high-profile Chinese drywall litigation and matters involving other construction coverage issues, legal malpractice coverage, and real estate professional liability coverage.
Early in his career, Mr. Charnoff served as a law clerk to the Honorable Frank E. Schwelb of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. He later worked with two litigation boutiques in Virginia and a historic Virginia firm with 75 lawyers before founding and managing Perry Charnoff PLLC for almost ten years.
Mr. Charnoff was born and raised in Fairfax, Virginia, lived in Arlington, Virginia, for over 17 years after law school, and now resides in Vienna, Virginia, with his wife and young sons. Mr. Charnoff recently served as President of the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association of the University of Mary Washington. Mr. Charnoff recently served as President of The George Mason American Inn of Court.
Education
- University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, Virginia
- J.D. – 1999
- Mary Washington College, Fredericksburg, Virginia
- B.A. – 1995
Bar Admissions
- Virginia
- Maryland
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court Western District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court District of Maryland
- District of Columbia
- U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
Published Works
- Co-authored the article “How to Plead, Prove, and Obtain Punitive Damages in Virginia,” published in the Journal of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association (Volume 26 Number 2, 2016).
Representative Cases
- Navient Sols., LLC v. Law Offs. of Jeffrey Lohman, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 197643
- McKoy v. Lankford, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 148810
- D.H. v. Trousdell, 110 Va. Cir. 120 (2022)
- Lowe v. Cerner Corp., 2022 U.S. App. LEXIS 32840
- Qualified as an expert witness on the reasonableness of attorney’s fees in Conway v. Smith Dev., Inc. (In re Smith Dev., Inc.), 2021 Bankr. LEXIS 3598.
- Robinson v. Nordquist, 830 S.E.2d 36 (2019)
- Jones v. Dufek, 830 F.3d 523 (D.C. Cir. 2016)
- Qualified as an expert witness on the reasonableness of attorney’s fees in Blowers v. Lerner, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118773, *39 (E.D. Va. Aug. 31, 2016).
- Sahrapour v. Lesron, LLC, 119 A.3d 704 (D.C. 2015)
- Lepelletier v. Will Nesbitt Realty, LLC, 88 Va. Cir. 285 (2014)
- Martin v. Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., Civil Action No. 1:11-cv-1118-AJT-TCB (E.D. Va. Sep. 11, 2012)
- N. Va. Real Estate v. Martins, 283 Va. 86 (2012)
- Minn. Lawyers Mut. Ins. Co. v. Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP, 472 F. App’x 219 (4th Cir. 2012)
- Builders Mut. Ins. Co. v. Half Court Press, LLC, CIVIL ACTION No. 6:09-CV-00046 (W.D. Va. Sep. 21, 2010)
- Northern Virginia Real Estate, Inc. et al. v. Karen Martins, et al., 80 Va. Cir. 478 (2010)
- Katims v. Millen, White, Zelano & Branigan, P.C., 706 F. Supp. 2d 645, 649 (D. Md. 2010)
- Northern Virginia Real Estate, Inc. et al. v. Karen Martins, et al., 79 Va. Cir. 667 (2009)
- Qualified as an expert witness on the reasonableness of attorney’s fees in Fairfax County Circuit Court in Jimenez v. Sim, 78 Va. Cir. 235 (2009).
- Skibinski v. Lunger, 74 Va. Cir. 428 (2008)
Classes & Seminars
- Panelist on “Source of Duty Rule and the Economic Loss Doctrine” in February 2024 at The George Mason American Inn of Court
- Taught a CLE entitled “Maximizing Damages in Personal Injury Cases” in October 2023
- Panelist on “Ethics in Litigation” in September 2023 at The George Mason American Inn of Court.
- Taught a CLE entitled “Pursuing, Defending, and Avoiding Sanctions in Virginia Pursuant to Code of Virginia § 8.01-271.1” in 2023 at the VADA Spring Conference
- Panelist on “Negotiation and Settlement – Ethics and Best Practices” in March 2023 at The George Mason American Inn of Court.
- Taught a CLE entitled “Trying the Medical Malpractice Case in Virginia” in February 2020 at The George Mason American Inn of Court.
- Presented CLE at VTLA Advocacy Seminar “Preparing Witnesses to Advocate for Themselves” in October 2019
- Drafted CLE entitled “Civil Practice in the Three Jurisdictions of the DC Area” in April 2019 for the McLean Bar Association
- Co-presented CLE at VTLA Litigating Auto Cases on “Circuit Court: Bolstering Plaintiff’s Damages Evidence” in May of 2018
- Presented “When Should You Consider Suing a Senior Care Facility?” to the Arlington County Bar Association Elder Law Section in June 2016
- Taught a CLE entitled “Legal and Practical Considerations for Discovery and Dispute Resolution” in May 2016 for the Fairfax Bar Association.
- Panelist on “Sanctions Pursuant to Code of Virginia § 8.01-271.1” in January 2015 at The George Mason American Inn of Court.
- Panelist on “Top Ten Issues in Depositions” in September 2012 at The George Mason American Inn of Court.
- Taught a CLE entitled “Frivolous Complaints and Sanctions in Virginia” in 2012 at the VADA Spring Conference.
- Panelist on “The Tripartite Relationship” in 2011 at the VADA Spring Conference.
- Taught a CLE entitled “Minimizing Liability in the Real Estate Broker-Client Relationship” in 2008.
- Taught “Negotiating the Courts” class at NVAR to real estate licensees in 2008.
Past Positions
- Professor John Monahan at the University of Virginia School of Law, Research Assistant
- Judge Frank E. Schwelb in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, Law Clerk
Professional Associations
- Fairfax Bar Association
- Alexandria Bar Association
- Arlington Bar Association
- Mclean Bar Association
- The George Mason American Inn of Court, Master
- Program Committee of The George Mason American Inn of Court for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.
- Served as President of The George Mason American Inn of Court for 2021-2022