- Business Litigation & Outside General Counsel for Privately-Held Companies
Helping Davids Take Down Goliaths
Trial Lawyers. Outside General Counsel. One Firm.
Griffith Law helps business owners in two critical moments: when the fight is already at the door, and when growth has made legal strategy too important to leave on standby.
30+
Years Trial Experience
16+
Years Building This Firm
Mid 7 figure
Largest Settlement
DC
Federal & local Courts
Who We Represent
We represent owners of $1M–$20M privately-held companies in the Washington, DC area — across litigation, licensing, regulatory, contract, employment, and growth-stage legal exposure — facing high-stakes disputes against Fortune 500s, federal and state agencies, regulators, former partners, and aggressive competitors.
- Find Your Starting Point
Three Ways Business Owners Arrive at Griffith Law
The right first move depends on whether the fight is already here, growth is outpacing your legal infrastructure, or you suspect hidden exposure but don’t know where to start.
I'm Already in the Fight
For owners facing litigation, claims, threats, agency pressure, or business-threatening conflict.
I'm Scaling and Need Legal Cover
For growing companies that need outside general counsel before legal risk gets expensive.
I Need to Know Where I'm Exposed
For businesses that need a Legal Risk Audit across contracts, compliance, people, and growth.
- Proven Results
Litigation Tested Against the Goliaths
Griffith Law has represented privately-held businesses across six-figure and eight-figure disputes — against opponents with deeper pockets.
Corporate
Fortune 500 Companies
Government
Federal & State Agencies
Opposing Counsel
Big Law Firms
Regulatory
Local agencies & Licensing Boards
Insider
Former Partners & Shareholders
Competitive
Aggressive Competitors & Former Employees
- Representative Matters
Real Outcomes for Operators Facing Real opposition
Federal Contract Litigation
Mid Seven-Figure Settlement
The Pressure
A government contract dispute escalated into a six-year battle.
The Move
Built leverage, documentation, and trial readiness.
The Outcome
Mid seven-figure settlement protecting the company.
Employment Litigation
Settled $400k Lawsuit for Less Than $10k
The Pressure
A wrongful termination lawsuit threatened a privately-held company.
The Move
Focused defense and disciplined negotiation posture.
The Outcome
Lawsuit resolved for under $10,000 — exposure contained.
Outside General Counsel
Protecting Profit Through Strategic Contract Drafting
The Pressure
A professional services business needed contracts drafted for leverage.
The Move
Strategic drafting designed for clarity, leverage, and protection.
The Outcome
Client exercised early termination clause without penalty – and collected anticipated profits.
Representative matters only. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
- The Category We Own
Litigation Tested Counsel that does not stop at the courtroom door
Most outside general counsels advise but do not litigate. Most litigators handle disputes but do not counsel businesses on how to avoid them. Griffith Law is built to do both — we protect the company and handle disputes when they arrive.
- Regulated & Licensed Businesses
When permission to operate is part of the business model
Some privately-held businesses face legal pressure through licensing systems, agency actions, and administrative proceedings. The legal questions are technical. The stakes — staying open, staying bidding, staying licensed — are not.
Professional License Defense
DLCP / DOB / DCRA
OAH proceedings & investigations
Agency Hearings
- Led by Marlon Griffith
Litigation-tested counsel who understands business pressure
Marlon Griffith brings 30+ years handling complex business matters — built on a foundation as a public defender and Chief of the Trial Division at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, widely regarded as the premier public defense office in the nation.
For business owners, the legal fight is rarely just legal. It is about cash flow, reputation, employees, licenses, contracts, customers, and the future of the company. Griffith Law brings the kind of judgment business owners need when a legal decision is also a business decision.
30+
Years of
Trial Experience
PDS
Former Chief, Trial Division (DC)
+10x
Martindale-Hubbell · Super Lawyers · Best Lawyers
- Beyond The Courtroom
Where Marlon goes deeper — beyond client work
Marlon publishes ongoing thought work for entrepreneurs and operators — separate from the firm’s litigation practice, and useful in its own right.
Podcast
Kicking Ass & Taking Names
No lectures. No theory. Just straight talk with operators on scaling, leadership, finances, and the mindset that moves you from surviving to thriving.
Video Series
13 Weeks to Becoming Rich Mindset Series
A 13-week series unpacking the 13 principles of Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich — the foundational mindset framework for entrepreneurs and business owners.
Speaking
Speaking Engagements
Keynotes and long-form sessions on business risk, litigation, decision-making, and leadership.
Ebook
I'm a Business, Man!
How to have your business work for you - Marlon's playbook for the transition from operator to owner. Eight chapters on mindset, planning, financials, systems, compensation, relationships, and staying the course.
- Slingshot Outside General Counsel
Fractional general counsel for businesses growing faster than their legal infrastructure
Ongoing legal judgment for founder-led and operator-led businesses that need protection, contracts, risk guidance, and strategic counsel without hiring full-time in-house legal staff. Revenue-stage engagement at predictable cost.
Foundation
$1M - $3M
Growth
$4M–$7M
Scale
$8M–$14M
Enterprise
$15M–$20M+
- The GLG Legal Risk Audit
Know where the business is exposed before the exposure becomes expensive
A structured one-month review across the four pillars that hold most growing businesses’ legal exposure. Walk away with complete clarity and a documented next-step roadmap.
Contracts
Your business runs on agreements. We examine every contract you use — vendor, client, partnership, and service agreements — to identify what is protecting you and what is quietly working against you.
Compliance
Regulatory requirements, licensing obligations, and HR compliance rules change constantly. We examine where your business stands across all three — identifying the gaps that could trigger fines, penalties, or regulatory action before they find you first.
People
Your business is only as sound as the relationships that run it. We examine how your key relationships are structured, whether your contractors are properly classified, and whether your equity and ownership agreements reflect the reality of your business today.
Growth
Every growth decision your business makes has a legal consequence. We examine the legal readiness of your growth plan — new markets, workforce expansion, government contracts, and investment considerations — so opportunity doesn’t become liability.
- Client Confidence
What It's Like To Work With Us
- How We Work
A transparent process.
From first call to resolution.
Immersion
We immerse ourselves in your situation — the legal issue, the business reality, and what success actually looks like for you.
Strategic Assessment
We analyze your matter from every angle — legal, business, and personal — and tell you honestly what we see.
Customized Action Plan
We develop a clear legal strategy built around your definition of success. Timelines and milestones on the table from the start.
Execution & Partnership
We execute the strategy and keep you informed at every step. You always know where things stand.
- The Griffith Law Blog
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Before your next legal move, get Griffith Law in the room
If you’re facing a dispute, regulatory matter, or high-stakes litigation — or you’re trying to prevent the next one — the right counsel matters. Schedule a consultation. We’ll tell you honestly whether we’re the right firm.
"Most firms force business owners to choose between dispute resolution and dispute avoidance. Griffith Law was built so they do not have to."
Marlon Griffith Founder & Principal Litigator