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Shirin Afsous

Shirin Afsous is a member of the Litigation Practice in Greenberg Traurig’s Northern Virginia office. She has significant experience interacting with clients and developing case strategy. She is a litigation attorney focusing her practice on complex commercial litigation, including financial services litigation and commercial contract disputes across the country in state and federal courts. She also appears regularly in administrative proceedings, including assisting clients involved in governmental investigations. Shirin has handled trials as first chair attorney, and has wide-ranging experience drafting, researching, preparing witnesses for trial, conducting depositions, and arguing dispositive motions.

Effective July 1, 2025, Virginia’s noncompete law, Va. Code Ann. § 40.1-28.7:8, has been revised to expand the definition of “low-wage” employees to include all employees classified as non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Continue Reading Virginia Expands Definition of ‘Low-Wage’ Employees and Noncompetes

On June 5, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, rejecting a heightened evidentiary burden for a plaintiff who is a member of a “majority group” under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Claims brought by such majority-group plaintiffs are sometimes referred to as “reverse discrimination” claims.
Continue Reading Supreme Court Eliminates Heightened Discrimination Standard Under Title VII

On July 30, the Court of Appeals of Virginia reversed Appian Corp.’s $2 billion trade secrets judgment against competitor Pegasystems Inc. (Pega) and remanded the case for a new trial.

Continue Reading Virginia Appeals Court Reverses $2 Billion Trade Secret Verdict, Remands Case for New Trial

In a unanimous 9-0 decision issued April 12, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court held the “transportation worker” exemption under Section 1 of the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) does not require

Continue Reading Supreme Court Finds FAA ‘Transportation Worker’ Exemption Does Not Require Employment in Transportation Industry