Jeffrey P. Miller

Jeff Miller is a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation practice group. Jeff represents his clients in Virginia’s state and federal courts across a wide variety of practice areas, including business disputes, transportation, hospitality, defamation, class actions, and constitutional claims, both at the trial and appellate level. Jeff has tried dozens of cases, defeated multiple claims at the motions stage, and served as second chair on multi-million-dollar brain injury trials before Virginia juries.

Jeff initially built his litigation skills by defending trucking companies, major retailers, and amusement parks in catastrophic injury, brain injury, and wrongful death cases. Over the ensuing years, Jeff has expanded and grown his litigation practice to encompass a wider breadth of practice areas, including entertainment litigation and land use disputes, making Jeff a true generalist in the arena of litigation. Jeff has extensive experience working with experts in a wide array of fields including accounting, engineering, biodynamics, medical providers from orthopedists to brain injury specialists, and other professionals with a range of specialties.

Prior to beginning his law career, Jeff studied music and put his talents to use as a professional piano player and entertainer.

A quick handshake

•What do you enjoy most about the practice of law?

I love the problem-solving nature of the practice, as well as constantly learning new things. Every case has a new set of facts to learn, new twists on familiar legal arguments, and new people. Of course, litigation can be competitive, which is also fun!

•What would you be doing if you did not choose law as a career?

I would probably live in the mountains and make smooth jazz albums.

•How has your musical career helped you in the practice of law?

There’s nothing that can substitute for experience on stage - whether that’s performing for an audience or arguing a case to a judge or jury. Having that experience helps me keep calm and focused when it’s time to appear in court. The other thing is that you have to be ready to adapt or change course on the fly, both in court and in music, and I’ve found abundant preparation is the best way to be ready for anything.

Experience

•Represented international venue management company in litigation and settlement negotiations arising out of a dispute over a large arena-centered development. Retained as local counsel by the client’s national firm
•Obtained summary judgment based on Plaintiff’s contributory negligence as a matter of law in a premises case pending in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (“Rocket Docket”)
•Served as coverage counsel for one of several carriers involved in a significant clergy abuse case; resulting in a multi-day judicial settlement conference in the EDVA
•Tried dozens of General District Court cases to verdict, tried multiple Circuit Court trials to jury verdict as second-chair, and second-chaired two-week federal jury trial resulting in a defense verdict
•Won dismissal of million-dollar premises lawsuit on a pre-discovery motion to dismiss
•Secured dismissal on summary judgement of multimillion-dollar discrimination claim against amusement park security team
•Litigated in all Virginia state courts and US District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia
•As a research assistant for the Court of Appeals of Virginia, assisted in research and writing for an article on the “do’s and don’ts” of appellate advocacy in Virginia, published in the University of Richmond Law Review’s 2014 Annual Survey

Awards

•Named to Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” List for Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, and Transportation Law (2021-2025)
•Named a Virginia Super Lawyers Rising Star in “Civil Litigation: Defense” (2020-2025)
•Named a Virginia Business Legal Elite “Young Lawyer” (2019)
•Awarded Pro Bono Certificate by University of Richmond (2015)
•Order of the Coif (2015)
•CALI for 1st Amendment Law and Antitrust (2014)
•McNeil Honor Society (Inducted 2014)

Speaking Engagements

•Presenter, “No Nukes! Trial Strategies for the Win,” American Trucking Association Law Review Webinar, Richmond, VA, January 28, 2025
•Presenter, “Sit Down and Shut Up: The Art of Self-Awareness and Editing in Jury Trials,” Gentry Locke Seminar, Richmond, VA, October 12, 2023
•Co-Presented Defending Freight Brokers and Transportation Intermediaries: New FMCSA Guidance; Preemption Under Ying Ye v. GlobalTranz, a Strafford Webinar on September 28, 2023
•Presenter, “Managing the Insurance Relationship: Making Sure Your Coverage is There When You Need It,” Gentry Locke Seminar, Richmond, VA, September 28, 2022, co-authored by Guy M. Harbert, III.
•Presented the Appellate Section’s Annual Case Law Update: Virginia Cases at the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, Spring Sections Seminar 2020

Published Work

•Author, The Statute Has No Clothes! How Contemporary Free Exercise Clause Cases Stand to Expose the Failings of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Merits of the Smith Standard, prize winning article in the 2015 McNeil Honor Society legal writing competition
•Co-Author with Laura D. Windsor, Another Hoop For Government Contractors: The Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order, Summer 2014 Client Alert
•Research Assistant, University of Richmond Law Review: Appellate Law, authored by The Honorable Marla Graff Decker, published in the University of Richmond Law Review’s 2014 Annual Survey

Case Studies

The results of client matters depend on a variety of factors unique to each matter. Past successes do not predict or guarantee future successes.
•Feb 28, 2025 - Defense Verdict Affirmed for Western Express in Rear-end Accident
•Mar 26, 2024 - United Parks & Resorts Earned a Defense Verdict After Nearly Seven Years of Litigation
•Mar 26, 2024 - Defense Verdict Obtained for Western Express in Rear-end Accident
•Apr 5, 2022 - Court Grants Summary Judgment from the Bench in Favor of Big Box Retailer

Library

•20 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in 2025 Virginia Super Lawyers Lists
News
May 2025
•Defense Verdict Affirmed for Western Express in Rear-end Accident The results of client matters depend on a variety of factors unique to each matter. Past successes do not predict or guarantee future successes.
Case Studies
Feb 2025
•35 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers 2025 Lists
News
Aug 2024
•18 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in 2024 Virginia Super Lawyers Lists
News
Apr 2024
•United Parks & Resorts Earned a Defense Verdict After Nearly Seven Years of Litigation The results of client matters depend on a variety of factors unique to each matter. Past successes do not predict or guarantee future successes.
Case Studies
Mar 2024
•Defense Verdict Obtained for Western Express in Rear-end Accident The results of client matters depend on a variety of factors unique to each matter. Past successes do not predict or guarantee future successes.
Case Studies
Mar 2024
•Gentry Locke Promotes Jeffrey P. Miller and Ryan J. Starks to Partner
News
Jan 2024
•Transportation Freight Brokers: Argue F4A Preemption but Take Additional Precautions
Articles
Nov 2023
•30 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers 2024 Lists
News
Aug 2023
•Gentry Locke Obtains Defense Verdict for Motor Carrier in Rear-end Accident
News
Jun 2023
•17 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in 2023 Virginia Super Lawyers Lists
News
Apr 2023
•Eight Gentry Locke Attorneys Elected to Local Bar Association Leadership Roles
News
Oct 2022
•Super Lawyers 2022 Recognizes 17 Gentry Locke Lawyers
News
May 2022
•2023 Gentry Locke Seminars
Events
May 2022
•Court Grants Summary Judgment from the Bench in Favor of Big Box Retailer The results of client matters depend on a variety of factors unique to each matter. Past successes do not predict or guarantee future successes.
Case Studies
Apr 2022
•Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Recognizes 18 Lawyers on 2021 Lists
News
May 2021
•20 Gentry Locke Lawyers Named as Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
News
Apr 2020
•Gentry Locke Marks One Year in Richmond with Continued Expansion
News
Nov 2019