Tom Bondurant is a Gentry Locke Partner in the firm’s White Collar Defense, Investigations & Compliance practice group. While serving as a Federal Prosecutor for 29 years, Tom tried more than 200 criminal jury trials, many involving complex matters including white collar fraud, tax issues, public corruption, healthcare fraud, regulatory matters and racketeering. At Gentry Locke, Tom represents corporations and individuals in all phases of the criminal process and conducts corporate internal investigations. In 2008, Tom was inducted as a fellow in the nationally prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers. The firm’s White Collar Defense, Investigations & Compliance practice and Tom are both ranked in Band 1 by Chambers USA. The qualities on which Chamber rankings are assessed include technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence, commitment, and other qualities most valued by the client. Band 1 is the highest level ranking.
Tom is admitted to practice in Virginia and the District of Columbia, and is a fellow with the American College of Trial Lawyers, the Virginia Law Foundation, and the American Bar Foundation. Tom is consistently noted among the Best Lawyers in America for Corporate Compliance Law and White Collar Criminal Defense. He also is regularly recognized as a Virginia Super Lawyer in the areas of Criminal Defense and White Collar Crime.
A quick handshake
•What do you most enjoy about your work?
In White Collar Criminal Defense cases, the trial lawyer must understand the industry or business from which the case arises, which means the educational experience keeps you interested and on your toes. I especially enjoy the battle of advancing the client’s position - be it in negotiations, a hearing, or a jury trial.
Experience
•Since entering private practice in October 2009, representation of individuals and corporations on criminal matters in the areas of Racketeering (RICO); Defense Contractor Fraud; Tax Evasion; Foreign Corrupt Practice Act; Espionage Act; Arms Export Control Act; Bribery; Public Corruption; Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (food borne illness and pharmaceutical issues); International Banking Crimes; Money Laundering; Structuring; Healthcare Fraud, Program Fraud; Customs Violations; Insurance Fraud; Mail/Wire Fraud; Mortgage Fraud; Capital Murder; Solicitation to Commit Murder; Counterfeiting; Firearms Offenses; Mine Safety & Health Act Offenses; Narcotics; and Post-Conviction Actions
•Since entering private practice, representation of individuals and corporations on civil matters in the areas of the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (pharmaceutical issues); Internal Revenue Service matters (assessments, abatements); False Claims Act; Non-Compete Litigation; Customs Violations; Federal Chemical Regulatory Issues; Qui Tam actions; Cyber Security/Theft matters; Banking; Medical Malpractice; Healthcare Matters; Patent; Insurance Defense; Malicious Prosecution; and Defamation
•Holds Top Secret clearance
•Conducted Internal Investigations in the Banking, Healthcare, Pharmaceutical, Insurance, Construction, Mortgage, and Salvage Industries
•Admitted Pro Hac Vice to Federal Courts in Montana, Georgia, and New Jersey
•Employed until October 2009 as a Federal Prosecutor for 29 years in the Western District of Virginia. At varying times occupying the duties of Criminal Chief, Senior Litigation Counsel, Coordinator for Anti-Terrorism Advisory Committee and Lead Prosecuting Attorney for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
•Appointed as a Special Prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia, the District of Columbia, the Southern District of West Virginia and the Northern District of West Virginia
•Tried over 200 Jury Trials in United States District Courts and directed thousands of investigations
•Tried Bench Trials in United States Magistrate’s Court
•Argued dozens of appeals in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
•Served as a Law Clerk for United States District Judge Glen Williams in Abingdon, Virginia
•Former Editor-in-Chief of the University of Richmond Law Review (1979)
Awards
•Named to the 2025 Best In-State Lawyers by Forbes for White-Collar Defense
•Named in Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Litigators in America list (2022 - 2026)
•Named Band 1 for White Collar Investigations by Chambers USA (2021-2025)
•Named a member of the Pro Bono Service Honor Roll by Virginia Access to Justice Commission (2022)
•fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers (inducted 2008), served on State Committee (2011-2016)
•fellow, Virginia Law Foundation (inducted 2015)
•fellow, American Bar Foundation (inducted 2018)
•Recipient, Emory & Henry College Distinguished Achievement Award (2017)
•Named to The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers list (2014)
•Recipient, Department of Justice Director’s Award
•Recipient, numerous Commendations from the Department of Justice; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Internal Revenue Service; Mine Safety & Health Administration; Department of Transportation; Social Security Administration; Department of Agriculture; Department of Labor; and, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service
•Listed in Best Lawyers in America for Corporate Compliance Law and Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2011-2026), listed in “Best Lawyers in America Business Edition” for Corporate Compliance Law and Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2017)
•Named “2012 Roanoke Criminal Defense White-Collar Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in America, listed for Corporate Compliance Law and Criminal Defense/White-Collar (2011-2021)
•Listed as a Top Rated Attorney for Criminal Defense/White Collar by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell (2012 & 2013)
•Designated one of the “Legal Elite” by Virginia Business magazine for Criminal Law (2010, 2012-2013, 2015-2020, 2022-2025) and for Criminal & Government Investigations (2021)
•Named to Virginia Super Lawyers in the area of Criminal Defense: White Collar (2013-2025) and Super Lawyers Business Edition US in the area of Criminal Defense: White Collar (2013-2014)
•Named a “Legal Eagle” for Criminal Defense: White Collar by Virginia Living magazine (2012)
Published Work
•Co-Author, Internet Theft from Business Bank Accounts - Who Bears the Risk? ; VADA Journal of Civil Litigation, Vol. XXIII, No. 4 (Winter 2011-2012)
Library
•Gentry Locke Partner Thomas J. Bondurant, Jr. Named to the Forbes 2025 America’s Best-In-State Lawyers List
News
Dec 2025
•26 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2025 Virginia Business Legal Elite List
News
Dec 2025
•31 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers 2026 Lists
News
Aug 2025
•Four Gentry Locke Practices and Six Partners Recognized by the Prestigious Chambers USA 2025
News
Jun 2025
•20 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in 2025 Virginia Super Lawyers Lists
News
May 2025
•29 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2024 Virginia Business Legal Elite List
News
Dec 2024
•35 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers 2025 Lists
News
Aug 2024
•Four Gentry Locke Practices and Four Partners Recognized by the Prestigious Chambers USA 2024
News
Jun 2024
•18 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in 2024 Virginia Super Lawyers Lists
News
Apr 2024
•23 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2023 Virginia Business Legal Elite List
News
Nov 2023
•30 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers 2024 Lists
News
Aug 2023
•Three Gentry Locke Practices and Four Partners Recognized by the Prestigious Chambers USA 2023
News
Jun 2023
•17 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in 2023 Virginia Super Lawyers Lists
News
Apr 2023
•Twenty Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2022 Legal Elite List
News
Dec 2022
•Super Lawyers 2022 Recognizes 17 Gentry Locke Lawyers
News
May 2022
•2022 Gentry Locke Seminar
Events
Apr 2022
•Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Recognizes 18 Lawyers on 2021 Lists
News
May 2021
•Twenty Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to Legal Elite List
News
Dec 2020
•22 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2021
News
Aug 2020
•DOJ and Commonwealth of Virginia to Investigate Potential Hoarding of Coronavirus Medications and Other Essential Medical Supplies
Articles
Apr 2020
•20 Gentry Locke Lawyers Named as Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
News
Apr 2020
•Starting off the New Year with a ‘Bang!’: Virginia Landowners quietly file constitutional case against FERC
News
Jan 2020
•21 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America
News
Aug 2019
•25 Gentry Locke attorneys named 2019 Virginia Super Lawyers or Rising Stars
News
Apr 2019
•Supreme Court of the United States denies certiorari in Berkley, et al. v. FERC, et al
News
Jan 2019
•Ten Gentry Locke attorneys named to 2018 'Legal Elite' list
News
Dec 2018
•Landowners in Virginia fighting for private property rights file Appeal with United States Supreme Court
News
Oct 2018
•20 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2019 'Best Lawyers in America '
News
Aug 2018
•27 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named 2018 Virginia Super Lawyers or Rising Stars
News
Apr 2018
•Bondurant and Wright are Inaugural Gentry Locke Pro Bono Award recipients
News
Mar 2018
•Gentry Locke attorneys again recognized as 2017 ‘Legal Elite’
News
Dec 2017
•21 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2018 Best Lawyers in America
News
Aug 2017
•28 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named 2017 Virginia Super Lawyers or Rising Stars
News
Apr 2017
•Gentry Locke Partner Thomas Bondurant, Jr. Receives Distinguished Achievement Award from Emory & Henry College
News
Mar 2017
•Fifteen Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized as 2016 “Legal Elite”
News
Dec 2016
•Twenty-Two Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 'The Best Lawyers in America'
News
Oct 2016
•Twenty-six Gentry Locke Attorneys Named '2016 Virginia Super Lawyers'
News
Apr 2016
•Fourteen Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to “Best Lawyers in America Business Edition/Winter 2016” by Best Lawyers
News
Jan 2016
•Davey Reedy Granted Full Pardon in 1987 Fatal Arson
News
Dec 2015
•Ten Gentry Locke Attorneys are 2015 'Legal Elite' by Virginia Business Magazine
News
Dec 2015
•Gentry Locke Lawyers Featured in National Publications in Major Criminal Trial and Sentencing (United States v. Stewart Parnell)
News
Sep 2015
•23 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2016 “Best Lawyers in America”
News
Aug 2015
•Proposed Sentencing 'Unprecedented' for Food Industry Executive
News
Jul 2015
•28 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named 2015 Virginia Super Lawyers
News
Apr 2015
•Proposed Criminal Procedure Changes Will Foster Fairer Criminal Trials in Virginia State Courts
Articles
Apr 2015
•Gentry Locke Partner Tom Bondurant Inducted as fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation
News
Jan 2015
•U.S. Department of Justice Will Not Prosecute Senator Phillip Puckett
News
Dec 2014
•13 Gentry Locke Attorneys Featured in '2014 Super Lawyers' US Business Edition
News
Nov 2014
•Twenty-One Gentry Locke Attorneys Earn Best Lawyers Designations and One Lawyer of the Year
News
Aug 2014
•Peanut Corporation of America Trial Update
News
Aug 2014
•27 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to Lists of 2014 Virginia Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
News
Jun 2014
•Ex-Navy SEAL Receives Probation for Classified Information Breach
News
May 2014
•Chipping Away at Our Sixth Amendment Right to Counsel: Kaley v. United States
Articles
May 2014
•Alert: Administration Solicits Whistleblowers
News
Dec 2013
•Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to '2013 Legal Elite'
News
Nov 2013
•Thirteen Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 'Super Lawyers Business Edition US'
News
Nov 2013
•Co-presenter, 'Direct and Cross-Examination of Fact Witnesses'
Events
Sep 2013
•Twenty-two Attorneys named to 2014 Best Lawyers in America list; Firm Ranked in Tier 1 for Best Law Firms
News
Aug 2013
American College of Trial Lawyers (2008-Present)
• Recipient, Department of Justice Director's Award
•Recipient, numerous Commendations from the Department of Justice; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Internal Revenue Service; Mine Safety & Health Administration; Department of Transportation; Social Security Administration; Department of Agriculture; Department of Labor; and, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service
•Named 2012 Roanoke Criminal Defense White-Collar Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in America, listed for Corporate Compliance Law and Criminal Defense/White-Collar (2011-2014)
•Designated a Virginia Super Lawyer in the area of Criminal Defense: White Collar (2013-2014) and Super Lawyers Business Edition US in the area of Criminal Defense: White Collar (2013)
•Listed as a Top Rated Attorney for Criminal Defense/White Collar by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell (2012 & 2013)
•Designated one of the Legal Elite by Virginia Business magazine for Criminal Law (2010, 2012-2013)
•Named a Legal Eagle for Criminal Defense: White Collar by Virginia Living magazine (2012) Member: Affiliations
•Member, Federal Bar Association (2011-Present)
•Member, Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
•Member, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section
•Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
•Member, Defense Research Institute
•Past Director, South County Lacrosse Club
•Past Director, National Association of Assistant United States Attorneys Fellow: in the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Experience
• Since entering private practice in October 2009, representation of individuals and corporations on criminal matters in the areas of Racketeering (RICO); Tax Evasion; Foreign Corrupt Practice Act; Espionage Act; Arms Export Control Act; Bribery; Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (food borne illness and pharmaceutical issues); International Banking Crimes; Money Laundering; Structuring; Program Fraud; Customs Violations; Insurance Fraud; Mail/Wire Fraud; Mortgage Fraud; Capital Murder; Solicitation to Commit Murder; Counterfeiting; Firearms Offenses; Mine Safety & Health Act Offenses; Narcotics; and Post-Conviction Actions
• Representation of individuals and corporations on civil matters in the areas of the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (pharmaceutical issues); Internal Revenue Service matters (assessments, abatements); False Claims Act; Non-Compete Litigation; Customs Violations; Federal Chemical Regulatory Issues; Qui Tam actions; Cyber Security/Theft matters; Banking; Medical Malpractice; Healthcare Matters; Patent; Insurance Defense; Malicious Prosecution; and Defamation.
• Conducted Internal Investigations in the Banking, Healthcare, Construction, Mortgage, and Salvage Industries involving, among other issues, the Foreign Corrupt Practice Act; Fraud; Various Banking Issues; and Embezzlement.
• Employed until October 2009 as a Federal Prosecutor for 30 years in the Western District of Virginia. At varying times occupying the duties of Criminal Chief, Senior Litigation Counsel, Coordinator for Anti-Terrorism Advisory Committee and Lead Prosecuting Attorney for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
• Appointed as a Special Prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia, the District of Columbia, the Southern District of West Virginia and the Northern District of West Virginia
• Tried over 200 Jury Trials in United States District Courts and directed thousands of investigations. Conducted investigations and trials for:
- Ten Racketeering (RICO) cases
- Numerous complex healthcare, government fraud, tax evasion, money laundering, identity fraud and other white collar fraud cases
- Corruption cases involving public officials and police
- Cases involving organized crime
- Regulatory cases
- International cases including South American narcotics organizations and European customs matters
- Violent crime cases involving, among others, capital murder, arson, bombings, robbery and assaults
- Civil rights cases
• Tried hundreds of Bench Trials in United States Magistrate's Court
• Argued dozens of appeals in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• Served as a Law Clerk for United States District Judge Glen Williams in Abingdon, Virginia
• Former Editor-in-Chief of the University of Richmond Law Review (1979)
Published Work
• Co-Author, Internet Theft from Business Bank Accounts - Who Bears the Risk?; VADA Journal of Civil Litigation, Vol. XXIII, No. 4 (Winter 2011-2012)
Awards
• American College of Trial Lawyers (2008-Present) (Fellow)
• Recipient, Department of Justice Director's Award
• Recipient, numerous Commendations from the Department of Justice; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Internal Revenue Service; Mine Safety & Health Administration; Department of Transportation; Social Security Administration; Department of Agriculture; Department of Labor; and, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service
• Named "2012 Roanoke Criminal Defense White-Collar Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers in America, listed for Corporate Compliance Law and Criminal Defense/White-Collar (2011-2014)
• Designated a Virginia Super Lawyer in the area of Criminal Defense: White Collar (2013)
• Listed as a Top Rated Attorney for Criminal Defense/White Collar by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell (2012 & 2013)
• Designated one of the Legal Elite by Virginia Business magazine for Criminal Law (2010, 2012-2013)
• Named a "Legal Eagle" for Criminal Defense - White Collar by Virginia Living magazine (2012)
Affiliations
• Member, Federal Bar Association (2011-Present)
• Member, Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
• Member, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section
• Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Member, Defense Research Institute
• Past Director, South County Lacrosse Club
• Past Director, National Association of Assistant United States Attorneys
