Liam O’Grady

The Honorable Liam O’Grady is recently retired from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Judge O’Grady’s judicial career spanned more than two decades across some of the most sensitive and high-profile cases in the federal system. Appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed in 2007, Judge O’Grady presided over civil and criminal matters from one of the nation’s most active federal courthouses until taking senior status in 2020 and fully retiring in 2023. He also served on the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court from 2020-2023. Prior to his district court appointment, Judge O’Grady served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge (2003–2007), Assistant U.S. Attorney (1986–1992), and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Virginia (1982–1986). From 1992-2003 Judge O’Grady was a partner and trial lawyer for the Intellectual Property law firm Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett and Dunner. Judge O’Grady is passionate about the art of trial advocacy, and teaches it at the National College of Trial Advocacy at the University of Virginia and the George Washington University School of Law.

A native of Newark, New Jersey, Judge O’Grady earned his undergraduate degree from Franklin & Marshall College and his J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. For his public service, Judge O’Grady has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the U.S. Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service and being the namesake of the Annual Mentorship Award for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Although retired from the bench, Judge O’Grady still is active in litigation strategy and trial consulting as well as mediation through his consulting firm, Liam O’Grady Consulting LLC.