Overview
Richard C. “Rip” Sullivan, Jr. is a shareholder of Bean, Kinney & Korman, practicing in the area of commercial litigation and dispute resolution. He has represented clients in Virginia and federal courts for over thirty years. He has extensive trial experience and is also an expert in alternatives to litigation for resolving commercial disputes. He served for years, and at one point chaired, the Bar’s Joint Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, and helped craft the rules on mediation and arbitration in Virginia. Additionally, he taught negotiations at George Mason Law School.
Rip represents a wide variety of clients as a commercial litigation attorney including technology companies, banks, construction and real estate firms, government contractors, and nonprofits.
In addition to his law practice, Rip is a member of the Virginia General Assembly, representing the 6th District in the House of Delegates. He is also active in numerous community, civic, and professional organizations.
Beyond the Suit
Rip lives in McLean, Virginia with his wife Beth. They have four children.
Experience
- Products Liability/Mass Tort – Member of a nationwide trial team defending a large pharmaceutical company in a multi-billion-dollar diet drug litigation.
- Defense counsel for a large Northern Virginia hospital system and its related entities, physicians and staff for seven years, defending medical malpractice cases in the state and federal courts of Virginia.
Bar and Court Admissions
Virginia, 1987
District of Columbia, 1999
Education
Amherst College, B.A., magna cum laude, 1981
University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 1987
Awards and Honors
Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction and Litigation – Real Estate, 2021-2025
Martindale Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rated, 2022-2023
Arlington Magazine, Top Attorney – Appellate, Litigation, 2021
Arlington Magazine, Top Attorney – Litigation, 2019, 2022-2023
American Lawyers Media Virginia’s Top Rated Lawyers, 2012
Virginia Lawyers Media Virginia’s Leaders in the Law, 2012
Virginia Business Legal Elite in Civil Litigation, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2020, 2023
Business Litigation Super Lawyer, 2008
Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers in Business Litigation, 2007, 2014, 2016, 2019-2024
Virginia Super Lawyers in Business Litigation, 2006, 2014-2024
Lawyers.com, AV Preeminent Rated
Affiliations
United States Institute of Peace International – Advisory Council Member
Fairfax County Park Authority Board – former Board Member
Virginia Law Foundation – Fellow
Virginia Bar Association – former Member of the Board of Governors, former member of Committee on Federal Judgeships – Eastern District
Virginia State Bar Professionalism Course – former Faculty Member
George Mason Law School – former Adjunct Faculty, teaching negotiation
Fairfax Bar Association
Fairfax Law Foundation – former Board Member
Federal Bar Association
McLean Community Foundation – former President
Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at The University of Virginia – former Board Member
Virginia State Bar/Virginia Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Joint Committee – former Member and former Chair
Virginia State Bar Emergency Legal Services Task Force – former Chairman
Virginia State Bar Special Committee on Access to Legal Services – former Chairman of the Subcommittee on Funding Alternatives
Fairfax County Housing and Redevelopment Authority – former Vice-Chair
Fairfax Transportation Advisory Commission – former member
Virginia Commission on Civics Education – former member
Fairfax Consumer Protection Commission – former member
Legal Services of Northern Virginia – former President and Board Member
Potomac Legal Aid Society – former Board Member
Virginia State Bar Council – Represented the 19th Judicial Circuit (2003-2009)
Alexandria Bar Foundation – former Board Member
Homestretch, Inc. – former Vice Chairman and Board Member
Virginia State Bar Special Committee on the Resolution of Fee Disputes – former Chairman
Dranesville Budget Task Force – former Chair
News
- Eighteen Attorneys from Bean, Kinney & Korman Listed in 2025 Best Lawyers in America and Five Attorneys Listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
Thursday August 15, 2024 - Twenty-two Attorneys from Bean, Kinney & Korman Recognized as Top Attorneys for 2023 by Arlington Magazine
Tuesday October 17, 2023 - Eighteen Attorneys from Bean, Kinney & Korman Listed in 2024 Best Lawyers in America and Six Attorneys Listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
Thursday August 17, 2023 - 2023 Super Lawyers
Friday April 28, 2023 - Twenty-one Attorneys from Bean, Kinney & Korman Recognized as Top Attorneys for 2022 by Arlington Magazine
Thursday October 13, 2022 - Sixteen Attorneys from Bean, Kinney & Korman Listed in 2023 Best Lawyers in America and Six Attorneys Listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
Thursday August 18, 2022 - 2022 Super Lawyers
Thursday May 5, 2022 - Twenty-eight Attorneys from Bean, Kinney & Korman Recognized as Top Attorneys for 2021 by Arlington Magazine
Thursday October 21, 2021 - Fifteen Attorneys from Bean, Kinney & Korman Listed in 2022 Best Lawyers in America and Five Attorneys Listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
Thursday August 19, 2021 - 2021 Super Lawyers
Thursday May 6, 2021 - Thirteen Attorneys from Bean, Kinney & Korman Listed in 2021 Best Lawyers in America and Three Attorneys Listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
Thursday August 20, 2020 - 2020 Super Lawyers
Thursday May 7, 2020 - Twenty-six Attorneys from Bean, Kinney & Korman Recognized as Top Attorneys by Arlington Magazine
Friday October 18, 2019 - 2019 Super Lawyers
Thursday April 18, 2019 - Rip Sullivan and Raighne Delaney Weigh in on Golf and Country Club Veto
ARLnow, Thursday March 14, 2019 - Bean, Kinney & Korman Attorneys Recognized as 2018 Virginia Super Lawyers, Top 10 and Rising Stars
Monday April 30, 2018 - Fourteen Attorneys from Bean, Kinney & Korman Recognized as 2017 Virginia Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
Thursday April 13, 2017 - Eleven Attorneys from Bean, Kinney & Korman Recognized as 2016 Virginia Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
Thursday April 7, 2016 - Twelve Attorneys from Bean, Kinney & Korman Recognized as 2015 Virginia Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
Thursday April 9, 2015 - Rip Sullivan Joins Bean, Kinney & Korman, P.C.
Tuesday November 18, 2014