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.
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 & 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 & Affiliations
Awards
- Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction and Litigation – Real Estate, 2021-2026
- Martindale Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rated, 2022-2025
- 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, 2019-2026
- Virginia Super Lawyers in Business Litigation, 2006, 2014-2026
- Lawyers.com, AV Preeminent Rated
Professional 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 & Publications
Recent Highlights
Blog Post
Employment Law Landmines for Federal Contractors
Event
Nonprofit Forum
Video
The BKK Beat, Episode 27: Employment and IP Law in the News
News / Publication
2026 Super Lawyers
Blog Post
What is Worrying Our Nonprofit Clients – Part III: Staffing and Talent
Event
On Board
Video
The BKK Beat, Episode 26: Employment and IP Law in the News
News / Publication
