Cathy Hinger is the Managing Partner of the Washington, D.C. office and co-leader of the firm's Complex Litigation team. A veteran trial lawyer, she represents companies and organizations in high-stakes business disputes, government investigations, and white collar matters, guiding clients through some of their most consequential legal and business challenges.
Cathy's practice spans complex commercial litigation, corporate governance disputes, constitutional and fiduciary duty claims, class actions, consumer protection matters, and sensitive employee relations issues. She also counsels clients facing regulatory scrutiny and criminal investigations, including matters involving the False Claims Act, RICO, fraud, money laundering, and whistleblower allegations. Her experience includes jury and bench trials, arbitrations, mediations, appellate advocacy, emergency injunctive proceedings, and complex e-discovery.
Known for her strengths-based leadership style, Cathy builds collaborative teams focused on delivering practical, definitive solutions for clients. Her work has earned recognition from Lawdragon, which named her among the "500 Leading Litigators in America" for Business Litigation, Investigations, and White-Collar matters.
Beyond her client work, Cathy previously led the firm's Women of Womble (WOW) program, supporting the advancement and development of women attorneys across the organization.
Representative Experience
Any result the lawyer or law firm may have achieved on behalf of clients in other matters does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.
- Achieved dismissal of claims against sovereign government and its highest-ranking leaders in federal lawsuit alleging First and Fourteenth Amendment constitutional violations arising out of Covid-19 safety declarations.
- Successfully defended government contractor in Department of Defense Office of Inspector General investigation and related employee whistleblower litigation.
- Represented former CEO of publicly traded company and a board member accused of breaching fiduciary duties; achieved full dismissal of employee lawsuit against the executives.
- Represented the former general counsel of a professional sports team in litigation related to an investigation of alleged workplace misconduct issues.
- Successfully defended a national homebuilder against a $28 million damages claim arising out of delayed completion of a real estate development project, achieving dismissal of all damages claims on summary judgment.
- Served as lead trial counsel for global manufacturer of appliance products in breach of contract, breach of warranty, and Uniform Commercial Code violation action against a supplier, resulting in a $1.5 million jury verdict in favor of the client.
- Represented bankruptcy trustee in adversary proceeding asserting fraud, civil RICO and related claims against debtors and their family members for their roles in a scheme to operate businesses that mirrored the corporate debtor and facilitated unreported income to individual debtors; achieved beneficial settlement.
- Achieved a judgment in excess of $4 million on behalf of a victim of a Ponzi scheme in civil RICO and fraud action.
- Successfully defended an international airport retail and concession developer against breach of lease, discrimination, and fraud claims brought by a food service franchise tenant whose business failed. Following dismissal of all but one claim on motions to dismiss and for summary judgment, Cathy first chaired the jury trial on a remaining fraud claim, achieving a full defense verdict
- Served on the Plaintiffs’ Committee for multidistrict litigation arising out of the April 3, 1996 crash of a U.S. Air Force CT-43 carrying U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown and a delegation of government officials; represented survivors of six victims through discovery, summary judgment, mediation and settlements, with final settlement achieved shortly after jury selection.
- Represented corporate executive in False Claims Act investigation prompted by whistleblower.
- Represented U.S. professional services firm executive in New York Department of Financial Services investigation of foreign bank.
- Defended software developer and its executives charged with gambling, money laundering and RICO related offenses arising out of gaming software licensing agreements.
- Defended software developer in civil forfeiture action brought by the Massachusetts Attorney General, achieving AG’s voluntary dismissal of claims and return of all funds seized.
- Represented overseas employees of European auto manufacturer in global emissions fraud investigation.
- Defended high net worth individuals in civil protective order actions.
- Represented professional athletes in administrative and criminal investigations.
- Represented federal agents involved in firearm discharge incidences.
Thought Leadership
Presentations
- Co-Presenter with Victoria Bruno and Kathleen Gallagher, Class Action Lawsuits and Impacts to the Industry, UMCA Annual Meeting, October 20, 2022
- Co-Presenter with G. David Carter, Litigation Funding in the COVID-19 Era, April 29, 2020
- Co-Presenter at ACC Annual Meeting “Burdens and Benefits of Domestic Discovery in International Proceedings” September 27, 2018
- Moderator of WIPL Panel “Building a Successful Women’s Initiative,” October 12, 2017
- Co-Presenter at ACC Annual Meeting “Compliance for the Small Law Department,” 2016
- Speaker at ACC Annual Meeting “Essentials of a Successful Compliance Program,” 2015
Publications
- Co-author, “The Upswing Is in Lawsuits,” Legal Times, Volume 30, No. 10, March 5, 2007
- “Parent-Child Immunity and Motor Vehicle Torts: Defending the Minority View,” Maryland Law Review, Volume 57, No. 3, 1998
Professional Activities
- District of Columbia Bar
- Virginia State Bar Association
Honors and Awards
- Lawdragon's 500 Leading Litigators in America in Business Litigation, Investigations, White Collar, 2026-Present
- Selected to the Washington, D.C. Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) in Business Litigation, Employment Litigation, Real Estate, 2013
