Craid Curwood Headshot

Craig J. Curwood

craig@butlercurwood.com

O: (804) 648-4848

F: (804) 237-0413

140 Virginia Street, Suite 302

Richmond, Virginia 23219

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Professional Experience

Mr. Curwood is a founding member of the firm. He represents plaintiffs in all types of employment litigation including discrimination, sexual harassment, FMLA, FLSA, USERRA, workplace violence, defamation, class action and multi-plaintiff discrimination and wage/hour claims. Craig also advises and represents executives involved in disputes over employment contracts, severance packages, and non-compete agreements. Craig also is honored to represent first responders in all types of employment-related matters including wage theft and discrimination.

Craig has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America since 2015 in the fields of “Employment Law – Individuals” and “Litigation – Labor and Employment Law.” Virginia Super Lawyers magazine has recognized Craig as a top plaintiffs’ attorney in Employment Litigation each year since 2013, and before that was regularly named to the Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” list of the “top young attorneys in Virginia” in the field of employment and labor law beginning in 2008. Virginia Business magazine has regularly named him among “The Legal Elite, Top Lawyers in Labor/Employment” since 2009. These honors resulted from surveys of Virginia lawyers seeking their opinions of the top attorneys in Virginia.

Representative Engagements

Craig has been lead counsel in numerous wage theft cases and has recovered millions of dollars of unpaid compensation on behalf of both “blue collar” and “white collar” workers including first responders, law enforcement officers, social service caseworkers, exotic dancers, sanitation workers, paralegals, administrative assistants, mortgage professionals, customer service reps, and numerous other workers in various professions.

Craig has successfully represented victims of race discrimination and racial harassment involving both egregiously offensive workplace conduct (nooses and N-word) and unconscious/implicit bias in pay, promotions, and terminations.

Craig has worked tirelessly on behalf of women who have suffered sexual abuse or harassment in the workplace (non-consensual contact including unwanted kissing, groping, sexual assault, or rape) where a boss, executive, business owner, or other person in power takes advantage of the employment relationship.

Craig is honored to represent cancer patients and their family members and for over 20 years he has represented clients of local nonprofit CancerLINC (Legal Information Network for Cancer) in ensuring accommodations, benefits, approval of family/medical leave, and recovering damages for discrimination and wrongful terminations.

Education

  • University of Richmond School of Law, J.D., 1999

    • Recipient of the ABA/BNA Award for Academic Excellence in Labor and Employment Law

  • James Madison University, B.S. (English and Political Science), 1995

  • Iona Preparatory School, New Rochelle, NY, 1991

Admissions

  • Virginia, 1999

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia

  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia

Professional Membership and Affiliations

  • Virginia Bar Association – Chair, Labor & Employment Law Section (2022-2023)

  • Virginia State Bar – Faculty, Mandatory Professionalism Course (2022-2024)

  • Richmond Bar Association – Member, Pro Bono Committee

  • National Employment Lawyers Association

  • Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

Community Activities

  • Craig was awarded the Legal Information Network for Cancer (CancerLINC) Krista Latshaw Pro Bono Award in 2005 for his pro bono service on behalf of Richmond’s cancer community. Serving CancerLINC since 1999, he has represented numerous cancer patients and their families faced with various employment law issues including family/medical leave (FMLA), disability accommodation/discrimination (ADA), and short-term and long-term disability benefit (ERISA) claims.

Personal

Craig enjoys spending his non-working hours with his wife and two middle-school aged sons. Some favorite family activities include travelling, ski trips out west, running or biking through Forest Hill Park, and exploring the James River with our boys who are looking for the best fishing spots in Richmond.