Colin P. O’Dawe is known for being very personable with clients and helping them feel comfortable. He believes in treating the attorney-client relationship like a partnership and strives to take the intimidation factor out of the legal process. Mr. O’Dawe focuses his practice entirely on personal injury litigation, where he has successfully litigated numerous jury trials throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of North Carolina.

Mr. O’Dawe attended Virginia Tech, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2003, before earning his Juris Doctor from George Mason School of Law in 2006 as a full member of Law Review. He believes in giving back to the community, previously volunteering as a governor-appointed member of the Virginia Board of Corrections, a member of the Virginia Beach Judicial Nomination Panel, and as a mentor to children of imprisoned parents at Seton Youth Shelters.

Mr. O’Dawe has been honored for his outstanding professionalism and service, Mr. O'Dawe has received many top rankings and endorsements from his peers, and he has received recognition from Richmond Magazine as among the Top Attorneys in Virginia, as well as designation from Coastal Virginia Magazine as one of the Top Lawyers in the area. He has also earned "Superb", 10 out of 10, client ratings on Avvo. Mr. O’Dawe was selected as a Rising Star in 2016 and has consistently been named to the elite Super Lawyers from 2019 to 2025.

Every case depends on its own circumstances, and past results are not a guarantee of future success. Some of Mr. O’Dawe’s prior cases include but are not limited to:

• $7,100,000 settlement for a waste management employee who suffered permanent leg injuries when he was standing on the side of the truck collecting trash and was struck by another retail delivery truck.
• $1,000,000 settlement for a motorcyclist who was struck by a vehicle in Chesapeake, Virginia and suffered fractured ribs, a fractured wrist, and other injuries.  The top offer prior to litigation was $500,000.
• $800,000 settlement for a man who suffered a fractured sternum and disc herniation when his vehicle was struck by a school bus in North Carolina. No offers were made prior to litigation.
• $675,000 settlement for a young boy who suffered a traumatic brain injury after being struck by a van while the boy was running across the road. No offers were made prior to litigation.
• $500,000 verdict in Danville, Virginia for a man who suffered a back injury after a car wreck. Insurance company’s top offer was $45,000.
• $450,000 settlement for a client involved in a motorcycle accident. The insurance company denied liability and said there was only $25,000 in coverage. After litigation it was proven that our client was not at fault and there was significantly more insurance coverage.
• $425,000 settlement for a woman injured when her moped hit a pothole in a Roanoke, Virginia. The City denied the claim and after litigation settled the case shortly before trial.
• $400,000 verdict in Newport News, Virginia for a man who suffered a disc herniation after a motor vehicle wreck. Insurance company’s top offer was $245,000.
• $350,000 settlement in Norfolk, Virginia for a motorcyclist who suffered rib and teeth fractures after a motor vehicle collision.  The insurance company’s top offer prior to litigation was $200,000.
• $230,000 settlement in Norfolk, Virginia for a woman who suffered an aggravation of a pre existing back condition after a motor collision with little property damage.  The insurance company denied the claim before litigation.
• $200,000 settlement for a woman who suffered permanent leg scarring after she partially fell through a rotted deck board at a cabin in Luray, VA.  There was only $100,000 in liability insurance available.  A month before trial the cabin owner wrote a personal check for an extra $100,000.
• $154,000 verdict in Virginia Beach, Virginia for a woman who suffered broken ribs after a car wreck. Insurance company’s top offer was $46,000.
• $150,000 verdict in Virginia Beach, Virginia for a woman who suffered a leg injury after a dog knocked her down in her neighborhood. Insurance company’s top offer was $68,000.
• $100,000 verdict in Salem County, Virginia for a teenager who suffered a knee injury and a concussion after a car wreck. Insurance company’s top offer was $5,129.50.
• $94,000 verdict in Franklin County, Virginia for a man who injured his foot in a car wreck. Insurance company’s top offer was $50,000.
• $80,000 verdict in Norfolk, Virginia for a woman who suffered a neck strain in a car wreck. Insurance company never made an offer prior to trial.

Education

• J.D. | George Mason School of Law - Graduate School - 2006
• B.A. | Virginia Tech - University - 2003