Tom Hentoff's practice is principally concentrated in three areas: First Amendment and media law, intellectual property disputes, and complex civil litigation. Mr. Hentoff has represented clients in a wide variety of defamation, copyright, trademark, trade secret, false-advertising, class-action, patent, and other litigation and counseling matters.

Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2007-11) has recognized Mr. Hentoff as a leading individual among Washington, DC Media & Entertainment lawyers, noted for his work in "First Amendment and media law and IP litigation." Chambers has reported client praise for his "excellent judgment," "undoubtedly excellent" performance, "fantastic sensibility" for business issues, "thorough, analytical approach to copyright issues," and "first-class written product."  The Legal 500 US: Volume II (Intellectual Property, Technology, Media & Telecoms) (coverage from 2007 to 2009) has reported that corporate counsel ranked Mr. Hentoff as a leading lawyer in the area of Media and Entertainment - Defamation and Libel, noting that he "comes in for regular praise from the market" and has been "singled out" by clients "as 'a really great lawyer.'" He has also been included in Best Lawyers in America (2008-11) in the areas of First Amendment Law and Media Law, in Washingtonian Magazine's 2007, 2009, and 2011 lists of top Media Lawyers, and in Washington DC Super Lawyers (2009-11) in the area of First Amendment/Media Advertising.

Mr. Hentoff has represented clients in a broad range of complex civil matters at the trial and appellate levels. He joined Williams & Connolly LLP in 1992 and has been a partner since 2000. He is chair of the firm's Pro Bono Committee.

His litigation and counseling matters have included:

• Representing major motion picture studios in successfully resolved copyright litigation against providers of peer-to-peer file-sharing software, including the landmark MGM v. Grokster case.  
• Defending national news organizations in successfully resolved lawsuits arising from reports about a Vietnam-era U.S. military mission, including a summary judgment victory highlighted in The American Lawyer's feature on Williams & Connolly's selection as Finalist, Litigation Department of the Year for 2007.
• Obtaining summary judgment for healthcare industry defendants in a trade secrets and breach of contract lawsuit that sought more than $400 million in damages.
• Obtaining appellate reversal for a broadcasting company of a trial-court judgment in an employee whistleblower lawsuit and winning an attorneys' fees award for the company.
• Defending a major consumer electronics manufacturer in a successfully resolved Lanham Act and product disparagement case.
• Successfully defending consumer product manufacturers in putative nationwide class actions alleging false advertising and product defects.
• Representing a major research university in a successfully resolved patent and copyright dispute over the ownership of a suite of computer software programs.
• Representing clients in patent litigation involving Web-based advertising and Internet telephony software.
• Representing major media companies in successful Lanham Act and anti-cybersquatting lawsuit against domain name speculators.
• Obtaining dismissal for an online investment newsletter of a public company’s multi-million-dollar defamation lawsuit.
• Successfully defending, in the trial court and on appeal, a national news organization against a multi-million-dollar breach of contract lawsuit.
• Successfully representing a national automotive retailer in a series of dealer-franchise lawsuits against major automobile manufacturers.
• Successfully defending, in the trial court and on appeal, news organization and media defendants in libel, privacy, and intellectual property lawsuits brought throughout the United States.
• Leading teams providing copy review and other pre-publication advice to national celebrity-news and general-interest magazines.
• Advising online retailers, content providers, and media clients on copyright, trademark, false-advertising, trade secrets, privacy, right of publicity, and other matters.

Mr. Hentoff is a member of the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Committee and of the Board of Directors of the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. He is also a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. His article The Secrets of Superstar Associates is assigned reading in a number of law school legal-practice courses.  In 2009, the ABA Section of Litigation selected the article for inclusion in a CD collection of “Top Podcast Episodes” from Litigation Magazine.