Dunnington began his practice in Southern California as a public defender in downtown Los Angeles following a brief stint drafting habeas petitions for federal appeals. After trying dozens of cases, Dunnington brought his zeal for litigation and the courtroom home to Anchorage, where he obtained numerous high-profile acquittals with the Public Defender in the most serious of cases, including multiple homicides.

In 2014 Dunnington became the deputy director of the Public Defender Agency where he was responsible for the day to day operations of thirteen offices statewide and more than 150 state employees. He has consulted on critical trial strategies in every jurisdiction in Alaska.

During his time as deputy, Dunnington had the opportunity to frequently work closely with judges and legislators in the administration of justice through the Criminal Justice Commission. He also worked closely with the Court System and the Alaska Mental Health Trust to improve access to Alaska’s therapeutic courts. Dunnington is a frequent lecturer at Agency-wide New Lawyer Trainings.

In private practice, Dunnington utilizes his extensive experience in critical complex-litigation for both civil clients and those accused of crimes. He has served on the Alaska Rules of Professional Conduct committee since 2014 and has been a member of the Alaska Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers since its inception.