John W. Francisco

John has more than 20 years of experience advising clients on business transactions and disputes, including corporate acquisitions and sales, commercial transactions, real estate construction and development, and a wide variety of civil litigation matters.

In addition, John has extensive experience with risk management, document retention policies, complex litigation, and document-intensive construction claims.  He has significant experience in trying lawsuits and arbitrations and in handling appeals in state and federal courts.

His experience in business and corporate law includes corporate acquisitions and sales, particularly in the healthcare industry; public utility litigation; wrongful death/personal injury defense work and condemnations; product liability litigation; breach of contract/commercial code claims; business litigation; corporate governance claims; employment litigation involving sexual harassment, Title VII, and wrongful discharge claims; and real estate and development claims.

John represents both owners and contractors in construction issues, including contract formation, bidding and responding to requests for proposals, scheduling and project management, litigation/arbitration involving subgrade and foundation failures, scheduling and delay claims, building envelope failures, mold and “sick building” issues, and lien claims.

John’s clients have included large multinational corporations, utility companies, national homebuilders, architectural and engineering firms, municipalities, general contractors, and manufacturers with sophisticated legal needs and high expectations for service and responsiveness. John is recognized by Best Lawyers for Construction Law. He holds an AV Preeminent® Peer Rating from Martindale-Hubbell®.

John joined Edmunds & Williams in 2013, and became part of the Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black's team of attorneys when the two firms merged in October of 2016. He grew up in Lynchburg and is a graduate of E.C. Glass High School. He serves on the board of directors of the United Way of Central Virginia and the Academy Center of the Arts, is on the board of directors and active locally with the Greater Lynchburg Habitat for Humanity, and is a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church.

Recognition

Education

Washington and Lee University School of Law, J.D., cum laude

University of Virginia, B.A.

Admissions

Virginia

U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Virginia

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia

U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia

• Academy Center of the Arts, Board of Trustees
• Greater Lynchburg Habitat for Humanity, Board of Directors
• Lynchburg Bar Association
• Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys
• Virginia State Bar Association
• United Way of Central Virginia, Board of Directors

• "Why Your Company Needs a Written Policy to Control Employees’ Use of Online Blogs and Social Networking Sites," Lynchburg Business, March 2014.
• "Keeping It Confidential: Four Ways to Attempt to Retain Confidentiality During (and After) An Internal Investigation of Your Business," Lynchburg Business, December 2014.
• "Managing Your Employees’ Internal Electronic Communications," Lynchburg Business, August 2013.