John Fishwick
United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia
In office
December 21, 2015 – January 6, 2017
Appointed byBarack Obama
Preceded byTimothy J. Heaphy
Succeeded byThomas T. Cullen
Personal details
Born
John Palmer Fishwick Jr.

(1957-03-31) March 31, 1957 (age 66)
Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Residence(s)Roanoke, Virginia
Alma materHarvard University (AB)
Washington & Lee University (JD)
OccupationAttorney

John Palmer Fishwick, Jr. (born March 31, 1957) is an attorney in Roanoke, Virginia who served as United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia between 2015 and 2017.

Early life and education

Fishwick was born in Roanoke, Virginia in 1957. His father, John Fishwick, Sr., was a railroad executive and community leader in Roanoke.[1]

Fishwick graduated from Harvard University in 1979 and received his Juris Doctor from the Washington and Lee University School of Law in 1983.[2]

Professional career

Following law school graduation, Fishwick worked as a law clerk for James Clinton Turk, then United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, from 1983 to 1984. He was an associate at McGuire Woods Battle & Boothe in Richmond, Virginia, before opening his own firm in Roanoke in 1986, where he practiced law until 2015.[2]

In October 2015, Fishwick was one of President Barack Obama's six nominees to United States Attorney posts.[3] Fishwick was confirmed unanimously by the Senate Judicial Committee and was sworn in as the U.S. Attorney for the Western Virginia District in December 2015.[4] Fishwick focused his efforts on persecuting violent criminals and countering the growing heroin epidemic. He resigned on January 6, 2017.[5]

Fishwick returned to private practice at his newly created firm, Fishwick & Associates in Roanoke.[6] He was involved[when?] in the effort to stop the excessive pay for the chief executive officer of CSX Corporation.[citation needed]

Civic activities

In 2018, Fishwick led the efforts to rename tennis courts in Roanoke after Carnis Poindexter, an African-American tennis player from Roanoke.[7] In 2022, he began a campaign to rename Roanoke's federal courthouse building after Reuben E. Lawson, a civil rights lawyer.[8]

References

  1. ^ Adkins, Andrew (March 21, 2019). "Roanoke honors family of John P. Fishwick at middle school dedication". Roanoke Times. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "UNITED STATES SENATE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY QUESTIONNAIRE FOR NON-JUDICIAL NOMINEES" (PDF). United States Senate. 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  3. ^ "President Obama Nominates Six to Serve as U.S. Attorneys" (Press release). White House. October 8, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  4. ^ Beck, Joe (December 21, 2015). "U.S. Attorney sworn in". The Northern Virginia Daily. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  5. ^ "United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. to Resign Effective January 6, 2017". www.justice.gov. 2016-12-30. Retrieved 2019-09-28.
  6. ^ Sturgeon, Jeff. "U.S. attorney John Fishwick to resign, return to private practice". Roanoke Times. Retrieved 2017-10-10.
  7. ^ "Tennis Courts Renamed for Local Legend". Roanoke Parks and Recreation. 2018-06-04. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
  8. ^ Yancey, Dwayne (2022-10-12). "Should Roanoke's federal courthouse be renamed". Cardinal News. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
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