Law Firm Overview

John P. Connolly is a graduate of Boston University (B.A. magna cum laude) and holds a Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law. He is a member of the Bar of Virginia, the District of Columbia and Massachusetts, and has been admitted to practice before various courts, including the United States Supreme Court, the First, Fourth, Federal and District of Columbia Circuits, and the Federal District Courts for the Eastern District of Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Mr. Connolly's practice is primarily focused on commercial litigation in state and federal Courts, securities litigation and arbitration, commodity futures, derivatives, commercial arbitration and mediation, federal financial institutions regulatory law, and business law. He has provided legal counsel, litigation and arbitration services to individual and corporate clients in the above practice areas and before U.S. regulatory agencies, from his law firm in Alexandria, Virginia, since 1984.

Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Connolly served as Chief Counsel, Division of Economics, and Special Counsel, Office of General Counsel, of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and as a representative to the United States Regulatory Council. Mr. Connolly is a frequent CLE lecturer and author in the area of securities and future litigation and arbitration. His articles concerning financial institutions law have appeared in the Business Lawyer, the Corporation Law Review, the National Law Journal, and the American Banker. Mr. Connolly served as co-chair of the Securities Arbitration and Litigation Committee, and currently serves as co-chair of the Securities Committee of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia and is a member of the panel of commercial arbitrators of the American Arbitration Association. He has participated as a legal commentator for C-SPAN, the Financial News Network and National Public Radio. He is a former member of the Alexandria Commission on Employment and the Private Industry Council of Alexander/Arlington.

Areas of Practice

• Securities Law
• Business and Commercial Law
• Banking and Finance law
• Administrative Law
• Litigation
• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
• Criminal Defense
• Domestic Violence
• Drug Crimes
• Violent Crimes
• Sex Crimes
• Three Strikes Law
• Theft & Fraud
• Sexual Harassment Claims
• Personal Injury
• DUI/DWI
• Employment Law -- Employee
• Motor Vehicle accidents-plaintiff
• Personal Injury -- Plaintiff
• Traffic Violations
• White Collar Crimes
• Reckless Driving
• Drug Crimes
• Assault
• Battery
• Police Excessive Force
• Wrongful Death

Honors and Awards

• AV Rating with Martindale -Hubbell
• Delta and Scarlet Key Honor Societies

Published Works

• Panel Member, "Changes in Securities Market Oversight to Safeguard our Commercial Banking System and Public Investment in Wall Street", BADC, November, 2008
• "Representing Clients in Securities Mediations", BADC, May, 2005
• "Emerging Issues Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002", BADC and CSPAN, November, 2002
• "Emerging Issues Under the Federal Securities Law in a Volatile Market", D.C. Bar, BADC, May 15, 2001
• "Overview of the Uniform Prudent Investor Act", Virgina CLE, June, 2000
• Impact of the Uniform Prudent Investor Act: New Duties Imposed on Trustees and New Wave of Litigation?, BADC, January, 2000
• SEC and SRO Regulatory and Enforcement Initiatives on the Liability of Securities Salespeople and Supervisory and Compliance Personnel, D.C. Bar, February 17, 1995
• How To Try A Securities Fraud Case Before The American Arbitration Association, AAA, November 5, 1993
• How To Try A Securities Fraud Case Before The National Association of Securities Dealers, BADC, June 30,, 1993
• "A Review of the Futures Trading Act of 1982", 6 Corporation Law Review 26, Fall, 1983
• "Futures Trading Act Creates Broad Private Rights of Action", National Law Journal, May 23, 1983
• "Relaxed Regulatory Trends Could Spell New Opportunities for Banks, Savings and Loans", Corporate Practice Series, Current Developments Affecting Corporation (BNA) No. 204 at 1, October 19, 1982
• "Delivery on Futures Contracts as a Legal Requirement", 36 Business Lawyer 935, April, 1981
• "Doors Open for Banks in the Commodities and Securities Markets", American Banker at 4, September 20, 1982
• "CFTC Reauthorization Issues Affecting Commodity Exchanges", 4 Commodities Law Institute-Kent College of Law, September, 1981

West Practice Categories

Administrative Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Banking & Finance Law, Business & Commercial Law, Litigation & Appeals, Securities Law