John P. Fishwick Jr. Explained

John Fishwick
Birthname:John Palmer Fishwick Jr.
Birth Place:Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.
Office1:United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia
Termstart1:December 21, 2015
Termend1:January 6, 2017
Appointer1:Barack Obama
Predecessor1:Timothy J. Heaphy
Successor1:Thomas T. Cullen
Birth Date: 1957-03-31
Residence:Roanoke, Virginia
Occupation:Attorney
Party:Democratic
Education:Harvard University (BA)
Washington and Lee University (JD)

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 in the effort to stop the excessive pay for the chief executive officer of CSX Corporation.

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]

Notes and References

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