John A.C. Keith
Biography
John Keith is a co-founder of Blankingship & Keith. A native of Fairfax, he has been practicing law in Virginia courts since 1975. John has handled cases involving all sorts of commercial disputes including business torts, fraud, real estate, employment, and partnership and corporate fights of various types. John has also represented fiduciaries and beneficiaries in will contests and all varieties of trust and estate litigation. In addition, he has significant experience in legal malpractice defense cases.
An experienced mediator and arbitrator, John has also represented countless clients in all types of alternate dispute resolution proceedings. John also offers counsel and practical advice to businesses and law firms, particularly when they are restructuring or splitting up.
John continues to be active in the firm's trust and estate practice, doing document drafting as well as estate and trust administration. He has had an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell since 1987.
Professional Honors & Activities
Virginia State Bar
President 1998-1999
President-elect 1997-1998
Bar Council 1991-1999
Executive Committee 1993-2000
Standing Committee on Legal Ethics: Member, 1991-1997; Chairman, 1996-1997
10th (now 5th) District Committee: Member, 1983-1986; Chairman, 1985-1986
Faculty Member, Course on Professionalism 1990-1993
Judicial Performance Evaluation Task Force
Supreme Court of Virginia: Member, 2000-2001
Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board 2013 – present
Second Vice-Chair 2015 - 2016
Virginia State Bar/Virginia Bar Association, Joint Commission on Multidisciplinary Practice: Chair, 1999-2002
Boyd – Graves Conference (on civil litigation): Member, Steering Committee 2003-present; Secretary, 2015 - present
Virginia Law Foundation: Fellow, Member Board of Directors (2000 - 2008); President (2006-2007); Chair, Joint Commission on Multi-disciplinary Practice (2000 - 2002)
American Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
Permanent Member, Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
Chairman, Fairfax Circuit Court Committee (1989-1991)
Rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America in categories of Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice-Defendants, Trusts and Estates (2001-2015)
Selected as Virginia Business Legal Elite, Civil Litigation (2013)
Named Best Lawyers' 2014 Washington DC Litigation - Trusts and Estates "Lawyer of the Year."
Selected as Virginia Business Legal Elite, Civil Litigation (2000-2015)
Named Best Lawyers' Lawyer of the Year 2013 in Legal Malpractice Law - Defense, Washington, DC
The Washington D.C. Best Lawyers (2009-2015)
Selected: Virginia Super Lawyers, Business Litigation (2008 - 2015)
Super Lawyers: Ranked in Top 100 Virginia Lawyers (2011-2015)
Super Lawyers; Ranked in Top 100 DC Lawyers (2014 - 2015)
Community Service
- Fairfax Police Youth Club, Past President and President of Corporate Board
- Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, Member of Standing Committee (2006-2009)
- Vestry, St. Mary's Episcopal Church (2009-2011)
- Historic Fairfax City Inc. - Board of Directors (2013 - present)
Representative Cases
- John Keith has tried numerous jury and non-jury trials in state and federal courts since 1975. Over the years, his cases have involved corporate disputes, contracts, real estate, legal malpractice, fiduciary matters and employment law.