John M. Mercer

John Mercer serves as the section chair for the firm's Financial Services and Real Estate Practice. His practice involves all areas of commercial real estate and he has extensive experience in connection with the acquisition, financing, leasing and development of commercial property throughout mid-Atlantic region and other parts of the United States. Mr. Mercer has assisted regional and national landlords and tenants with the negotiation and preparation of complex office, retail and industrial leases on a regular basis. He also serves as outside real estate counsel for several publicly-traded companies.

John Mercer serves as the section chair for the firm's Financial Services and Real Estate Practice. His practice involves all areas of commercial real estate and he has extensive experience in connection with the acquisition, financing, leasing and development of commercial property throughout mid-Atlantic region and other parts of the United States. Mr. Mercer has assisted regional and national landlords and tenants with the negotiation and preparation of complex office, retail and industrial leases on a regular basis. He also serves as outside real estate counsel for several publicly-traded companies.

Mr. Mercer has published numerous articles and conducted seminars on commercial real estate and financing topics. He is a member of the Commercial Leasing Committee of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the American Bar Association, and is former vice-chair of the ABA’s Office Leasing Subcommittee. He is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, and the past president of the Greater Richmond Association for Commercial Real Estate, where he served on the board for four years. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and was named the Best Lawyers’ 2011 Richmond Real Estate Lawyer of the Year. He has been named to Virginia Business magazine’s list of “Legal Elite” and is included in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. In addition, Martindale Hubbell has rated Mr. Mercer an AV attorney, its highest rating available.

Mr. Mercer received his juris doctor degree in 1985 from Vermont Law School, where he was editor of the Vermont Legal Research Group, member of the law school's Moot Court Advisory Board and contributing writer to the Vermont Law School Forum. He graduated from Union College in Schenectady, New York, in 1982 with a bachelor of arts in economics.  Mr. Mercer is a member of the Richmond, Virginia and Connecticut bar associations.