John M. Paris, Jr.

For more than 35 years, John Paris has been a trusted partner and quarterback for his clients, both public and private, in various stages of growth. He has extensive experience representing growing clients in many industries as well as strategic investors, venture capital and private equity firms in transactions and investments. John counsels clients on mergers and acquisitions; strategic joint ventures, licensing and corporate finance; securities offerings; SEC compliance; and general corporate matters.

He is the chair of Williams Mullen’s Private Equity Practice and Emerging Technology Practice as well as vice chair of the Corporate Section. John is one of two co-founders of the Hampton Roads Business Hall of Fame, 757 Angels, a group routinely finishing in the top 5 of angel groups nationwide in terms of investments made, and ACG757, the newest chapter of the international organization the Association for Corporate Growth.

Almost all of the work John brings to Williams Mullen comes from referrals from existing and former clients, investment bankers, bankers, fellow attorneys, and often from those companies and other firms that John met while representing his clients against them.

John represents clients in a variety of industries including software, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) and UAV systems matters, medical devices, health care, including pharmaceuticals, IT, staffing companies, banking, subprime finance companies, medical consulting, manufacturing and distribution, food production, retail and technology. He also regularly advises government contractors in a broad array of matters.

John has significant experience structuring, forming and private equity, venture capital, mezzanine and buyout funds, angel groups, and then in their investments. He also assists lenders and borrowers in PIPE transactions, as well as investors and portfolio companies in angel financings.

In addition to helping an enormous number of growing companies planning for, organizing, seeking, and obtaining equity capital in private placements, John regularly assists publicly traded clients comply with corporate laws, securities laws and SEC regulations. He advises clients on 1934 Act filings, corporate governance, SBICs, franchising matters, REITS, insider-trading compliance, anti-takeover and fiduciary duty matters and has substantial experience in issues surrounding stock-based employee benefit and similar plans.

In addition to his roles with the Hampton Roads Business Hall of Fame, 757 Angels, and ACG757, John serves as a member of the boards of directors for Virginia Bio and Innovate Hampton Roads. He is a former board member and former president of the Virginia Venture Capital Forum, and Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) in Cary, North Carolina.

A frequent public speaker, John often lectures on M&A transactions, federal and state securities law, funding, venture capital and private equity topics.

He has been ranked by Chambers USA for Corporate/M&A Law (2019 – present, currently in Band 2); listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for Tax Law (2011-present), Corporate Law (2013-present), Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law (2023-present), Venture Capital Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law (2024-present); and listed in Virginia Super Lawyers for Securities & Corporate Finance (2010-present). He has also been listed as one of the "Top Lawyers" of Virginia by CoVaBiz Magazine (2017-present) and Martindale-Hubbell has rated him an AV attorney, its highest rating available. John is also listed among the "Legal Elite" by Virginia Business magazine (2020-present).

John is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from the University of Virginia where he played baseball. He graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1984.  John has been recognized as a member of the 2024 and 2025 Power List noting influential individuals who “move the needle” in the Hampton Roads region.