John Kenneth Byrum Jr.

It takes the right attorney to navigate state and federal courts and to keep up with new regulations that businesses face every day.

Fortunately, there’s John K. Byrum, Jr. He practices in our Regulated Industries, Environmental, Administrative Law, Litigation and Appellate Sections.

John helps energy companies comply with state and federal regulatory requirements. He counsels clients navigating state and federal environmental or other permitting processes, and defends companies and individuals in civil or criminal administrative enforcement actions. John also represents clients in commercial litigation in state and federal courts and in mediation or arbitration proceedings.

John has advocated on behalf of clients in legislative or regulatory proceedings before the Virginia General Assembly, the U.S. Congress, the Virginia State Corporation Commission, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and other state and federal agencies.

Prior to law school John worked for a number of years as a legislative assistant to U.S. Congressman Herbert H. Bateman. John served for eight years as an Assistant Attorney General, five of those as the lead litigator for the Commonwealth’s several environmental that role, John handled cases at both the state and federal levels, in administrative proceedings, at trial and on appeal, regarding air, water, waste, toxic substances and other environmental permitting and enforcement issues. John has also litigated several cases before the Virginia State Corporation Commission and more than 100 appeals before the Court of Appeals of Virginia, the Virginia Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

An Ohio native, John earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of William & Mary and his law degree from the University of Richmond’s T.C. Williams School of Law. During his time at the University of Richmond, John was a member of the Law Review and Moot Court Board and published articles in the Law Review as well as the National Journal of Trial Advocacy. John has lectured on state and federal storm water and wetlands regulations and on defending against regulatory enforcement action. He’s also co-authored a handbook on Virginia administrative law.