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    J. Britton Williston

    Member • Chair of Commercial
    Office: Norfolk
    Admissions: Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington DC

    Biography

    Britton is a Member in the firm’s Norfolk office where he is Chair of the Commercial Section, and a member of the Corporate and Public Finance Group and the firm’s China Team. His practice includes advising clients on private equity, securities offerings and regulation, corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions. He has also assisted numerous China-based companies with their initial public offerings, SEC compliance issues and other corporate matters.

    Representative Matters

    • Advised various clients with respect to Securities Act and Securities Exchange Act matters, including initial public offerings, periodic reporting and disclosure issues, private securities offerings, tender offers and proxy statements
    • Represented target company in the $700 million sale of a publicly-traded real estate investment trust
    • Represented various private equity groups in multiple acquisitions ranging from $10 million to $1.5 billion
    • Represented multiple private equity and hedge fund sponsors throughout formation and capital raising process, including capital raises in excess of $1 billion

    Recognition & Honors

    • Best Lawyers in America, 2024
    • Top Lawyers; CoVaBIZ, 2017-2023
    • Virginia’s Legal Elite; Virginia Business Magazine, 2011-2023
    • CIVIC Leadership Institute; Class of 2020
    • Virginia Rising Stars; Law & Politics, 2013
    • Editor; Columbia Journal of Law and Social Problems
    • Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar

    Associations

    • Virginia Bar Association; Young Lawyers Division, Executive Committee
    • American Bar Association, Business Law Section
    • Norfolk-Portsmouth Bar Association
    • Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters Future Generations Board; Board Member
    • LEAD Hampton Roads; Class of 2012
    • Tidewater Region Jefferson Scholars Selection Committee, University of Virginia
    • University of Virginia Club of Tidewater; Board Member
    • University of Virginia Young Alumni Council; Former Member

    Education

    • University of Virginia; B.A., with distinction, 2000
    • Columbia University School of Law; J.D., 2003

    Press & Publications