James ‘Jim’ Bacon has represented corporations, limited liability companies, municipalities, banks, other business organizations, and individuals for over 35 years in complex commercial and business matters by helping them navigate disputes and difficulties. Mr. Bacon provides his clients aggressive and innovative business strategies designed to fully capitalize on the particular strengths of each client. Always willing to advocate a unique or troublesome case, he is very experienced going ‘all in’ on ‘bet the business’ high stakes litigation if no reasonable alternative is available to his clients. He enjoys serving as local counsel for out-of-state firms in all State and Federal court systems.
He received his law degree from the American University School of Law, has a varied trial and appellate practice, and has served as a lecturer at trial advocacy seminars. His areas of concentration include complex commercial matters, defending intellectual property disputes, business planning, bankruptcy and bankruptcy protection, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, corporate structure and governance, employment issues and disputes, restrictive covenants and HR issues, complex arbitrations, civil and criminal forfeiture law, franchising law, technology matters, real estate law and transactions, real estate planning, and anti-money laundering, OFAC Compliance and FinCEN regulations. He is licensed in all State and Federal courts of Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.
Mr. Bacon has achieved a peer review of ‘AV’ in Martindale-Hubbell, meaning he possesses a ‘preeminent rating,’ achievable only after admission to the Bar for at least ten years, indicating the highest level of legal ability and ethics – the pinnacle of professional excellence. He has also been selected as a ‘Super Lawyer,’ an exclusive listing of outstanding attorneys who have attained preeminent peer recognition, limited to no more than 5 percent of the practicing attorneys in Virginia and Washington, DC.
Mr. Bacon has also been featured in ‘The Leading Lawyers Association’ and selected to the Top Attorneys of North America, which has been recognized and distinguished as an identifier of the best lawyers that the North American legal community has to offer. He has been named among the Top 100 Lawyers in Virginia by City of Richmond Magazine. Mr. Bacon has been chosen as a recommended adviser in Virginia by The Business Lawyers, and was selected to become a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America (“LCA”). The LCA is a trial lawyer honorary society whose membership is limited to less than one-half of one percent of North American lawyers, judges and scholars. Mr. Bacon has been invited to ‘Best Attorneys of America,’ one of the most celebrated and respected groups of attorneys in the country. Less than one percent (1%) of the attorneys in America have been invited to join this organization.
He has been recognized as a leading expert for ‘Business Law Advice,’ in Virginia by Advisory Excellence, an international network. In addition, the professional honorary organization of the “Leaders in Law”, Global Advisory Experts, chose Mr. Bacon “Business Law Expert of the Year in Virginia” for 2021 and 2023. This award is an international recognition of excellence in legal achievements assessed by the Leaders in Law voting membership. He has also been recognized as a LEGAL LEADER by The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Baltimore Sun.
Areas of Practice
- Complex Commercial Litigation
- Employment Law, including Severance Packages, Restrictive Covenants, HR Issues, ADA, ADEA and FMLA Matters
- Eminent Domain
- Condominium and Homeowners Association Law
- Real Estate, Mechanics Liens, Construction Defects and Delays
- Complex Bankruptcy and reorganization issues
- Business Planning and Counseling
- Estate Planning
- Wealth Management
- Insurance Coverage and Litigation
- Anti-Money Laundering
- Complex Arbitrations
- Computer Technology
- FinCEN Regulations
- Franchising
- Franchising and franchise disclosure documents
- Advising franchisors and franchisees in termination and non-renewal issues arising under the PMPA
- Government Contracts
- Insurance Matters
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- OFAC Compliance
Bar Admissions
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado and U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Maryland and U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- District of Columbia, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia and U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of International Trade
- Virginia, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit and U.S. Tax Court
- District of Columbia
Education
- American University, Washington College of Law, Washington, District of Columbia
- J.D.
- Olivet Nazarene University, Kankakee, Illinois
- B.S. cum laude
Associations & Memberships
- Maryland State Bar Association
- Virginia State Bar
- The District of Columbia Bar
