John C. Clark

ATTORNEY

John C. Clark is a lawyer at Walker Jones, PC who offers trusted, experienced representation and litigation, focusing on criminal law and civil law for clients in the Warrenton, VA area. John is known for his professionalism, eloquence, and skill before the bar, as well as his excellent communication skills. He is highly regarded by other local attorneys and knows many of them well. His familiarity with their style before the bar is always helpful when he represents his clients.

John has extensive criminal jury trial experience, including several high-profile homicide cases.  He has represented clients in all types of criminal matters, from the most serious felonies to simple driving infractions, and everything in between.  Whether it be a murder charge or a DUI charge, John has adeptly guided clients through it all.

John also has extensive civil litigation experience, both in jury trials and bench trials.  He has overseen and represented clients in cases worth millions of dollars.  At the beginning of his career, he litigated patent infringement cases all over the country.  John has continued to excel in civil litigation throughout his career, including litigation in family law.  Whether the case involves thousands or millions of dollars, John brings his high-level expertise to each case.  

Clients who trust John with their cases feel reassured knowing they’re getting a qualified “big city” lawyer with years of experience at some of the top law firms in the nation.

A native of Florida, John C. Clark earned his B.S. in chemistry from Florida State University, Tallahassee, in 1996. While there, he was active in sports and was president of his fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon. In 1999, he earned his law degree from the University of Dayton School of Law, one of the only law schools in the country at the time with a complete curriculum in Intellectual Property (IP) law, which was his interest. He graduated from UDSL cum laude and ninth in his class of 156 students.

During his time at UDSL, John did an externship with the U.S. Magistrate Judge of Dayton; earned a prestigious position as a staff writer; and later Associate Editor for the UDSL Law Review. He also served as a summer associate at the law firm of Carlton Fields, Tampa, FL, an AmLaw 200 firm (i.e., top 200 firms in the country as far as annual gross). During his third year in law school, John took and passed the patent bar to become a member of the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office bar, and in 1999 passed the Florida State Bar and returned to Carlton Fields to begin his career in IP law.

John remained with the firm until he was married in 2001 and moved to Fauquier County to be near his wife’s family. As joint master with the Casanova Hunt, his wife, Jeanne, has strong ties to this area, and is a lifelong horsewoman.

John became a member of the D.C. bar and took a position at one of the top firms in the country, D.C.-based Venable, an AmLaw 100 firm. He practiced as an IP litigator, focusing on patent infringement litigation. His job required extensive travel all over the country.

Two years after the birth of his first child, Carson, in 2003, John realized that he couldn’t be both a D. C. lawyer and father. He resigned his job at Venable and came to the Warrenton firm of Gulick, Carson & Thorpe in 2005. His second son, Cole, also was born that year.

“l loved the challenge of my fast-paced life as a D. C. patent litigator, but it left me away from my family too much,” John says. “So, like many successful business people, I made a choice to be a family man and work close to home. I don’t regret it at all. As a local attorney, I enjoy working with people one-on-one and helping them with their real-life situations.”

John left the firm of Gulick, Carson & Thorpe to start his own firm in 2011, and he then became partner in Howard, Clark & Howard in 2017. During his time as an attorney, he has written briefs for and argued before the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court of Virginia. He is one of the few local attorneys who enjoy appellate law.