Five Decades Of Legal Excellence

Thomas F. Coates, III

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Practice Areas:

Litigation
Family Law
Child Custody & Visitation
Child Support
Spousal Support
Divorce
Corporate Law
Commercial/Business Transactions
Real Estate Law
Estates
Wills
Trusts
Powers of Attorney
Advance Medical Directives
Probate

Biography

Thomas F. Coates, III ("Tom") is co-founder, as well as an officer, director, shareholder and executive committee member of the Firm. Tom began his practice as a U.S. Army lawyer and later focused his practice on civil rights, criminal defense and civil litigation. In the early- to mid-1970s, he also served as Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for the City of Richmond, where he prosecuted thousands of criminal cases, including more than 50 felony jury trials.

After founding the Firm in 1974 (originally as Coates & Comess, thereafter as Coates & Davenport, and now as Coates, Battle & Tyree), Tom's primary areas of practice included litigation (both civil and criminal), commercial transactions, corporate, divorce and family law. He has an extensive background in real estate and business transactions from residential and commercial real estate purchases and sales to major corporate mergers and acquisitions.

Tom has provided general business and corporate legal advice to businesses, professional practices and their manage¬ments on matters pertaining to organizational structure and restructuring, debt and equity capital formation, strategic plan¬ning and marketing, contract negotiation, risk management, executive compensation and severance, restrictive covenants, intellectual property protection, and prevention and/or res-olution of shareholder/partnership/limited liability company membership-management disputes.

He has life-long and extensive involvement in the Richmond and Commonwealth business and non-profit communities, serving as a board member for various corporations. He was chairman of the organizing committee and an initial director in the formation and start-up of First Capital Bank in Richmond, and has served on the boards of and as counsel for numerous non-profit educational and charitable organizations and institu¬tions in Virginia and beyond.

Education

Washington and Lee University School of Law, Lexington, Virginia
- J.D. - 1969
Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA
- B.A. - 1966

Bar Admission

Virginia Supreme Court
Virginia, 1969
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Virginia, 1971
U.S. District Court Western District of Virginia, 1972
U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1972
U.S. Tax Court, 1987

Published Works

Dunbar Group, LLC v. Tignor, 267 Va. 361, 593 S.E. 2d 216, Va. LEXIS 49 (2004)
Swander v. Swander, Va. App. LEXIS 419 (Court of Appeals of Virginia 2001)
Hendrick v. Brown & Root, Inc., 50 F.Supp. 2d 527 (U.S. Dist. Court E.D. Va 1999)
Parks v. Parks, Va. App. LEXIS 85 (Court of Appeals of Virginia 1998)
IAC International v. James, U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21859 (U.S. Dist. Ct. E.D. Va. 1996)
Gelletly v. Gelletly, Va. App. LEXIS 39 (Court of Appeals of Virginia 1996)
Griswold v. Commonwealth, 21 Va. App. 22; 461 S.E.2d 411 (Court of Appeals of Virginia 1995)
Hughes v. Gentry, 18 Va. App. 318; 443 S.E.2d 448 (Court of Appeals of Virginia 1994)
Everett v. I-Net, Inc., 900 F2d 251 (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit 1990)
Wiecking v. Allied Medical Supply Corp., 239 Va. 548; 391 S.E.2d 258 (Supreme Court of Virgin ia 1990)
Morris v. United Virginia Bank, 237 Va. 331; 377 S.E.2d 611 (Supreme Court of Virginia 1989)
Miles v. Richmond, 236 Va. 341; 373 S.E.2d 715 (Supreme Court of Virginia 1988)
Vt. Mut. Ins. Co. v. Ctr., Inc., CL96-156, CIRCUIT COURT OF NELSON COUNTY, VIRGINIA, 66
Goode v. Commonwealth, Record No. 760506, Supreme Court of Virginia, 217 Va. 863, April 22, 1977, 234 S.E.2d 239; Va. LEXIS 250
Nero v. Commonwealth, Record No. 7932, Supreme Court of Virginia, 213 Va. 154; 191 S.E.2d 226, September 1, 1972, Va. LEXIS 324
Holt v. Richmond, Civ. A. No. 151-71-R, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EAST ERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA, RICHMOND DIVISION, 334 F. Supp. 228, November 20, 1971
Holt v. Richmond, Nos. 71-2185, 71-2186, UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT, 459 F.2d 1093, February 10, 1972, U.S. App. LEXIS 9768
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 406 U.S. 903
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 92 S. Ct. 1602
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 31 L. Ed. 2d 814
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, Apr. 24, 1972
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 408 U.S. 931
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 92 S. Ct. 2510
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 33 L. Ed. 2d 343
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, Jun. 26, 1972
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 429 U.S. 914
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 97 S. Ct. 304
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 50 L. Ed. 2d 280
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, November 1, 1976

Representative Cases

Swander v. Swander, Va. App. LEXIS 419, 2001, Court of Appeals of Virginia, 2001602488
Hendrick v. Brown & Root, Inc., 50 F.Supp. 2d 527, 1999, U.S. Dist. Court E.D. Va, 1999135070
Parks v. Parks, Va. App. LEXIS 85, 1998, Court of Appeals of Virginia
IAC International v. James, U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21859, 1996, U.S. Dist. Ct. E.D. Va., 1997026723
Gelletly v. Gelletly, Va. App. LEXIS 39, 1996, Court of Appeals of Virginia
Griswold v. Commonwealth, 21 Va. App. 22; 461 S.E.2d 411, 1995, Court of Appeals of Virginia, 1995179697
Hughes v. Gentry, 18 Va. App. 318; 443 S.E.2d 448, 1994, Court of Appeals of Virginia, 1994099366
Everett v. I-Net, Inc., 900 F2d 251, 1990, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 1990063183
Wiecking v. Allied Medical Supply Corp., 239 Va. 548; 391 S.E.2d 258, 1990, Supreme Court of Virginia, 1990066941
Morris v. United Virginia Bank, 237 Va. 331; 377 S.E.2d 611, 1989, Supreme Court of Virginia, 1989033585
Miles v. Richmond, 236 Va. 341; 373 S.E.2d 715, 1988, Supreme Court of Virginia, 1988150036
Vt. Mut. Ins. Co. v. Ctr., Inc., CL96-156, CIRCUIT COURT OF NELSON COUNTY, VIRGINIA, 66 Va. Cir. 455, January 29, 2001, Decided, Va. Cir. LEXIS 534
Goode v. Commonwealth, Record No. 760506, Supreme Court of Virginia, 217 Va. 863, April 22, 1977, 234 S.E.2d 239; 1977 Va. LEXIS 250
Nero v. Commonwealth, Record No. 7932, Supreme Court of Virginia, 213 Va. 154; 191 S.E.2d 226, September 1, 1972, Va. LEXIS 324
Holt v. Richmond, Civ. A. No. 151-71-R, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA, RICHMOND DIVISION, 334 F. Supp. 228, November 20, 1971, U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10686
Holt v. Richmond, Nos. 71-2185, 71-2186, UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT, 459 F.2d 1093, February 10, 1972, U.S. App. LEXIS 9768,
Holt v. Richmond, Nos. 71-2185, 71-2186, UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT, Argued, May 3, 1972, Decided, Certiorari Denied June 26, 1972, Reported at 408 U.S. 931
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES , 406 U.S. 903
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES , 92 S. Ct. 1602
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES , 31 L. Ed. 2d 814
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, Apr. 24, 1972, U.S. LEXIS 2813
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 408 U.S. 931
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 92 S. Ct. 2510
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 33 L. Ed. 2d 343
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, Jun. 26, 1972, U.S. LEXIS 2113
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 429 U.S. 914
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 97 S. Ct. 304
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 50 L. Ed. 2d 280
Holt v. Richmond, SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, November 1, 1976, U.S. LEXIS 3253, 1976