John D. O’Neill, Jr.

As the senior member and founder of the Firm's P3 and Infrastructure practice, John’s practice focuses on public-private infrastructure development, public finance, capital finance and complex commercial lending. John is among the few lawyers nationally with substantial experience on both the project development and the public finance sides of structuring transactions for a broad range of public and private infrastructure projects, including airports, roads and highways, convention and conference centers, educational facilities, government administrative facilities and water and wastewater facilities. Clients describe John as “a very intuitive and excellent negotiator [who] is able to discuss and explain issues to non-lawyers in a very effective manner” (Chambers USA, 2020).

John also serves as co-head of the firm’s Business Practice Group that includes its corporate, energy and infrastructure, capital finance and real estate and tax and ERISA teams. He previously served as the first Managing Partner of the firm’s Richmond office and as head of the firm’s Public Finance practice group.

• Serves as the lead attorney on the firm’s appointment as counsel on privatization matters for the Commonwealth of Virginia, including its current $3.8 billion passenger rail enhancement project, its procurement for the design, build, finance, operate and maintain of the $2.1 billion Transform 66 P3 Project and the development of the expansion of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.
• Serves as project counsel to the concessionaire to develop, construct, finance, operate and maintain SH 288 in the Houston, Texas area under a long-term toll concession P3 agreement.
• Served as project counsel to one of the shortlisted consortia bidding to design, build, finance, operate and maintain a $1.9 billion flood diversion project in Fargo, North Dakota.
• Served as project counsel to the concessionaire under a design, build, finance, operate and maintain concession agreement for a freeway lighting project in the Detroit metro region of Michigan.
• Served as counsel to the concessionaire of the I-595 managed lanes project in connection with the refinancing of the original debt as the project is placed in service.
• Served as counsel to a 63-20 corporation that is the concessionaire in connection with the development, construction, operation, tolling and maintenance of the Route 460 Corridor Improvements project, a 55-mile limited access highway in Southeastern Virginia.
• Served as project counsel to sponsors bidding to develop, construct, finance and maintain a $1.5 billion replacement of the Goethals Bridge, a key transportation artery in the New York – New Jersey metropolitan area, under a long-term “availability payments” arrangement.
• Served as finance counsel and Virginia counsel to the concessionaire in connection with the development, construction, operation and maintenance of the I-95 Express Lanes projects, an approximately $2.4 billion project consisting of three managed toll lanes projects in Northern Virginia pursuant to a long-term P3 concession arrangement.
• Served as finance counsel and Virginia concessionaire counsel in connection with the development, construction, operation and maintenance of an approximately $2.1 billion underwater tunnel project in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia pursuant to a long-term P3 concession arrangement.
• Represented concessionaire in a long-term P3 concession arrangement for the development, construction and maintenance of an approximately $1.8 billion major roadway project in South Florida, that will contain both managed toll and general purpose lanes.
• Represented 63-20 corporation as finance and special project counsel in connection with the development, construction, operation and maintenance of the I-495 Capital Beltway HOT Lanes project, an approximately $1.5 billion roadway project consisting of both managed toll and general purpose lanes in Northern Virginia pursuant to a long-term P3 concession arrangement.
• Represented national real estate investment trust as project counsel in the development and financing of nearly $150 million in infrastructure improvements to support a nearly $500 million mixed-use project that will serve as the catalyst for redevelopment of an old suburban area in Northern Virginia.
• Representing issuers as project counsel in connection with creation and use of special tax districts, community development authorities and tax increment and tax allocation districts to fund and finance project infrastructure.
• Represented large Georgia city as bond counsel in multi-series issuance of bonds in excess of $300 million supported by tax increment financing to finance infrastructure for multi-billion mixed-used project on former brownfield site.
• Represented large Virginia city as project and finance counsel in unique public-private partnership to develop long-planned central business district, supported by tax increment financing to finance key infrastructure and other public facilities such as a theater and parks.
• Represented issuer in nearly $160,000,000 financing backed by hotel occupancy taxes to finance largest convention facility in Virginia.
• Represented issuer in public-private joint venture to construct and operate outdoor performing arts concert facility.
• Handled the structuring and issuance of the first storm water facilities revenue bonds issued by a Virginia locality.
• Significant experience representing airports in issuance of debt and in negotiations of airport use agreements.

• Recommended for Project Finance, Legal 500 United States, 2018–2019, 2023-2024
• Recognized as a Leader in Projects: PPP, USA-Nationwide, Chambers USA, 2020-2024
• Recognized as a Leader in Projects: PPP, USA, Chambers Global, 2021-2024
• Named a Notable Practitioner for Project Development and Finance, USA, IFLR1000, 2019–2020
• Fellow, American College of Bond Counsel
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Public Finance Law, 2005–present

• Chair (2016-2019), Transportation Infrastructure and PPP Committee, Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section, American Bar Association
• Member, Virginia Bar Association
• Member, Richmond Bar Association
• Member, National Association of Bond Lawyers
• Member, Past President, The Bond Club of Virginia
• Fellow, Virginia Law Foundation
• Leadership Metro Richmond, Class of 2006