William Davis Ashwell

William D. Ashwell is a career litigator and advocate who has built a regional and statewide reputation for assisting clients in the most serious of situations and in high profile matters. A native of Warrenton, Mr. Ashwell has solidified himself as a leader in the field of civil and criminal litigation and beyond. A steadfast believer in giving back to the community, Mr. Ashwell balances his time between his family and giving back to the community that he calls home. A graduate of Hampden-Sydney College and the University of Dayton School of Law, Mr. Ashwell serves Northern Virginia, Piedmont region, central Virginia, and clients statewide, continuing to be a staple of the courtroom. Mr. Ashwell has also represented clients in criminal and civil matters internationally, including in England and the United Kingdom.

Education

• University of Dayton School of Law, Dayton, Ohio

• Juris Doctor

• Honors: Moot Court – Team Member, 2010-2011

• Hampden-Sydney College, Hampden-Sydney, Virginia

• Bachelor of Arts

• Major: English

• Oxford University, St. Anne's College, Oxford, UK

• Virginia Program at Oxford University

Bar Admissions

• Virginia

• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Virginia

• U.S. District Court Western District of Virginia

• U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit

• U.S. Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of Virginia

• U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of Virginia

• Supreme Court of the United States of America

Professional Associations

• Virginia State Bar

• Virginia State Bar, Former Member of the 7th District Disciplinary Committee

• Fauquier Bar Association

Reported Cases

• Chacey v. Garvey, 781 S.E.2d 357, (2015).

• Shepherd v. Conde, 797 S.E.2d 750 (2017)

• United States v. Bosyk, 933 F.3d 319 (4th Cir. 2019), cert denied, 140 S. Ct. 1124 (U.S. Feb. 24, 2020)(No. 19-860), 2019.

• Weatherholt v. Commonwealth, 839 S.E.2d 492 (2020).

• Spell v. Commonwealth, 851 S.E.2d 83 (2020)

• St. John v. Thompson, 854 S.E.2d 648 (2021)

• Stafford Cnty. Bd. of Zoning Appeals v. Grove, 905 S.E.2d 140 (2024).

Unpublished Cases

• Bd. of Supervisors v. Long, 2023 Va. App. LEXIS 547 * | 2023 WL 5207304 (2023)

• Kamga v. Commonwealth, 2024 Va. App. LEXIS 11 * | 2024 WL 157539 (2024)

• Ahmed v Imperial Auto, LLC, 2024 Va. App. LEXIS 181 * | 2024 WL 1381766 (2024)

• Renberg v. Renberg, 2024 Va. App. LEXIS 234 * | 2024 WL 1724034 (2024)

Representative Cases

• Successfully represented corporate and individual defendants in a $63 million municipal fraud lawsuit through litigation to settlement on appeal.

• Represented members of the Foxfield Racing Association, Inc., in resolving a dispute over the future of the races and development of the properties held by the association.

• Represented the oldest Virginia equine association related to corporate sale of assets.

• Successfully represented landowners in the seeking injunctive and declaratory relief to protect their use of deeded easements.

• Represented a nonprofit in a multimillion-dollar land acquisition and negotiated with the municipality to ensure that affordable housing remained in place for hundreds of families.

• Obtained a defense verdict on a $1 million personal injury claim after the conclusion of the plaintiff’s evidence during a motion to strike.

• Obtained a dismissal of an injunction and complaint for damages of a trade secrets matter.

• Successfully overturned erroneous financial awards from the trial court as to Federal retirement benefits in a domestic relations matter.

• Litigated multiple homicide and serious felony cases to verdict.

• Represented countless clients on criminal matters to jury trial resulting in acquittal.

• Represented countless civil plaintiffs and defendants from the inception of litigation to trial.

• Represented as corporate counsel local and regional financial institutions.

Honors

• Virginia Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2017-2022

• National Business Institute Outstanding Faculty Award 2022, 2023

Classes & Seminars

• Land Use and Zoning: Navigate Land Use/Zoning Regulations, Permitting Issues, Disputes and More; National Business Institute, July 20, 2017.

• How to Get Your Social Media, Email and Text Evidence Admitted (and Keep Theirs Out), National Business Institute, October 31, 2017.

• Protecting Your Business, Family and Future, Greater Piedmont REALTORS, February 21, 2018.

• Local Government Law – Start to Finish; Government Attorney Ethics – Protect Your Client and Yourself, National Business Institute, February 23, 2018.

• Road and Easement Law A to Z: Establishing Easements; National Business Institute, April 9, 2018.

• Take a Comprehensive Look at Land Use Law; National Business Institute, July 10. 2018.

• Ethics in Land Use Law; National Business Institute, July 10, 2018.

• How to Lay a Foundation to Get Your Evidence Introduced; Applying Ethics Rules to Evidence; National Business Institute, October 30, 2018

• Defining Easements and Ethics in Boundary Law; National Business Institute, April 15, 2019

• Real Estate Boot Camp and Ethics, National Business Institute, 04/19/2019 to Present

• Land Use and Zoning from Start to Finish: Ethics in Land Use and Zoning Law, National Business Institute, September 10, 2019

• Handling Email, Social Media and Other ESI; The Rules of Evidence: A Practical Toolkit, National Business Institute, 10/31/2019 to 10/31/2019

• Annual Probate and Estate Administration Conference in Virginia, National Business Institute, September 23, 2020.

• Legal Descriptions, Title Insurance & Surveys in Real Estate Transactions, National Business Institute, December 17, 2020.

• Challenging or Appealing Administrative Zoning Decisions: What You Need to Know. National Business Institute; July 15, 2021.

• Virginia Estate Administration From Start to Finish, National Business Institute; August 25, 2021.

• Land Surveys and Legal Descriptions: Everything Paralegals Need to Know; National Business Institute;

• Virginia Real Estate Closings from Start to Finish; National Business Institute; July 29, 2021.·

• How to Lay a Foundations to Get Your Evidence Introduced; National Business Institute; August 31, 2021.

• Virginia Land and Water Law: Ownership and Access; Halfmoon Education, Inc.; July 30, 2021.

• Litigating Civil Cases in Virginia From Start to Finish; National Business Institute; May 20, 2022.

• Virginia Real Property Law: Understanding Title, Transfers, and Encumbrances; National Business Institute; May 17, 2022.

• Virginia Probate Process from Start to Finish; National Business Institute; June 16, 2022.

• Land Surveys and Legal Descriptions: Everything Paralegals Need to Know; National Business Institute; August 17, 2022.

• Resolving Boundary Disputes in Virginia; National Business Institute; September 28, 2022.

• Civil Trial Guide; Authenticating and Admitting ESI as Evidence and Utilizing Technology in Your Presentation; February 22, 2023.

• Forensic Accounting and Money Laundering Detection/Disruption Conferences; Florida Atlantic University; March 6, 2023.

• Reviewing the Chain of Title, Legal Descriptions, Land Surveys, and More; National Business Institute; March 29, 2023.

• Legal Descriptions, Title Insurance, and Surveys in Virginia Real Estate Transactions; National Business Institute; May 10, 2023.

• Virginia Land and Water Law: Ownership and Access; Halfmoon Education; July 28, 2023.

• Trial and Error: 50 Mistakes Even Experienced Trial Attorneys Make; National Business Institute; August 21, 2023.

• Title Law Boot Camp; National Business Institute; September 21, 2023.

• Virginia Civil Trial Skills; National Business Institute; October 12, 2023.

• Voire Dire and Jury Selection; The Complete Guide; National Business Institute; November 9, 2023.

• Probate Process From Start to Finish; National Business Institute; November 21, 2023.

• How Jurors Think: What Every Trial Attorney Needs to Know; December 20, 2023.

• Advanced Litigation Techniques, National Business Institute; January 24, 2024

• Easements: Everything You Need to Know; National Business Institute; February 28, 2024.

• Attorney’s Complete Guide to Experts in Virginia Civil Litigation; National Business Institute; May 21, 2024.

• The Rules of Evidence: Creative Insights From Top Trial Lawyers; National Business Institute; May 21, 2024.

• Trial and Error: 50 Mistakes Even Experiences Trial Attorneys Make; National Business Institute; May 29, 2024.

• Virginia Probate Process From Start to Finish; National Business Institute; June 27, 2024.

• Virginia Real Estate Law 2024; National Business Institute; October 7, 2024.

• Resolving Boundary Disputes in Virginia; National Business Institute; October 9, 2024.

• Student Bullying Lawsuits: 50 Mistakes Even Experienced School Law Attorneys Make; National Business Institute; October 17, 2024.

Pro-Bono Activities

• Fauquier SPCA, Board Member

• Northern Piedmont Community Foundation, Board Member

• Mental Health Association of Fauquier County, Board Member

• St. James Episcopal School Board, Board Member

• Partnership for Warrenton, Past Board Member

• Ducks Unlimited, Blue Ridge Chapter, Chairman

• Fauquier Chamber of Commerce, Past Board Member

• Experience Old Town Warrenton, Past Board Member