Attorney Spotlight Part 8: John Fleming

From time to time this newsfeed will include a closer look at our attorneys. The posts will be on topics not necessarily about the law but about what is personally important to our attorneys outside the office. This is the eighth installment of our attorney spotlight as we feature a personal story from Attorney John Fleming. John practices in business and corporate law.  Click here to see his bio. Thank you for sharing this fun background  John!

As the winner of the prestigious, inaugural 2018 McGuire Wood & Bissette Arcade Basketball Tournament, I was asked if I enjoyed sports and if sports had played a big part in my life. Growing up in a small town north of Philadelphia, I enjoyed playing basketball, baseball, tennis and soccer.  In Little League baseball, I played for such contenders as Fitzgerald’s Funeral Home, Yardley Pharmacy and Charcoal Steaks & Things.  A highlight for me was pitching a no-hitter the evening after touching the Liberty Bell earlier in the day. For good luck I didn’t wash my hand prior to pitching, and it must have worked!  I also recall travelling to Boston for an all-star basketball tournament and my coach kicking the bench and breaking his foot after I missed a fairly easy shot.  I have fond memories of watching games with my family at Franklin Field, Veterans Stadium, the Spectrum and the Palestra.

Sports have remained a large part of my family’s life today. We’ve stayed up late watching the Tar Heels play basketball. We’ve travelled around the East Coast from Cooperstown, NY to South Florida watching our two boys participate in baseball, lacrosse, basketball and Cross-Fit. I’m sure my kids received most of their talent from my wife, Amy, who swam competitively at UNC Chapel Hill, winning NCAA Championships, setting a world record and being named an All-American. In comparison, during my rehearsal dinner I recall my father mentioning that I had made “All Backyard” three years in a row!  Both of our sons remain active in sports while in college, with William pitching at Wake Forest University and Jack starting and running the UNC Wilmington Cross-Fit Program.

We’ve always found tremendous value in sports and being active. Winning, losing, competing as a team, striving to get better as an individual, are all great life lessons. At McGuire Wood & Bissette, I feel that I’m also on a team with gifted attorneys and staff.  Together, we work with our clients to achieve their goals.  It takes teamwork and I am fortunate to be surrounded by wonderful people who are willing to work together to achieve great things.

While I consider myself a pretty good athlete, it is humbling to know that I’m probably the worst athlete in my family. Given what I’m up against, I’m OK with that and I look forward to defending my McGuire Wood & Bissette basketball championship next year.