John Foster is a public-sector attorney who has built a steady, long-term career in government and education law. He is based in Fairfax County, Virginia, where he serves as General Counsel for Fairfax County Public Schools, a role he has held since 2013.
John grew up as a military child and was born at Camp Pendleton. He lived on military bases in California, Hawaii, and Virginia. That early life shaped how he works. He learned discipline, structure, and how to adapt fast when circumstances change.
He earned a BA in History and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia in 1989. He later earned his JD from UVA Law in 1992. He began his career in private practice as a Senior Attorney with Buonassissi Henning Campbell and Moffet from 1992 to 1999. In 1999, he moved into public service as an Assistant County Attorney with Fairfax County Government, serving until 2008. From 2008 to 2013, he was City Attorney for the City of Falls Church.
John is AV rated (preeminent) by Martindale-Hubbell. He also serves on the Virginia State Bar Council for the 19th Judicial Circuit through 2028. Outside work, he enjoys long-distance bicycle riding and exploring rural and remote areas on his gravel and mountain bikes. He has also served his community as a past president of Christ Lutheran Church.
Q&A with John Foster of Fairfax
When you think about success, what does it look like in real life?
Success looks like trust over time. It is when people can count on your judgement, even when the situation is messy. In my world, success is not a big win on one day. It is years of making solid decisions, documenting them well, and keeping an organisation steady.
I also think success is staying useful. Titles change, leaders rotate, and priorities shift. If you can keep helping through that change, you are doing something right.
What early experiences shaped how you work?
I was born at Camp Pendleton and grew up on military bases in California, Hawaii, and Virginia. Moving around teaches you to pay attention fast. You walk into a new place and you learn the rules, the culture, and how to fit in without losing yourself.
My family background also set a tone. My father was a career Marine officer and retired as a Colonel. My mother immigrated from England, became a US citizen, and worked as a paralegal for forty years. My brother built a long career in the Fairfax County Fire Department and became a captain running a station. When you grow up around service, you start to see responsibility as normal, not special.
You have worked in private practice, county government, a city, and now public schools. What did that career path teach you?
It taught me how to think in systems. Private practice early on trained me to be precise and organised. From 1992 to 1999, I was a Senior Attorney with Buonassissi Henning Campbell and Moffet. You learn how to manage deadlines, write clearly, and stay calm when multiple things hit at once.
Then I moved into public service. From 1999 to 2008, I was an Assistant County Attorney with Fairfax County Government. That work can be broad and constant. You learn that small choices can create big ripple effects later.
From 2008 to 2013, I served as City Attorney for the City of Falls Church. A city role can sharpen your judgement because the decisions are close to the community. Since 2013, I have been General Counsel for Fairfax County Public Schools. In education, the stakes feel personal because the work touches families, staff, and students. You learn to balance urgency with careful process.
What habits have helped you stay consistent at a high level?
Long-distance cycling has helped more than people might expect. My hobby is riding gravel and mountain bikes in rural and remote areas. On long rides, you learn pacing. If you go too hard early, you pay for it later. That mindset carries over into work. I try to avoid panic decisions. I focus on what holds up after the meeting is over.
I also rely on a simple structure: clarify the goal, name the risks, and map the next steps. When the pressure is high, a short checklist beats a long speech.
How do you think about reputation and credibility in your field?
Credibility is earned in small moments. It is being prepared. It is giving consistent advice. It is admitting when something needs more work instead of guessing.
I am AV rated (preeminent) by Martindale-Hubbell, and I serve on the Virginia State Bar Council for the 19th Judicial Circuit through 2028. Those roles matter, but they come after the daily work. Reputation, at least for me, has been built by being steady and fair over time.
What is one “success lesson” you learned the hard way?
One lesson is that clarity beats speed. Early in my career, it was tempting to solve problems fast just to move on. Over time, I learned that fast answers can create slow problems. If you do the extra work up front to define the issue, document the reasoning, and communicate clearly, you prevent confusion later.
Another lesson is that success includes recovery. Things will not always go as planned. The goal is to respond in a way that strengthens the system instead of adding more stress to it. That approach has served me across private practice, county government, city leadership, and public schools.