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Attorneys

Contact Information

411 East Franklin Street
Suite 600
Richmond, Virginia 23219-2200
(804) 697-2041
(804) 697-2141 (fax)
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Current Employment Position(s):

Director

Areas of Practice:

  • Commercial Real Estate
  • Conservation and Mitigation Banking
  • Commercial Lending and Leasing
  • Business Formation
  • Contracts
  • 1031 Tax Deferred Exchanges
Deborah Kelley Fourness

Debbie Fourness joined Spotts Fain in December 2008.  She practices in the Business Section of the firm, representing lenders and borrowers in commercial real estate and commercial financing transactions, land use and development.  She also represents mitigation banking organizations from entity formation, through the regulatory and governmental approval, credit sales, monitoring and compliance processes.

Debbie was admitted to the Virginia Bar in 1987.  She received her A.B., Government 1978 from the College of William and Mary and her J.D. from Wake Forest University in 1987.  

Before joining Spotts Fain, Debbie was associated with Parker, Pollard and Brown; LeClair Ryan and Williams Mullen law firms in Richmond and Coudert Brothers in Singapore.  She also worked in house with LandAmerica Financial Group and Albright & Wilson Americas.  Debbie was also a business owner herself, starting, owning, operating and eventually selling a specialty retail business. 

Debbie's experience includes:

  • Representing local and regional developers and builders in real estate matters, including land use, rezoning, subdivision, historic rehabilitation and tax credit projects, redevelopment residential, industrial and office/retail projects, and mixed-use projects.
  • Representing landowners in conservation projects and mitigation bank creation and operation.
  • Representing developers in creation of condominiums, including conversions and mixed-use projects.
  • Representing small and mid-sized businesses, corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships and associations, including condominium and homeowner associations, in formation, governance, commercial transactions, and asset acquisition and divestiture matters.
  • Representing companies in contract matters, including long-term supply and distribution agreements, plant purchase and sale, confidentiality and joint venture agreements.
  • Representing commercial landlords and tenants in lease and ground lease transactions.
  • Representing buyers and sellers in 1031 tax deferred exchanges.
  • Representing local, national and international financial institutions in commercial, asset based and real estate transactions and in workouts and restructuring of loans, including bond finance transactions.

     

  • Education:
    • Wake Forest University School of Law, Winston Salem, North Carolina, 1987
      J.D.

    • College of William and Mary, 1978
      A.B., Government

    October 5, 2010 - Mike Rothermel will speak at a seminar in Richmond, Practical Guide to Zoning and Land Use Law

    August 20, 2010 - Michael Yager, a Legal Assistant in our Litigation Section, spoke at a NALA LIVE! presentation on electronic discovery, "E-Discovery - Slow Down the Train" 

    August 5, 2010 - Four Spotts Fain lawyers named in Best Lawyers in America, Meade Spotts, Hugh Fain, Robert Chappell and Dana McDaniel.

    August 2, 2010 - Spotts Fain attorney, Lee Stephens assisted clients with first Fort Pickett Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB) conservation easement held by a State agency.

    July 28, 2010 - Lessons on Charitable Conservation Contributions from Schneidelman v. Commissioner, by Robert Allen and Lee Stephens.

    July 2010 - Spotts Fain congratulates Brian Marron, who begins his term as President of the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation.

    July 9, 2010 - 'Much Ado About Nothing' - Bilski v. Kappos, by Bob Barrett.

    June 23, 2010 - We are proud to announce that six Spotts Fain lawyers were named in the Virginia Super Lawyers list for 2010 and six named Virginia Rising Stars.

    June 21, 2010 - Section 1031 Update - Exchange Facilitators Act is effective July 1, 2010, by John Anderson

    June 19, 2010 - You may be required to notify your employees of their right to join a union, by Betsy Davis.

    June 15, 2010 - Spotts Fain Creditors' Rights lawyers spoke at a Virginia Association of Community Banks Teleseminar on Bankruptcy and Collections

    May 24, 2010 - Virginia Supreme Court Affirms Circuit Court Decision Confirming Arbitration Award in Dispute Involving a Limited Liability Company, by Andrew Oxenreiter and John Anderson.

    May 18, 2010 - Health Care Reform - Priorities for Employers 2010 by Elliot Fitzgerald

    May 13, 2010 - Mark With Care: The Rise of § 292 False Patent Marking Lawsuits, by Bob Barrett.

    April 23, 2010 - Business people should be aware of the consequences for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

    April 23, 2010 - Bob Barrett presented The $612.5 Million Question: How to protect your intellectual property at the Greater Richmond Chamber.

    April 7, 2010 - The Spotts Fain Intellectual Property Team welcomes Bob Barrett to our growing practice group.

    April 1, 2010 - We are very pleased to announce that Connell Mullins has been elected a shareholder of the firm and Deborah Fourness has been elected a director. 

    January 27, 2010 - We are proud to announce that Spotts Fain Managing Director, Hugh M. Fain, III has been elected Chair of the Board of Governors of the Virginia Bar Association

    Spotts Fain Consulting