James Dyke

Jim's broad practice covers corporate, legislative, education, governmental relations, economic development and municipal law. He previously served as Virginia's Secretary of Education under former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, and as domestic policy advisor to former Vice President Walter Mondale.

Jim has established a significant regional presence in the business, education and government arenas. He is well respected for his experience in working with all components of the community and with both political parties, having been appointed to numerous important positions by Democrats and Republicans. He has established a network of contacts that assist him in handling complex and sensitive matters throughout Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. His network includes numerous local, state and federal officials, educators and business leaders, especially in the Washington region.

He was included in Washingtonian magazine's list of "150 Most Powerful People" in the Washington region. He was also named to the “Power 100” by the Washington Business Journal. He has also been named eight times by Virginia Business Magazine as one of the “50 Most Influential Virginians.” He was named by Washington Business Journal as the “Best Networker” in the region and as a Minority Business Leader Honoree. He won the J. Michael Brown award from DuPont for his accomplishments in diversity, recruiting and mentoring in the legal profession and he received the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce "Lifetime Achievement Award." In addition, he has received numerous awards and certificates related to education, government and community service.

He was elected chairman of the Greater Washington Board of Trade for 2010. The Board of Trade is the largest regional business organization in the Washington, D.C., area, advocating for the business community in Virginia, the District of Columbia and Maryland. During his term, he was co-chair of the Joint Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) Governance Review Task Force. He was subsequently appointed by Virginia Governor McDonnell to be the Commonwealth’s representative on the WMATA Board of Directors where he served for three years and chaired the Governance Committee. He was then appointed by Governor McAuliffe as an At Large Member to the Commonwealth Transportation board which regulates and funds transportation in Virginia. He was then appointed to the State Go Virginia Board and the Virginia Research Investment Committee (VRIC) as well as the Transportation Service Delivery Advisory Committee (TSDAC). He was appointed by Governor Northam to the Board of Visitors for Norfolk State University. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Washington Gas Holding.

He is an active leader in the Northern Virginia business community having served as chairman of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce; chairman of the Northern Virginia Business Roundtable; president of the Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation; and chairman of the Emerging Business Forum, an organization focused on enhancing minority and women entrepreneurs in business.

He has served or is serving on various commissions and committees including the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV), the Commission to Restructure Virginia's Tax Structure, the Board of Directors of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors for the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education, Chairman of the Compensation Board, the Governor’s Commission on Economic Development and Job Creation (VA), the Governor’s Independent Bipartisan Advisory Commission on Redistricting (VA), and as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia.

Jim has made hundreds of speeches nationally and locally on education, business, government and political issues, and has been interviewed on numerous television, radio and news programs. He has also been quoted extensively in a wide range of newspapers and other publications. Jim has taught classes on legal writing and business units at Howard University School of Law and “Government, Politics and the Law” at the University of Virginia Law School, as well as classes on other topics through a variety of organizations including the Virginia Municipal League, the National Organization of Legal Problems in Education, the Virginia Association of Secondary Principals, the Virginia Association of School Superintendents and West Point Military Academy.

Jim graduated with honors from Howard University (including first in his Army ROTC class) and the Howard University School of Law and has earned honorary degrees from the University of Richmond, Virginia State University, St. Paul’s College, Randolph Macon College, Marymount University and Northern Virginia Community College. He served as law clerk to the Honorable Spottswood W. Robinson III of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

Past and Present

Member, GO Virginia State Board

Member, Board of Visitors, Norfolk State University

Member, appointed by Governor-elect Martin O'Malley and Lieutenant Governor-elect Anthony Brown of Maryland, Higher Education Transition Group

Member, Corporate Board of Directors, Washington Gas Light Company, 2003–present

Member, Board of Directors of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Chair of Governance Committee, Appointed by Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell

Member, Board of Directors, Agnes and Eugene Meyer Foundation

Member, Corporate Board of Directors, American Type Culture Collection, 2004–2006

Chairman, Board of Trustees, University of District of Columbia, 2004-2009; reappointed to the Board in 2012

Member, Board of Directors and Executive Committee, Greater Washington Board of Trade

General Bond Counsel, District of Columbia, 1982-1990

Former Chairman, District of Columbia Retirement Board

Former Chairman, Compensation Board, Commonwealth of Virginia

Member, Governor Bob McDonnell’s Independent Bipartisan Advisory Commission on Redistricting, 2011

Member, Board of Directors, Virginia Foundation for Community College Education

Member, Governor Bob McDonnell’s Commission on Economic Development and Job Creation, 2010

Chairman, Board of Directors of the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology, 1992-1994

Member, Board of Directors, Maryland Chamber of Commerce

Member, Legislative Committee of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce (invitation only)

Member, Virginia State Board of Education, 1985-1990

Member, State Council on Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV), 2004-2012

Chairman, Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, 1999-2000

Chairman, Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation, 2000-2002

Chair, Northern Virginia Business Roundtable, 2001-2004

Member, Commission to Study Virginia's State and Local Tax Structure for the 21st Century, 2001

Member, Virginia Commission on Educational Infrastructure, 1996-2000

Member, Commission on Virginia Higher Education in the 21st Century

Chair, Panel on Desegregation in Higher Education, Southern Education Foundation, 1994-2004

Virginia's Lay Member, Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, 2001-2003

Chairman, Metropolitan Council of Chambers of Commerce, 1999-2000

Member, Governor Gilmore's Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education, 1998-2000

Member; Advisory Committee on the Year, 2000; Advisory Committee on Technology-Based Economic Growth in Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia, Joint Commission on Technology and Science

Member, Advisory Board, George Washington University Virginia Campus

Member, Arts Council of Fairfax

Member, Board of Advisors, Sorensen Institute

Member, Board of Virginia Council on Economic Education

Member, Board of Virginia Early Childhood Education Foundation 

Member, Marymount University Board of Trustees

District of Columbia

Virginia

Executive and Legislative Affairs

Local Government Relations

Trade and International Affairs

Education