G. Franklin Flippin

Frank Flippin specializes in the area of business planning. He has more than 50 years of experience representing management and equity owners in all facets of formation, succession planning, acquisitions and divestitures. Frank served as president of The Virginia Bar Association. He is consistently noted as a Virginia Super Lawyer in Business Law & Corporate Transactions and has been included in the Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, and Mergers and Acquisition Law since 1993.

A quick handshake

•If I wasn't practicing law...

I would be reading more. I am an avid reader and particularly enjoy non-fiction books that relate to business. One of my favorites is “The Fish that Ate the Whale.”

•How often do you get out on your boats?

I spend as much time as possible on the water. I have sailed in the San Juan Islands and Victoria, which I think is my favorite.

Experience

•More than fifty years of experience in all facets of formation, reorganization, operation, and disposition of businesses; corporate, partnership, and limited liability company issues; and divestitures, mergers and acquisitions
•Represented purchasers and sellers of manufacturing, distribution, and service companies in transactions with public companies, strategic purchasers and private equity groups
•Represented management in taking private a subsidiary of an international electronics company
•Represented borrower in $2,500,000,000 credit transaction
•Represented buyer of a subsidiary of a Fortune 100 company
•Served as a member of the committee that drafted the current Virginia Stock Corporation Act

Awards

•Named “2011 Roanoke Lawyer of the Year for Corporate Law” by The Best Lawyers in America, and noted in the areas of Banking and Finance, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions (1993-2026), also noted in the Best Lawyers in America Business Edition (2016)
•Named “Go To Business Lawyer” by Virginia Lawyer’s Weekly (2020)
•fellow, Virginia Law Foundation (Inducted in 2000)
•Named a “Top Rated Lawyer” in Mergers and Acquisitions (2012) and Business & Commercial law (2013) by American Lawyer Media, publisher of The American Lawyer and Corporate Counsel magazines
•Designated one of the Legal Elite by Virginia Business magazine in Corporate Law (200 0 ) and Business Law (2001-2006, 2009-2010, 2012-2014)
•Named to Super Lawyers Business Edition US in the area of Business/Corporate (2012-2014)
•Included in Virginia Super Lawyers in the area of Business/Corporate Law (2007-2010, 2013-2015)
•Named a “Legal Eagle” for Banking & Finance Law, Corporate Law, and Mergers & Acquisitions by Virginia Living magazine (2012)

Published Work

•Co-author, Directors and Officers’ Liability, chapter for Corporation and Partnerships in Virginia (Virginia CLE, 2016).

Library

•31 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers 2026 Lists
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Aug 2025
•35 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers 2025 Lists
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Aug 2024
•30 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers 2024 Lists
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Aug 2023
•22 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2021
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Aug 2020
•21 Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America
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Aug 2019
•20 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2019 'Best Lawyers in America '
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Aug 2018
•21 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2018 Best Lawyers in America
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Aug 2017
•Twenty-Two Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 'The Best Lawyers in America'
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Oct 2016
•Fourteen Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to “Best Lawyers in America Business Edition/Winter 2016” by Best Lawyers
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Jan 2016
•23 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 2016 “Best Lawyers in America”
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Aug 2015
•28 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named 2015 Virginia Super Lawyers
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Apr 2015
•Nine Gentry Locke Attorneys Recognized as '2014 Legal Elite' in Virginia
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Dec 2014
•13 Gentry Locke Attorneys Featured in '2014 Super Lawyers' US Business Edition
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Nov 2014
•Twenty-One Gentry Locke Attorneys Earn Best Lawyers Designations and One Lawyer of the Year
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Aug 2014
•27 Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to Lists of 2014 Virginia Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
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Jun 2014
•Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to '2013 Legal Elite'
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Nov 2013
•Thirteen Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 'Super Lawyers Business Edition US'
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Nov 2013
•Twenty-two Attorneys named to 2014 Best Lawyers in America list; Firm Ranked in Tier 1 for Best Law Firms
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Aug 2013
•Twenty-five Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 'Virginia Super Lawyers' for 2013
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Jun 2013
•2013 'Top Rated Lawyers' at Gentry Locke
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Oct 2012
•Super Lawyers Business Edition US Lists Thirteen Gentry Locke Attorneys
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Sep 2012
•Twenty-four Gentry Locke Attorneys Named 'Best Lawyers'
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Sep 2012
•Twenty-four Gentry Locke Attorneys Named to 'Virginia Super Lawyers' for 2012
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Jun 2012
•Gentry Locke Attorneys Listed in 37 'Legal Eagle' Categories
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Apr 2012
•Twelve Gentry Locke Lawyers Named to 2012 Virginia Legal Elite
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Dec 2011

American Bar Foundation

• Past Member, Board of Trustees, Hampden-Sydney College

• Past Chairman, Board of the Jefferson College of Health Sciences

• Counsel to the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge

• Chair, Virginia State Bar Business Law Section (1983-1984)

• Director, Roanoke Bar Association (1978-1980)

• Member, American Bar Association

• Member, Virginia State Bar

• Member, The Virginia Bar Association

• Member, Roanoke Bar Association