Getty Zoe Lofgren
Zoe Lofgren has been named one of the House managers for President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. She’s married to John Marshall Collins, a successful attorney. Here is what you need to know about Zoe Lofgren’s husband, John Marshall Collins.
1. They Met at a Party After a Mutual Friend Lost an Election
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Zoe Lofgren and her husband, John Marshall Collins, met at an election party after a candidate they supported had lost, Politico reported. She told Politico that they still joke with their friend: “at least something good came out of his failed candidacy.” They were married in 1978.
2. She Said a Politician Once Thought Her Husband Was Running for Office, Not Her
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Lofgren tells a story of how when she was first running to replace Democratic Congressman Don Edwards, Edwards introduced late Republican Congressmen Henry Hyde to Lofgren and Collins, The Guardian reported. Lofgren says that Edwards said he wanted Hyde to meet the person who was going to replace him, and Hyde extended his hand to Collins, assuming it was her husband.
According to her bio, Lofgren and Collins have two children: Sheila Collins and John Collins.
3. Lofgren’s Campaign Paid a Her Husband’s Firm for Consulting Work Years Ago
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The Mercury News reported in 2007 that Lofgren’s re-election campaign had paid $348,000 worth for consulting work to two businesses that her husband was a partner in: his law firm and Collins and Day. The latter also did work for other campaigns from the local to the federal level. This was legal, but she decided not to use her husband’s businesses to avoid any questions, she said. She told Mercury News: “The services rendered were legal and proper, but we did not want anyone to question whether we were personally profiting from my re-election campaign.”
4. Collins Is an Attorney Who Specializes in Real Estate for Commercial and Industrial Areas, Along with Business Organizations & Trusts
Collins is an attorney who was licensed in California and admitted to the state bar in 1972. His firm is listed as being John Marshall Collins, PC. Collins is also admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court.
Collins got his law degree from UCLA, Los Angeles and has a BA in Political Science from UCLA, Los Angeles. According to his LinkedIn profile, he’s had a private practice in San Jose since 1974 and is also associated with Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel as Of Counsel since 2017. He’s been an adjunct professor at Santa Clara University for 11 years.
According to his LinkedIn, he specializes in commercial/industrial real estate but not residential. He also works with business organization, formation, and operation, along with wills, trusts, and probate issues.
5. His Firm Is Valued at $250K to $500K
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Collins has owned his private practice for 43 years since 1977, according to his LinkedIn profile. He describes his work this way: “Sole practitioner; I advise on, negotiate, and document commercial real estate transactions, both purchase and sale and leasing, and provide advice and assistance in regard to commercial property management, as well as working in business, estate, probate, and trusts practice, based in San Jose, CA.”
Lofgren and Collins own 100 percent interest in his firm, according to her financial disclosure in 2018. In her disclosure, his firm was valued at $250,000 to $500,000 according to a 2018 report.
A colleague wrote about Collins on LinkedIn in 2010: “John Marshall Collins is a very good real estate attorney. I have referred prospective clients to him several times over the years when I was unable to take the matter on myself. We’ve also had cases where he was on one side and I was on the other and he always carried himself in a courteous, professional manner. I am pleased to recommend him.”
A client wrote about him in 2009 on LinkedIn: “Over the last 30 years, John has proven to be not only an excellent attorney, but a man with values. As a litigator he is judicious with his time and your money. As a business attorney, he gets to the point and applies his substantial experience to provide what the client needs. John has been involved in more negotiations and transactions than I could count. He is always my first choice for legal help.”