Kelley Drye & Warren LLP

Partner

John Villafranco possesses an immersive understanding of the legal and regulatory framework that governs advertising and marketing practices.

The credibility and insights John has gained over three decades at the forefront of advertising and consumer protection law have earned him the trust and respect of clients, regulators, adversaries, and adjudicators. In investigations, litigation, and administrative proceedings, his advocacy and experience help lead to efficient and favorable resolutions, while his comprehensive counseling emphasizes risk analysis and sound advertising and marketing practices.

A member of the firm’s Executive Committee, John defends and advises clients from a broad spectrum of industries when their advertising or marketing practices draw the unwanted scrutiny of the Federal Trade Commission, state attorneys general, competitors, or consumers.

John’s experience has included matters involving a broad range of products and practices, with an emphasis on demonstrating that his clients’ advertising and marketing practices are truthful and not otherwise deceptive. This work has included claims related to a variety of health, consumer, and telecommunications products; emerging issues involving social media influencers, online reviews, and native advertising; and allegations of consumer fraud. John has also successfully represented numerous C-suite executives when regulators have attempted to hold them individually liable.

Through his involvement in countless matters over the years, John has developed positive and productive working relationships with the investigators, regulators, and attorneys whose decisions determine whether a matter is a quickly resolved inconvenience or a disruptive and costly ordeal. His approach is proactive rather than responsive. He establishes and frames his client’s narrative upfront and leverages his well-earned credibility to create a dynamic that limits the scope of an inquiry and establishes a foundation for a resolution that minimizes the burdens on his client.

John helped develop the self-regulatory mechanisms that resolve advertising and marketing disputes without resorting to litigation. This work has included reviewing and proposing suggested revisions to the procedures that govern matters before the National Advertising Division (NAD), the National Advertising Review Board (NARB), and the Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council. He continues to regularly defend clients in matters before these bodies. In 2025, John handled more NAD matters than any other attorney, representing the broadest array of industries appearing before the division that year.

In his counseling practice, John provides practical guidance and helps develop comprehensive compliance strategies on the full range of consumer protection issues. Considered an authority on a range of issues involving consumer protection law, John is a frequent speaker, author, and columnist on such matters and has conducted advertising law workshops for many Fortune 500 companies.