Penny E. Zacharias, an accomplished lawyer with more than a decade’s experience representing financial institutions in a broad range of lending transactions, has joined McGuireWoods as a partner in Pittsburgh, where the firm is expanding its highly ranked debt finance practice.
Zacharias focuses on debt financing and secured transactions, including origination of asset-based and acquisition financing and leveraged finance transactions. She also has structured and documented large syndicated deals. Zacharias has handled transactions involving a wide range of industries and has extensive experience representing secured lenders to the security alarm and medical alert industries.
“Penny is a significant addition,” said Bob Cramer, chair of McGuireWoods’ debt finance practice. “We plan to build our debt finance capability in Pittsburgh and she is the first step. We are delighted to welcome her.”
Cramer said Zacharias is a strong addition to the McGuireWoods team that represents Pittsburgh-based PNC Bank, the fifth-largest bank in the United States.
Zacharias said she was drawn to McGuireWoods by the national profile of its debt finance practice.
“I know my clients will benefit from McGuireWoods’ focus on excellence,” Zacharias said. “I’m thrilled to be joining one of the nation’s best debt finance practices.”
Zacharias comes to McGuireWoods from the Pittsburgh office of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, where she began her career in 2002. She is a 2002 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in 1997, and her master’s in business administration from Pitt in 1999.
“Penny will be instrumental in expanding our debt finance practice in Pittsburgh, and her experience enhances our ability to serve clients nationwide,” said Brian Parker, managing partner of the firm’s Pittsburgh office.
McGuireWoods finished 2014 ranked fifth in Thomson Reuters Loan Pricing Corp.’s U.S. Lender Law Firm League Table for its representation of lead arrangers and bookrunners in syndicated debt financings, with 128 deals valued at $91.6 billion. It was the fourth consecutive year that McGuireWoods ranked among the top 10 U.S. law firms in the league tables that debt finance professionals consider definitive.
In addition, McGuireWoods was named “Law Firm of the Year” for Banking and Finance Law in the 2015 edition of U.S. News-Best Lawyers’ Best Law Firms.
With more than 75 syndicated finance and asset-based lending lawyers in its Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, Richmond and Tysons Corner offices, McGuireWoods continues to expand its representation of financial institutions.