John D. Padgett, the managing partner of McGuireWoods’ Norfolk, Virginia office, has been selected as one of Virginia Lawyers Media’s “Leaders in the Law” for 2015. Now in its 10th year, the awards program recognizes lawyers and professionals in law-related fields for significant achievements such as changing the law, improving the justice system and serving the community.
The 2015 “Leaders in the Law” class will be honored at a reception on Oct. 29 at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond. The honorees will be profiled in a special supplement that will be inserted into Virginia Lawyers Weekly in early November.
Padgett is an accomplished corporate lawyer and leader of McGuireWoods’ transportation industry team. He represents some of the largest transportation and terminal operations in the United States, including APM Terminals (APM), which opened North America’s biggest privately-held container facility in Portsmouth in 2006, and has represented Virginia Port Authority. He has also counseled developers of offshore wind projects, including one in Virginia, on complicated supply chain issues relating to the Jones Act. In addition, Padgett worked with the salvors of the Titanic as they recovered items from the ship’s debris field in the North Atlantic.
Padgett is a longtime leader in the Hampton Roads business community and is active in civic affairs. He chairs the Tidewater Community College Board and received the Virginia Community College System’s 2014 Chair’s Award for College Board Member Exemplary Service. He is a board member and past chair of the Hampton Roads Chambers of Commerce and is slated to be the chairman of the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance’s executive committee and regional board in 2016.
Padgett is the ninth McGuireWoods lawyer to be selected for “Leaders in the Law” since the program’s inception in 2006. Previous McGuireWoods honorees are Anne Marie Whittemore in 2006, Richard Cullen in 2007, Tom Spahn in 2008, John M. Oakey Jr. in 2009, Melissa Glassman in 2010, Dale Mullen in 2011, Scott Oostdyk in 2012 and George K. Martin in 2013.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be included among the exceptional lawyers who were selected for these awards,” Padgett said. “I’m especially proud to join my McGuireWoods colleagues who received this recognition before me and contributed so much to this firm.”