McGuireWoods Earns Top Rankings in Chambers USA’s 2019 Leading Lawyers Guide

Renewable & Alternative Energy Added to Firm’s Nationally Recognized Practices

April 30, 2019

Chambers and Partners recognized McGuireWoods lawyers 83 times and firm practice areas 39 times in the 2019 edition of “Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.”

Seven practice areas received nationwide recognition: Food & Beverages: Regulatory and Litigation; Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation); Healthcare; Product Liability & Mass Torts; Corporate/M&A; Projects: Renewable & Alternative Energy; and Transportation: Aviation: Finance.

McGuireWoods earned 13 Band 1 regional practice rankings in Banking & Finance; Bankruptcy/Restructuring; Corporate M&A; Environment; Intellectual Property; Labor & Employment; Litigation: General Commercial; Litigation: Products Liability; and Real Estate.

Individually, 25 lawyers earned Band 1, “Star Individual,” “Eminent Practitioner,” or “Senior Statespeople” rankings, reflecting their stature as leaders in their respective practices and industry areas.

In interviews with Chambers researchers, clients praised the firm for going beyond outstanding legal service.

“They provide sound advice, understand our needs and desires as a business, produce excellent work product and have top-notch partners and associates,” a client said of the firm’s litigation practices.

Another applauded the firm’s M&A lawyers for “their diverse range of skill sets,” adding, “if something falls out of our core area of work, they can cover that.”

Clients also noted the firm’s market-leading capabilities in banking and finance. One described McGuireWoods as “absolutely a cut above in this area in terms of industry knowledge, responsiveness — and all of the other attributes.” Another said the firm is “recognized as one of the preeminent practices in the country in terms of syndicated loans.”

Clients commended the firm’s energy regulatory lawyers, particularly in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission enforcement matters. “They are exceptional and have a national footprint with a smaller boutique firm feel,” one said. “They are very responsive and have a good command of their subject matter.”

The Chambers USA honors follow the firm’s recent nationwide rankings in Chambers’ 2019 Fintech Guide and annual High Net Worth Guide.

Practice Rankings
McGuireWoods earned state recognition in the following practices:

  • Antitrust (Illinois)
  • Banking & Finance (North Carolina, Pittsburgh & Surrounds, California, Georgia, Illinois)
  • Bankruptcy/Restructuring (North Carolina, Virginia, Illinois)
  • Corporate/M&A (Southern Virginia, Charlotte & Surrounds, Maryland, Texas)
  • Corporate/M&A and Private Equity (Pittsburgh & Surrounds)
  • Environment (Virginia, North Carolina)
  • Healthcare (Illinois, North Carolina)
  • Insurance (Texas)
  • Intellectual Property (Southern Virginia, Texas)
  • Labor & Employment (Virginia, North Carolina, California)
  • Litigation: General Commercial (North Carolina, Virginia, Pittsburgh & Surrounds, Illinois)
  • Litigation: Products Liability (Virginia)
  • Real Estate (Northern Virginia, Southern Virginia)
  • Technology & Outsourcing (Illinois)

Individual Rankings
McGuireWoods lawyers were recognized in the following categories:

Antitrust
Illinois – Amy Manning and Angelo Russo of Chicago

Banking & Finance
California – Hamid Namazie and Mark Spitzer of Los Angeles; Peter Szurley of San Francisco
Georgia – Christopher Greene and Chris Molen of Atlanta
Illinois – Philip Perzek of Chicago
North Carolina – Eric Burk, Rebecca Chaffin and W. Kent Walker of Charlotte
Pittsburgh & Surrounds – Penny Zacharias of Pittsburgh

Banking & Finance: Public Finance
North Carolina – Mary Nash K. Rusher of Raleigh

Bankruptcy/Restructuring
District of Columbia – Douglas Foley of Washington
New York – Brian Swett of New York
North Carolina – Robert H. Pryor and Scott Vaughn of Charlotte
Pittsburgh & Surrounds – Mark Freedlander of Pittsburgh
Virginia – Sarah Boehm, Dion Hayes and John Maddock of Richmond; David Swan of Tysons

Corporate/M&A
Maryland – Cecil Martin III and Heather Welch Arbogast of Baltimore
New York – Jeffrey L. Rothschild of New York
North Carolina – Chris Scheurer and David B. Whelpley Jr. of Charlotte
Southern Virginia – Joanne Katsantonis of Richmond
Texas – David P. McLean of Dallas

Corporate/M&A & Private Equity
Pittsburgh & Surrounds – David Hornyak and Ryan Purpura of Pittsburgh

Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation)
Nationwide – Todd Mullins and Noel Symons of Washington

Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Electricity)
Texas – Becky H. Diffen of Austin

Environment
North Carolina – David Franchina of Charlotte; Charles D. Case of Raleigh
Virginia – John Lain, Dale Mullen, and James Thornhill of Richmond

Food & Beverages: Regulatory & Litigation
Nationwide – James Neale of Charlottesville

Healthcare
Illinois – Scott Becker, Jason Greis, James B. Riley Jr. and Amber McGraw Walsh of Chicago
North Carolina – Bart Walker of Charlotte

Healthcare: Transactional
Nationwide – Scott Becker of Chicago

Insurance
Texas – J. Mark Lawless of Austin

Intellectual Property
Southern Virginia – David E. Finkelson, Janet P. Peyton and Brian C. Riopelle of Richmond
Texas – Darren Collins of Dallas

Intellectual Property: Patent
New York – Benjamin C. Hsing of New York

Labor & Employment
Georgia – Richard B. Hankins of Atlanta
Illinois – Joel Spitz of Chicago
North Carolina – Brian Barger and Bruce Steen of Charlotte
Virginia – Gary Marshall of Richmond, Stephen W. Robinson of Tysons

Litigation: General Commercial

Maryland – Ava Lias-Booker of Baltimore
North Carolina – Douglas W. Ey Jr. and Bradley R. Kutrow of Charlotte
Texas – Ronald Franklin of Houston

Litigation: Healthcare & Medical Malpractice
North Carolina – Mark Anderson of Raleigh

Litigation: Products Liability
Virginia – Terrence Bagley, Stephen Busch, Samuel L. Tarry Jr., J. Tracy Walker IV and Steven R. Williams of Richmond

Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
Illinois – Christina Egan of Chicago
North Carolina – Ken Bell of Charlotte
Virginia – John Adams, Richard Cullen and Howard C. “Toby” Vick Jr. of Richmond

Projects
Nationwide – Timothy P. Callahan of Chicago

Projects: Renewable & Alternative Energy
Nationwide – Timothy P. Callahan of Chicago

Real Estate
Georgia – John Grieb of Atlanta
Southern Virginia – Nancy Little of Richmond

Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use
Northern Virginia – Gregory Riegle of Tysons
Southern Virginia – D. Brennen Keene of Richmond

Tax
Georgia – Gerald Thomas of Atlanta

Technology & Outsourcing
Illinois – Steve Gold of Chicago

Transportation: Aviation: Finance
Nationwide – Patricia F. Hosmer of Charlotte