R. Patrick Dover, counsel in McGuireWoods’ Complex Commercial Litigation Department in Jacksonville, will join Patriot Rail Co. LLC on May 3, 2021, as assistant legal counsel. His last day at McGuireWoods is April 30.
As one of two lawyers in the legal department of this rapidly expanding holding company for 13 short-line railroads, Dover will help manage Patriot Rail’s day-to-day legal affairs, including outside litigation, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and customer contracts.
Dover started as a summer associate with McGuireWoods in 2008, and since joining the firm full time in 2009, he has focused on litigating and arbitrating railroad business torts, with an emphasis on federal pre-emption and appellate work. The Legal 500 US recognized him as a “Rising Star” in Transport: Rail and Road – Litigation in 2019 and 2020. Dover has been a key member of the CSX client team working in the firm’s Jacksonville and Atlanta offices.
Dover took a one-year hiatus from the firm to serve as an appellate law clerk to Judge Henry F. Floyd of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and previously served as a legal intern for the Federal Programs branch of the U.S. Department of Justice.
“I am grateful for the opportunity McGuireWoods has provided to work on high-profile, complex litigation matters with great mentors and attorneys for more than a decade in our Jacksonville and Atlanta offices. Although I will miss my McGuireWoods colleagues, I look forward to growing the railroad experience I developed at the firm in my new in-house role,” Dover said.
“Patrick has been an outstanding attorney and colleague during his career with the firm. He has been an invaluable member of the CSX team and developed nationally recognized experience in railroad regulatory and pre-emption litigation. While we will miss Patrick’s legal talents and contributions as a professional colleague and friend, we are excited for Patrick as he begins this new chapter of his career,” said Jacksonville office managing partner Eric Bilik, who leads the office’s complex commercial litigation group.
