American Lawyer Media’s Corporate Counsel magazine has selected McGuireWoods partners Joanne Katsantonis and Amber McGraw Walsh for its 2021 Women, Influence & Power in Law Awards recognizing accomplished women attorneys at law firms and in-house legal departments across the country.
Katsantonis, the firm’s deputy managing partner for development, is recognized in the managing partner of the year category. Walsh, former chair of the firm’s healthcare practice, is honored in the thought leadership category.
Katsantonis is an integral part of McGuireWoods’ senior management. She is responsible for numerous business development and relationship-building activities, in addition to overseeing the firm’s cross-practice industry teams and assisting with implementation of the firm’s strategic plan. A former leader of McGuireWoods’ nationally recognized energy industry team, Katsantonis is a strategic adviser to energy companies, from public utilities and independent power producers to financial investors. She acts as general corporate adviser to energy companies on mergers and acquisitions, corporate structuring, partnership and joint venture issues, governance issues, and compliance and risk management.
Katsantonis advises on some of the industry’s largest deals, including leading a McGuireWoods team representing longtime client Dominion Energy in its sale of natural gas transmission and storage business to an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway – the largest purchase of U.S. energy assets announced in 2020.
“I am honored to be included with accomplished women lawyers and law firm leaders who were selected for these awards,” Katsantonis said. “I am grateful to my McGuireWoods colleagues and for the firm’s steadfast commitment to diversity and inclusion in our profession.”
Walsh is a nationally recognized thought leader in healthcare, M&A and private equity. She helped establish the firm’s award-winning Women in Private Equity & Finance initiative to promote the advancement of women in those industries. The initiative includes the “Deal Us In” podcast series, which features conversations with women leaders and rising stars in private equity and finance.
Walsh co-founded and co-chairs the firm’s annual Healthcare and Life Sciences Private Equity and Finance Conference, one of the largest private equity events in the U.S. healthcare market. She co-writes McGuireWoods’ The Healthcare Investor blog covering issues and trends affecting investments in healthcare and life sciences. She also hosts the firm’s “Healthcare Headlines” video series, which provides insight on business, litigation and regulatory developments affecting healthcare providers and investors.
“I am proud of the initiatives we have launched to elevate the firm’s leadership in healthcare, private equity and finance and promote the advancement of women in these fields,” Walsh said. “It is gratifying to be recognized for these efforts by a respected publication like Corporate Counsel.”
Corporate Counsel will honor the award winners Oct. 7 at an event in Washington, D.C.
“Joanne and Amber are outstanding lawyers, leaders and role models who have made immeasurable contributions to McGuireWoods’ success,” said J. Tracy Walker IV, the firm’s managing partner. “We congratulate them for this well-deserved national recognition.”