McGuireWoods partner Gerald V. Thomas II has been named a Tax Law Trailblazer by The National Law Journal. Thomas and his fellow honorees were profiled in a special edition published in the NLJ’s July-August issue.
Thomas chairs the firm’s Tax & Employee Benefits Department. Based in Atlanta, he advises clients on transactional tax matters, including M&A, private equity funds, public offerings and real estate investment trusts (REITs). The NLJ singled out Thomas for his role creating McGuireWoods’ groundbreaking Black Professionals in Private Equity & Finance (BPE) initiative.
In 2021, Thomas worked with partner Greg Kilpatrick, chair of the firm’s Securities & Capital Markets Department, to create a program that brings together Black professionals from across the investment landscape to network, cultivate relationships, explore business opportunities and promote change in the industry. BPE features panel discussions and roundtables in major cities with leaders in the private equity and financial services sectors and an online series highlighting leaders and rising stars.
“We recognize the business value of diversity, and we were motivated by the lack of significant change in the private equity and finance industries,” Thomas told the NLJ.
He added: “The feedback we’ve received from our clients and industry professionals has been overwhelming and inspiring. Many clients have approached us looking for ways that they can partner with us on this initiative. This is something they really care about.”
Among his many honors, Thomas is recognized as a leading tax lawyer by Chambers USA, the Legal 500 United States and The Best Lawyers in America.