McGuireWoods won a Community Impact Leader Award from The National Law Journal, marking the third year in a row the publication honored the firm for social responsibility, pro bono service, diversity and inclusion, and guiding clients on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues.
McGuireWoods was recognized for helping clients navigate the transformational changes in the energy economy and the regulatory environment caused by the green energy transition; the work done by its 100-member ESG task force; the nearly 39,000 hours of pro bono work the firm recorded in 2023; and firm governance distinguished by its diverse, inclusive leadership.
“Being honored for our community impact by an independent authority like The National Law Journal for the third consecutive year is a testament to the many ways our lawyers and consultants collaborate with clients to act as a force for good in our profession and in communities across the country,” said McGuireWoods managing partner J. Tracy Walker IV.
McGuireWoods leads renewable energy deals for four of the top 20 energy utilities in the United States. In 2023, it represented longtime client Dominion Energy in sophisticated deals that advanced the company’s strategic transition to renewable energy, including a cross-border $14 billion sale of three gas plants headquartered in three states. McGuireWoods took the lead for Dominion on its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, the largest such project in the country and the first to be installed in federal waters. The project is expected to generate enough clean energy to power up to 660,000 homes while avoiding or displacing as much as 5 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually. McGuireWoods also advised Dominion in an agreement to sell a 50% noncontrolling interest in the project to Stonepeak, a leading global infrastructure investor, through the formation of an offshore wind partnership.
McGuireWoods’ other notable achievements include a multidisciplinary pro bono project that won asylum for 40 Afghan women, men and children who came to the United States under humanitarian parole after escaping Afghanistan after it fell to the Taliban. In 2023, the firm also launched the “What’s in a Name?” project, which deploys an easy-to-use technology tool that promotes inclusion and belonging across the firm by broadcasting the correct pronunciation of names. McGuireWoods is one of the first law firms to implement such technology.