More than 200 McGuireWoods lawyers from the firm’s U.S. offices were selected for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, 17 of whom were named “Lawyers of the Year,” an honor given to only one lawyer in each practice area per city.
Among the firm’s honorees, 28 lawyers were listed for Commercial Litigation, 24 for Banking and Finance Law, and 20 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law.
Best Lawyers selects honorees based on surveys in which thousands of lawyers confidentially evaluate their peers. The following McGuireWoods lawyers were recognized as “Lawyers of the Year” for 2025.
- Mark E. Anderson, Raleigh, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Thomas William Bruno, Richmond, Public Finance Law
- Alan C. Cason, Baltimore, Public Finance Law
- Jonathan Y. Ellis, Raleigh, Appellate Practice
- Art Gambill, Atlanta, Banking and Finance Law
- Brian L. Hager, Richmond, Venture Capital Law
- Dion W. Hayes, Richmond, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- James H. Hodges, Columbia, Government Relations Practice
- Meghan Gehr Hubbard, Richmond, Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- Bradley R. Kutrow, Charlotte, Litigation – Securities
- Kay McNab, Chicago, Banking and Finance Law
- Stephen W. Murphy, Charlottesville, Trusts and Estates
- Christopher R. Nolen, Richmond, Government Relations Practice
- John D. Padgett, Norfolk, Mergers & Acquisitions law
- Jontille Ray, Richmond, Energy Regulatory Law
- Brian C. Riopelle, Richmond, Patent Law
- H. Ramsey White III, Charlotte, Venture Capital Law
The following McGuireWoods lawyers were selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers.
ATLANTA – Peter N. Farley, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Art Gambill, Banking and Finance Law; Christopher K. Greene, Banking and Finance Law; John T. Grieb, Real Estate Law; Shelby S. Guilbert Jr., Insurance Law, International Arbitration – Governmental; Cheryl L. Haas, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy); Adam G. Sowatzka, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental; Anthony P. Tatum, Insurance Law; Gerald V. Thomas II, Tax Law; Gerum Yilma, Banking and Finance Law
BALTIMORE – Ilene A. Bailey, Real Estate Law; Alan C. Cason, Banking and Finance Law, Public Finance Law; Ava E. Lias-Booker, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Securities; Elena D. Marcuss, Employment Law – Management; Cecil E. Martin III, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Patrick M. Shelley, Real Estate Law; Adam T. Simons, Litigation – Labor and Employment
CHARLOTTE –Stephen David Allred, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance; Brian D. Barger, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Stephanie K. Briggs Evans, Corporate Law; Christian Brose, Banking and Finance Law; Eric L. Burk, Banking and Finance Law; Jason H. Cowley, Criminal Defense: White-Collar; David A. Franchina, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental; Taylor Wedge French, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Adam J. Greene, Banking and Finance Law, Project Finance Law; William N. Harris, Real Estate Law; James T. Hedrick, Jr., Banking and Finance Law; Patricia F. Hosmer, Banking and Finance Law; James H. Jeffries IV, Communications Law, Energy Law; Mark W. Kinghorn, Commercial Litigation; Bradley R. Kutrow, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – First Amendment, Litigation – Securities, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; David R. Lapp, Banking and Finance Law; Jodie Hermann Lawson, Commercial Litigation; John G. McDonald, Employment Law – Management; Robert Muckenfuss, Commercial Litigation; Paul M. Navarro, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Christopher S. Nesbit, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law; Meredith Pinson, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Trey Rayburn, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Staci E. Rosche, Banking and Finance Law; Chris Scheurer, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Richard S. Starling, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law; Bruce M. Steen, Commercial Litigation, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – ERISA, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Richard W. Viola, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation; Bart Walker, Health Care Law; W. Kent Walker, Jr., Banking and Finance Law; David B. Whelpley, Jr., Construction Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law; H. Ramsey White III, Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law; Lisa Medina Williams, Public Finance Law; Elizabeth G. Wren, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –Jonathan T. Blank, Commercial Litigation; J. Brian Jackson, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Stephen W. Murphy, Trusts and Estates; James F. Neale, Litigation – Insurance, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
CHICAGO –Brett W. Barnett, Commercial Litigation, Health Care Law; Scott Becker, Health Care Law; Edwin E. Brooks, Aviation Law; H. Holden Brooks, Antitrust Law; Holly Buckley, Health Care Law; Timothy P. Callahan, Construction Law; Christina M. Egan, Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Donald A. Ensing, Banking and Finance Law; Amy B. Manning, Litigation – Antitrust; Aaron G. McCollough, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Kay McNab, Banking and Finance Law, Public Finance Law; Philip J. Perzek, Banking and Finance Law; Amber McGraw Walsh, Health Care Law
COLUMBIA, S.C. –Michael Anzelmo, Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Regulatory Law; James H. Hodges, Government Relations Practice
DALLAS –Darren W. Collins, Information Technology Law, Patent Law; Jason W. Cook, Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent; Jon W. Finger, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law; Chelsea Hilliard, Commercial Litigation; David P. McLean, Corporate Law, Venture Capital Law
HOUSTON –Jeremiah J. Anderson, Construction Law; Jude Leblanc, Construction Law; Demetra L. Liggins, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy; Meghaan Madriz, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Yasser A. Madriz, Commercial Litigation, Trade Secrets Law; Tyler T. VanHoutan, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. –Thomas R. Brice, Employment Law – Management; Christal L. Fish, Real Estate Law; Christopher J. Thanner, Real Estate Law
LOS ANGELES – Shaun H. Crosner, Insurance Law; Craig M. Hirsch, Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance; Kirk A. Pasich, Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance; Pamela Woods, , Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance; Alice M. Youngbar, Real Estate Law
NEW YORK – William E. Goydan, Commercial Litigation; T. Craig Harmon, Real Estate Law; Benjamin B. Iselin, Banking and Finance Law; Stephen E. Older, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Brian I. Swett, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
NORFOLK, Va. – Richard J. Cromwell, Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Robert W. McFarland, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation; John D. Padgett, Admiralty and Maritime Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Transportation Law; Amy Morrissey Turk, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
PITTSBURGH –BryanC. Brantley, Commercial Litigation; Peter Butcher, Banking and Finance Law; Anthony J. Carna, Oil and Gas Law; Christi Davis, Securities / Capital Markets Law; Hannah Thompson Frank, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law; Mark E. Freedlander, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy; Alan B. Gordon, Real Estate Law; Gregory J. Krock, Commercial Litigation; Scott E. Westwood, International Mergers and Acquisitions, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Penny E. Zacharias, Banking and Finance Law. Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Thomas E. Zahn, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
RALEIGH, N.C. – Mark E. Anderson, Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants; E. Brett Breitschwerdt, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Utilities Law; Rebecca A. Brophy, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law; Jean Gordon Carter, Nonprofit / Charities Law, Trusts and Estates; Anne E. Croteau, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Jonathan Y. Ellis, Appellate Practice; Mary Lynne Grigg, Energy Law; Kristen M. Kirby, Public Finance Law; Henry L. Kitchin, Jr., Commercial Litigation; Mary Nash K. Rusher, Banking and Finance Law, Public Finance Law
RICHMOND – John D. Adams, Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Arthur E. Anderson II, Banking and Finance Law, Public Finance Law; James M. Anderson III, Corporate Governance Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law; Mary Dalton Baril, Copyright Law, Trademark Law; Michael H. Barker, Trusts and Estates; Craig D. Bell, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law; Candace Ali Blydenburgh, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Sarah B. Boehm, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy; Thomas William Bruno, Public Finance Law; Benjamin S. Candland, Trusts and Estates; Michael Daglio, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Patrick De Ridder, Corporate Law; Matthew D. Fender, Insurance Law; David E. Finkelson, Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law; Matthew Fitzgerald, Appellate Practice; Bryan A. Fratkin, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Ryan D. Frei, Commercial Litigation; Joy Fuhr, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Brian L. Hager, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law; Kristen Frances Hager, Trusts and Estates; Jonathan P. Harmon, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Individuals; Dion W. Hayes, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy; C. J. Berkeley Horne, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Patrick T. Horne, Energy Law; Justin D. Howard, Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Meghan Gehr Hubbard, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Trusts and Estates; Joanne Katsantonis, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law: D. Brennen Keene, Energy Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law; Douglas E. Lamb, Banking and Finance Law, Energy Law, Project Finance Law, Public Finance Law; Vishwa B. Link, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Utilities Law; John H. Maddock III, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy; George Keith Martin, Construction Law, Municipal Law, Real Estate Law; Eugene E. Mathews III, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental; Michele A. W. McKinnon, Nonprofit / Charities Law, Trusts and Estates; Christopher Michalik, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management; Perry W. Miles IV, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Jon G. Neal, Tax Law; Christopher R. Nolen, Government Relations Practice; Janet P. Peyton, Information Technology Law, Trademark Law; Edmund S. Pittman, Real Estate Law; S. Virginia Bondurant Price, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Jontille Ray, Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Regulatory Law; Robert F. Redmond, Jr., Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Joseph K. Reid III, Energy Regulatory Law, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Utilities Law; Brian C. Riopelle, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, Trade Secrets Law; David A. Rivard, Securities / Capital Markets Law; Dana L. Rust, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – ERISA, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Elaine Sanderlin Ryan, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law; Brian Schmalzbach, Appellate Practice; Joseph S. Sheerin, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy; K. Elizabeth Sieg, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy; Thomas J. Stallings, Health Care Law; R. Trent Taylor, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; W. Lake Taylor, Jr., Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law; Robin Cooke Vance, Trademark Law; J. Tracy Walker IV, Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Lawton B. Way, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law; Scott L. Weber, Real Estate Law
SAN FRANCISCO – Jeffrey Browning, Banking and Finance Law; Todd J. Dressel, Litigation – Bankruptcy; Peter S. Szurley, Commercial Finance Law, Securitization and Structured Finance Law
TYSONS, Va. – Michael S. Dingman, Construction Law, Litigation – Construction; Michael W. Graff Jr., Banking and Finance Law, Public Finance Law; David L. Greenspan, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Trade Secrets Law; Kang He, Construction Law, Litigation – Real Estate; Richard Dean Holzheimer Jr., Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate; E. Kristen Moye, Banking and Finance Law; Gregory A. Riegle, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law; Thomas E. Spahn, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Samuel L. Tarry Jr., Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; John D. Wilburn, Commercial Litigation, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Real Estate, Gino Zaccardelli, Trusts and Estates
WASHINGTON, D.C. – John V. Ayanian, Securities / Capital Markets Law; Julia D. English, Energy Law; Louis D. Greenstein, Litigation – Securities, Securities Regulation; Elizabeth J. Hogan, Litigation – Securities, Securities Regulation; Makram B. Jaber, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental; Robert A. Kaplan, Public Finance Law; Kevin M. Madagan, FDA Law; Michael J. Podberesky, Qui Tam Law; J. Patrick Rowan, Criminal Defense: White-Collar; William I. Sanderson, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates; Michael E. Scoville, Commercial Litigation; Noel Symons, Energy Regulatory Law, Utilities Law; Farnaz F. Thompson, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Allison Wood, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental.