Lawyers / Professionals

Gov. Easley represents corporate clients on issues including economic development within North Carolina, as well as biopharma, life sciences and energy issues. He also serves as a senior advisor within the firm's public affairs subsidiary, McGuireWoods Consulting.

Under his leadership as governor of North Carolina from 2001-2009, North Carolina's economy prospered while the state led the nation in education progress in the 21st century. Gov. Easley restored fiscal discipline to the state's finances, while at the same time, increased investments in education and infrastructure - key components to recruiting and retaining high skill jobs and industry for the state. As a result of these efforts, North Carolina has attracted 21st century industries and earned recognition as a national leader in economic development. Site Selection magazine has named North Carolina's business climate the best in the nation for seven of the past eight years.

With education as a top priority in his economic development plan for North Carolina, Gov. Easley reduced class sizes in grades K-3, raised teacher pay, implemented the nation's first Teacher Working Conditions Survey and created the state's first education lottery. He created "More at Four," a pre-K program offering educational assistance to at-risk children; as well as the highly recognized "Learn and Earn" early college initiative. That program, designed to help high school students earn a tuition-free, four-year college degree, was awarded the "2008 Innovations in American Government Award" by The Ash Institute for Democratic Government and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

Prior to serving as governor, he was North Carolina's attorney general from 1993-2001, where he worked to remove the state's prison cap; helped create an environmental crimes task force; created a citizens' rights division to combat hate crimes, child abuse, and elder abuse; and was a key negotiator in the landmark 1998 nationwide tobacco settlement.

In 2009 he received the North Carolina Chamber's Award for Distinguished Public Service in recognition of his dedication to North Carolina.