The Daily Report published a May 6, 2026, Q&A with McGuireWoods Raleigh partner Michael Easley, who is a finalist for the newspaper’s Southeastern Legal Awards Attorney of the Year honor.
Easley led a successful lawsuit on behalf of 21 autistic children and their families challenging a potentially catastrophic cut to North Carolina’s Medicaid reimbursement rates for critical autism care. In November 2025, a judge blocked the cuts, and on Dec. 10, 2025, Gov. Josh Stein announced that his administration would restore reimbursement rates to their previous levels, explaining that recent court orders made the cuts untenable.
“We were proud to stand with families and fight for the rights of children and bring a lot of brilliant legal talent to represent autistic toddlers who otherwise wouldn’t have had a voice,” Easley said.
Easley rejoined McGuireWoods in 2025 after serving nearly four years as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Asked to name someone he admires in his legal community, Easley singled out former McGuireWoods Chairman Richard Cullen, who served as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and as Virginia’s attorney general during his distinguished legal career.
“The idea of having public service be a component of my career was really appealing to me, and Richard’s model of being a lawyer and a leader and a contributor to his state and his nation was a model that I found attractive,” Easley said.
Asked what lesson is important to learn early in a legal career, Easley responded that “relationships and credibility” drive results, adding, “[t]he most effective lawyers are empathetic with clients and intentional about building teams and relationships before a crisis hits.”
The Daily Report, an affiliate of The American Lawyer, will announce the award winner at a reception May 7, 2026, in Atlanta.