Law360 highlighted McGuireWoods’ Pacific Northwest growth and high-stakes litigation capabilities in a July 7, 2026, story on the growth of the Seattle legal market.
The article, “New BigLaw Competition Is Changing The Seattle Market,”explored how an influx of elite national firms is reshaping the region’s legal landscape. The story highlighted the February 2026 launch of McGuireWoods’ Seattle office with a nine-partner team that made an immediate impact in the market.
McGuireWoods Managing Partner J. Tracy Walker IV told Law360 that the firm’s entry into Seattle was a deliberate “talent strategy.” When the opportunity arose to integrate a powerhouse team of experienced litigators, the firm moved decisively to meet growing client demand, he said.
The demand is being driven by a shift in the regulatory and litigation climate. Rike Connelly, managing partner of the Seattle office, explained how McGuireWoods is already entrenched in high-value defense work for the region’s massive tech and innovation sectors. She noted that Washington state and the Western District of Washington have become a “hotbed” of class action activity.
“We’re very much defending consumer class actions brought against large tech companies, anything from web tracking to alleged privacy concerns about storing data, and down to even tariff refunds,” Connelly told Law360.
McGuireWoods’ Seattle team provides the boots-on-the-ground defense and sophisticated counsel national corporations need to navigate this changing terrain. The firm’s Seattle presence underscores its commitment to anchoring top legal talent where clients, including major Fortune 500 companies and tech pioneers, need it most.