McGuireWoods and Helms Mulliss & Wicker Announce Plans to Combine Practices Into 900-Lawyer Firm

March 5, 2008

McGuireWoods LLP and Helms Mulliss & Wicker, PLLC plan to merge their practices into a law firm with nearly 900 lawyers and offices in 17 cities in the United States, Europe and Central Asia, the firms announced today.

The combined firm will be known as McGuireWoods LLP. The merger will be effective at the close of business on March 31, 2008.

“Helms Mulliss and McGuireWoods are fortunate to have many successful clients whose legal needs are expanding and becoming more complex as their business grows, and we need to match our capabilities and geographic reach to meet those needs,” said Richard Cullen, chairman of McGuireWoods LLP. “With our common traditions of excellence, our shared focus on serving clients, and our complementary expertise in capital markets, business litigation and corporate law, we believe this combination is a natural fit that will benefit clients of both firms.”

Peter J. Covington, chairman and managing member of Helms Mulliss, will become vice chairman of McGuireWoods. Scott Vaughn, currently the practice area leader for Helms Mulliss Wicker’s finance group, will become managing partner of McGuireWoods’ Charlotte office.

“Helms Mulliss has had a long and proud history serving clients in North Carolina, and we’re excited about the opportunity to provide an even higher level of service to our clients by joining forces with McGuireWoods,” Covington said. “Charlotte’s emergence as the nation’s second largest financial center and the growing importance of technology and the life sciences in North Carolina are driving demand for the sophisticated tax, banking, business and regulatory services that our combined firm will be able to provide.”

McGuireWoods will have approximately 160 lawyers in Charlotte following completion of the merger.

McGuireWoods entered the Charlotte market in 1998 following its merger with Blakeney & Alexander. The firm expanded its presence the following year, merging with Fennebresque, Clark, Swindell & Hay. The firm’s North Carolina presence also includes a Raleigh office of its public affairs subsidiary, McGuireWoods Consulting.

Helms Mulliss & Wicker is recognized as one of America’s Best Law Firms by Corporate Board Member magazine, ranked as a Top Ten Bond Counsel by The Bond Buyer, ranked Highly Recommended in Benchmark: Litigation, The Definitive Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys and is named a Go-To Law Firm by Corporate Counsel magazine.

McGuireWoods LLP is a full-service law firm with offices in the United States, Europe and Central Asia providing legal counsel to clients around the world. The firm’s Charlotte office is located at 100 North Tryon Street.