McGuireWoods Receives “Smithfield Ham Award” for VA Legal Food Frenzy Donations

May 11, 2012

McGuireWoods LLP has received the Smithfield Ham Award for the fifth consecutive year for donating more food – the equivalent of 201,250 pounds of food worth more than $50,000 dollars – than any other large law firm in Virginia during the Sixth Annual Statewide Legal Food Frenzy.

The statewide food drive, organized by the Virginia Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, the Virginia Office of the Attorney General, and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks is a competition among Virginia law firms, legal departments and law schools to raise donations for local food banks. This year, participants collectively raised 1.44 million pounds of food donations.

Derek H. Swanson, one of the statewide co-chairs of the Legal Food Frenzy and an associate in McGuireWoods’ Richmond office, will accept the award on the firm’s behalf at a special reception to be held at the Governor’s Mansion in July.

“We are so honored to receive this award,” Swanson said. “I am truly humbled by the Virginia legal community’s generosity and commitment to supporting the food banks’ mission to end hunger in our commonwealth.

About Legal Food Frenzy

A recent study by Feeding America found that more than 1 million Virginians are considered “food insecure.” This represents a nearly 40 percent increase since 2006. A large number of these individuals are children, senior citizens, disabled adults, and the new face of hunger — individuals who have lost their jobs and are having problems making ends meet. In response to this urgent need, the Virginia Office of the Attorney General, the Virginia Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks joined efforts in 2007 to create Legal Food Frenzy, an annual food drive and fundraiser. Visit www.legalfoodfrenzy.com for more information.