Peyton N. Smith has joined McGuireWoods’ Labor and Employment Practice as a partner in Austin, bringing more than 25 years of experience representing companies in a wide range of employment, litigation and business matters.
Smith represents national retail, food service and technology companies in employment-related litigation, and has served as lead counsel in more than 20 jury trials. He also provides strategic guidance to human resources leaders and company executives in multiple industries on employment and risk management issues such as workplace safety, internal investigations, and drafting employment agreements.
Smith comes to McGuireWoods from Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr. He previously led the labor and employment practice and held multiple leadership roles with two national law firms.
“Peyton has very deep ties to the business community in Austin and excels at building strong client relationships, particularly with companies in the retail, food service and technology industries,” said Bruce Steen, chair of McGuireWoods’ Labor and Employment Practice. “This is another example of our commitment to build up our capabilities in Texas to serve both new and existing clients.”
Smith is a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America and serves as vice chair of the Self-Insurers and Risk Management Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section. An Austin native, he received his undergraduate and law degrees from Baylor University.
“Peyton has earned the trust of his clients by getting to know their businesses and being responsive to their legal needs,” said J. Mark Lawless, managing partner of the firm’s Austin office. “His experience and insight will have tremendous benefits for our clients in Texas and nationwide.”
McGuireWoods’ Labor and Employment team includes lawyers across the United States and Europe representing local, national and multinational employers. The firm earned a Tier 1 ranking in the 2016 edition of U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” in the practice areas of Litigation – Labor & Employment and Employment Law – Management.
The firm’s Food and Beverage industry team provides transactional, litigation and regulatory services for some of the biggest food and beverage manufacturers, distributors and retailers. The firm earned a nationwide Food and Beverage ranking in the 2016 edition of “Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.” In addition, the firm’s cross-practice Retail industry team includes experienced lawyers based in cities across the United States and in Europe.
“McGuireWoods has a powerhouse labor and employment practice with a strong track record of delivering value for its clients,” Smith said. “The firm has deep experience in all areas of labor and employment law, and I’m excited to be joining this outstanding team.”