Michael N. Herring, who earned widespread acclaim and public support for his leadership as Richmond’s top prosecutor for the past 13 years, has joined McGuireWoods’ litigation practice as a partner. He will represent clients in government investigations, white-collar criminal defense and commercial litigation.
Herring was first elected Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney in 2005 and won re-election three times without opposition. Managing an office of 40 lawyers, he led high-profile criminal prosecutions and was appointed to head politically sensitive investigations involving alleged conduct of top statewide elected officials. He helped Richmond police develop strategies to reduce homicides and violent crimes dramatically and implemented groundbreaking criminal justice reforms adopted by other Virginia localities.
Herring initiated efforts to find alternatives to criminal trials such as diversion programs and deferred prosecutions for first-time nonviolent offenders. He also collaborated with the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project to exonerate three individuals wrongfully convicted of violent crimes in Richmond decades ago.
“Mike Herring has provided strong, forward-looking leadership as Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney, earning the respect and admiration of the legal community, city and state leaders and the citizens he represented,” said McGuireWoods chairman Jonathan Harmon. “Our clients will benefit greatly from his experience and sound judgment.”
Born in Richmond, Herring earned undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Virginia. Before his election as Commonwealth’s Attorney, he handled criminal defense, medical malpractice and personal injury litigation in private practice and served in the office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney from 1992 to 1996 as senior felony trial attorney for violent crimes and narcotics offenses. Herring is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America.
“Mike has amassed an incredible record of accomplishment in a legal career that got its start when he was a McGuireWoods summer associate in 1988,” said George Keith Martin, managing partner of the firm’s Richmond office. “We’re delighted to have him back home.”
“I am excited to join McGuireWoods because of its national reputation for excellence and top client service,” Herring said. “I am delighted that I now have a role in serving the firm’s clients and advancing that reputation further.”
Herring joins a litigation practice recognized as a leader in BTI Litigation Outlook:
Changes Trends and Opportunities for Law Firms. McGuireWoods was among an elite group ranked as “standouts” in multiple practices, including complex commercial litigation. McGuireWoods also ranks among the world’s premier investigations firms in the GIR 100, a guide to leading cross-border investigations practices based on independent research by Global Investigations Review.