Amy Cassalia, an accomplished deal lawyer with more than 25 years of experience advising corporate and private equity clients, has joined McGuireWoods as a partner in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Cassalia represents financial and strategic clients across industries, with a focus on the healthcare and life sciences sectors. She counsels private equity clients in leveraged acquisitions, divestitures, control and noncontrol investments, and secondary sale transactions. She also assists corporate clients in public and private M&A deals and advises them on governance and general business matters. Cassalia comes to McGuireWoods from Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton, where she led the M&A practice group.
“Amy’s wealth of experience advising private equity and corporate clients on sophisticated transactions in highly competitive industries makes her a vital asset to our practice,” said Richard W. Viola, deputy managing partner of McGuireWoods’ corporate practice.
McGuireWoods consistently ranks among the leading law firms for advising clients in U.S. and global M&A deals in league tables published by the London Stock Exchange Group and Mergermarket. In addition, the firm has earned numerous honors, including a nationwide ranking in Chambers USA, for representing hospitals and other healthcare institutions in major corporate transactions, as well as regulatory and compliance matters.
“As we continue growing our full-service offerings to participants in the life sciences sector, Amy’s proven ability to guide clients through high-value deals enhances our ability to provide best-in-class service to clients across the industry,” said Holly Buckley, chair of McGuireWoods’ Healthcare Department.
McGuireWoods is a dominant player in private equity deals across the life sciences ecosystem. The firm advises sponsors and portfolio companies in biopharmaceuticals and biotechnology, cell and gene therapy, diagnostics and life sciences tools, CDMOs/CMOs, CROs, specialty and rare‑disease platforms, medtech and digital health, as well as distribution and other regulated services. In addition, lawyers provide ongoing regulatory and compliance support, advertising and promotion review, and regulatory submission advice. McGuireWoods’ annual Healthcare Private Equity and Finance Conference is one of the largest private equity events in the U.S. healthcare market.
“McGuireWoods has a deep and diversified corporate practice with unmatched industry insight to help clients execute their business plans,” Cassalia said. “I am excited to join the firm’s strong and growing national practice.”
Cassalia’s arrival continues the recent expansion of McGuireWoods’ Raleigh office, which includes the 2025 additions of Michael Easley Jr., former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina; Charlotte Mitchell, former chair of the North Carolina Utilities Commission; and former North Carolina Solicitor General Ryan Park.
“Amy is an outstanding addition to our Raleigh office, enhancing our ability to serve clients in dynamic industries in the Research Triangle and nationwide,” said Elizabeth Zwickert Timmermans, managing partner of McGuireWoods’ Raleigh office.