McGuireWoods partner Eric G. Olshan was inducted as a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) on Oct. 23, 2026, during the organization’s annual meeting in New York.
The ACTL is an invitation-only fellowship dedicated to improving the standards of trial practice, promoting the administration of justice and protecting the rule of law. Fellows are selected for exhibiting the highest standards of trial advocacy, ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism and collegiality. Membership is limited to no more than 1% of the total lawyer population in any given state, province or country.
Olshan helps clients navigate complex government investigations, enforcement actions and high-stakes litigation. Before joining McGuireWoods in 2025, he served in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for over 17 years, culminating in his appointment by the President and unanimous confirmation by the Senate as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania based in Pittsburgh.
During his career in government, Olshan spent over 15 years as a white collar prosecutor, including 10 years as a trial attorney and deputy chief in the DOJ Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section in Washington, D.C., and over five years as an assistant U.S. Attorney and chief of the Economic/Cyber/National Security Crimes Section in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
As U.S. Attorney, Olshan led the three-month capital trial of the shooter who murdered 11 worshipers at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue in 2018, the worst antisemitic mass shooting in U.S. history. Olshan has practiced in federal courts across the country and tried more than two dozen cases to verdict, including federal white collar trials in seven federal districts. A skilled appellate advocate, he has handled criminal and civil appeals in the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the First, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits.
“It is an honor to join the American College of Trial Lawyers, an organization that stands for the same values I do: trial practice excellence, effective administration of justice and, most significantly, upholding the rule of law,” Olshan said.
Olshan’s selection to the ACTL follows his recent induction into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers (IATL).
“Eric’s inductions into these distinguished organizations reflect his exceptional skill, unwavering integrity and sound judgment,” said Noreen Kelly, McGuireWoods’ deputy managing partner and head of litigation. “His trial experience and leadership at DOJ make him invaluable to our clients, and we are proud to see him recognized by his peers in this way.”
Olshan joins McGuireWoods partners Mark E. Anderson, Jonathan T. Blank, Jason H. Cowley, Jonathan P. Harmon, Michael N. Herring and Steven J. McCool as ACTL Fellows. Anderson and Samuel L. Tarry Jr. are also Fellows in IATL.