American Lawyer Media publication Corporate Counsel selected McGuireWoods partner Sarah Wake as a finalist for the Women, Influence & Power in Law (WIPL) Awards honoring accomplished women attorneys at law firms and in-house legal departments across the country. Wake is a finalist in the Collaborative Leadership – Internal category.
Wake is co-leader of McGuireWoods’ Higher Education Enforcement & Regulatory Counseling Practice Group, a founder of the firm’s Sports Industry Team and a legal adviser to top research institutions, liberal arts colleges and schools with NCAA Division I athletics programs. Before returning to McGuireWoods in 2021, she served as an in-house lawyer and senior leader at top universities and on the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions.
Wake is widely recognized in the higher education community for shaping industry best practices through her writing, speaking engagements and leadership roles. She regularly presents to NCAA Division I athletic directors on the evolving collegiate sports landscape. Her leadership has been recognized by Chambers USA and the Legal 500 United States, with Chambers commenting that she “knows higher education inside and out.” Wake also serves on the Editorial Board of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, the premier association of college and university attorneys.
Wake helped build McGuireWoods’ Sports Industry Team, which leverages the firm’s experience in precedent-setting litigation and groundbreaking transactions. Recognizing that sports law touches nearly every area of legal practice, she worked closely with firm leadership to identify skills and knowledge across the firm and connect lawyers to form the team.
“Sarah embodies collaborative leadership at its highest level, inspiring those around her to achieve excellence and building teams where everyone’s strengths are valued,” said Noreen Kelly, McGuireWoods’ deputy managing partner for litigation. “We congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition.”
Winners will be announced at the WIPL Awards Dinner on April 14, 2026, in Chicago.
“I am proud to be included among such an exceptional group of legal professionals,” Wake said. “I am grateful to the incredible colleagues and clients I have the privilege of working with every day.”