McGuireWoods’ public finance team ranked among the top bond counsel in the Southeast United States in 2025 and played a role in one of the year’s most significant finance transactions, according to data published by The Bond Buyer, the newspaper of public finance.
McGuireWoods ranked seventh in the Southeast region, which covers 11 states. The firm earned a No. 2 bond counsel ranking in Virginia and a No. 4 rating in North Carolina. McGuireWoods also was the No. 4 bond counsel in Maryland, part of The Bond Buyer‘s Northeast region.
McGuireWoods served as bond counsel to the Virginia Port Authority (VPA) in an innovative $248.7 million financing that The Bond Buyer recognized as the Southeast Region Deal of the Year. The transaction enabled a first-of-its-kind lease amendment at Virginia International Gateway (VIG), securing a fixed-price option for the VPA to purchase the terminal in 2065. The financing also funded a $335 million upfront rent payment, nullified all outstanding port revenue bonds and equipment leases, and allowed the VPA to avoid an 8% ticking fee, all while providing enhanced operational control and long-term certainty for the Port of Virginia.
“These rankings reflect the depth and dedication of our public finance team, and we are honored to be recognized again among the leading bond counsel in the Southeast,” said Kay McNab, co-leader of McGuireWoods’ Public Finance Practice Group.
McGuireWoods holds a Band 1 nationwide ranking in public finance from Chambers USA, the highest awarded by the respected legal guide. The firm’s finance lawyers have earned national recognition for advising on governmental and private activity bond transactions and are leaders in the use of strategies such as public-private partnerships; special revenue, tax and assessment pledges; lease financings; and tax and revenue anticipation notes.