McGuireWoods’ Ryan Buchanan was named Managing Partner of the Year and Kevin McGinnis was named Dealmaker of the Year in ALM’s Southeastern Legal Awards, which salutes attorney excellence in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana. ALM’s Atlanta newspaper, the Daily Report, recognized the honorees at a May 7, 2026, gala in Atlanta.
Buchanan, managing partner of McGuireWoods’ Atlanta office, returned to the firm in March 2025 after spending 15 years with the U.S. Department of Justice — the last three as the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. Since he became office managing partner in July 2025, the firm has added more than 10 lawyers and seven business professionals in Atlanta. Buchanan also serves as a guest lecturer at Emory University and the University of Georgia law schools. In an April 13, 2026, Q&A with the Daily Report, Buchanan discussed the traits necessary to lead an office in the vibrant Atlanta region.
“You need to understand business,” he said. “The Southeast is booming. Here in Atlanta, we have bustling financial services, fintech and transportation industries, among others, so one has to be comfortable facilitating commerce. With so many major companies in the Southeast—and a host of excellent law firms for them to choose from—you also need to be competitive.”
McGinnis, a Charlotte partner, chairs the firm’s Debt Finance Department. In 2025, he represented Bank of America in $1 billion-plus credit facilities for Target Corp., J.B. Hunt Transport, Ross Stores, Nucor Corp. and Starbucks, among other major transactions. McGinnis discussed the keys to becoming a trusted transactional lawyer in an April 20, 2026, Q&A with the Daily Report.
“It demands consistency, credibility, and a long-term commitment to client relationships,” he said. “I have built trust by delivering results in the most challenging circumstances, whether structuring billion-dollar financings, navigating league-imposed restrictions, or managing complex multi-party negotiations under tight timelines.”
Raleigh partner Michael Easley was one of three finalists for Attorney of the Year. Easley led a successful lawsuit on behalf of 21 autistic children and their families challenging a potentially catastrophic cut to North Carolina’s Medicaid reimbursement rates for critical autism care. In November 2025, a judge blocked the cuts, and on Dec. 10, 2025, Gov. Josh Stein announced that his administration would restore reimbursement rates to their previous levels, explaining that recent court orders made the cuts untenable.
Raleigh partner Cori Hockman was selected as one of 10 “On the Rise” winners from North Carolina. She spearheaded the technical aspects of trial strategy for internet startup client Entri in a complex antitrust suit against domain goliath GoDaddy. She is also the pro bono coordinator for the firm’s Raleigh office and obtained the first permanent injunction during the COVID-19 pandemic securing protective measures and testing for elderly inmates in Texas.