Chambers and Partners recognized McGuireWoods lawyers 171 times and firm practice areas 88 times in the 2026 edition of the Chambers USA guide.
The firm earned 27 nationwide practice rankings, including Band 1 rankings – Chambers’ highest – in Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation), Public Finance and Bankruptcy/Restructuring.
McGuireWoods also earned Band 1 regional practice rankings in Banking & Finance; Bankruptcy/Restructuring; Corporate/M&A; Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation; Energy & Natural Resources; Healthcare; Insurance; Intellectual Property; Labor & Employment; Litigation: General Commercial; Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations; Product Liability & Toxic Torts; Public Finance; and Real Estate. The firm earned 10 new practice rankings in the 2026 guide and improved its standing in seven practice categories.
Individually, McGuireWoods lawyers earned 49 Band 1, “Eminent Practitioner,” or “Senior Statespeople” designations as leaders in their respective practices and industry areas. The firm added 21 new individual recognitions, and 29 lawyers advanced in the rankings. McGuireWoods received nationwide rankings in the following practice areas:
- Antitrust: Cartel
- Banking & Finance
- Bankruptcy/Restructuring
- Cannabis Law
- Climate Change
- Corporate Crime & Investigations
- Corporate/M&A
- Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation)
- Energy: Electricity (Transactional)
- Environment
- Financial Services Regulation: Broker Dealer (Compliance & Enforcement)
- Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance (Litigation)
- Food & Beverages: Regulatory & Litigation
- Healthcare
- Higher Education
- Insurance: Dispute Resolution (Policyholder)
- Labor & Employment
- Litigation: General Commercial
- Occupational Safety & Health
- Offshore Energy
- Product Liability & Mass Torts
- Public Finance
- Projects: Power & Renewables (Transactional)
- Sports Law
- Transportation: Aviation (Finance)
- Transportation: Aviation (Litigation)
- Transportation: Rail (for Railroads)
Client Feedback
Clients interviewed by Chambers researchers lauded the firm for its broad-based excellence, depth of talent and industry-focused approach to client service. The firm earned high marks for its energy regulatory, litigation and transactional capabilities, with one client saying: “McGuireWoods has a deep bench at every level, which gives real confidence on complex matters. The advice is clear, pragmatic and delivered when needed.”
The firm’s M&A and private equity lawyers won praise for their “strategic insight and input on structuring, negotiating, market intelligence, and ‘gut feel’ for key transaction points.”
“McGuireWoods understands our business, the market and our people,” a client said.
Clients also noted the firm’s “deep bench of resources for healthcare matters” and its “tremendous deal experience across different industries” in banking and finance transactions.
In addition, the firm earned plaudits for its prowess in commercial litigation, product liability disputes, white collar criminal matters and government investigations.
McGuireWoods lawyers “are responsive, knowledgeable and aggressive in defending our business,” a commercial litigation client said. “They get up to speed very quickly on technical issues and present strong advice on how to pursue cases.”
In product liability matters, a client said the firm “has deep scientific knowledge and an ability to translate such knowledge into legal proceedings, to anticipate what we will need and provide it. But the biggest value is that the team really invests the time to understand us.”
McGuireWoods earned acclaim for government investigations. “The firm includes a deep bench of former U.S. Attorneys, federal prosecutors, and enforcement officials with extensive governmental experience who provide a very client-focused approach and work proactively to identify and mitigate risk before it escalates,” a client said.
The Chambers USA honors follow McGuireWoods’ nationwide rankings in Chambers’ annual fintech and high net worth guides.
Practice Rankings
McGuireWoods earned state recognition in the following practices.
- Antitrust (Illinois)
- Banking & Finance (North Carolina, Georgia, Illinois, California, Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh & Surrounds)
- Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Texas)
- Corporate/M&A (North Carolina: Charlotte & Surrounds; Southern Virginia; Maryland; Texas; New York)
- Corporate/M&A & Private Equity (Illinois, Pennsylvania)
- Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (North Carolina, Virginia)
- Energy & Natural Resources (North Carolina, Pennsylvania)
- Environment (Virginia, North Carolina, District of Columbia)
- Healthcare (Virginia, Illinois, North Carolina, California)
- Healthcare: Pharmaceutical/Medical Products Regulatory (District of Columbia)
- Insurance (Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina)
- Insurance: Policyholder (California)
- Intellectual Property (Southern Virginia, Texas)
- Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets (Texas)
- Labor & Employment (California, Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Illinois, Texas)
- Litigation: General Commercial (North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Maryland)
- Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Virginia, District of Columbia, North Carolina)
- Product Liability & Toxic Torts (Virginia)
- Public Finance (Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, New York)
- Real Estate (Southern California, North Carolina, Southern Virginia)
- Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Northern Virginia)
Individual Rankings
McGuireWoods lawyers were recognized in the following categories.
Accountant and Auditor Liability
Nationwide – Jodi Lopez of Los Angeles
Antitrust
District of Columbia – Brent Justus of Washington and Richmond
Illinois – Amy StarinieriGilbert, Amy Manning, Angelo Russo and Sarah Zielinski of Chicago
Antitrust: Cartel
Nationwide – Amy Manning of Chicago; Brent Justus of Washington and Richmond
Appellate Law
Nationwide – Jonathan Ellis of Raleigh
Banking & Finance
California – Dayan Rosen of Los Angeles; Peter Szurley of San Francisco
Georgia – Art Gambill, Christopher Greene and Gerum Yilma of Atlanta
Illinois – Donald Ensing, Yuan-Ying Hsu and Philip Perzek of Chicago
North Carolina – Andrew Parrish, Thomas Booms, Christian Brose, Kevin McGinnis, Raj Natarajan and W. Kent Walker of Charlotte
Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh & Surrounds) – Peter Butcher and Penny Zacharias of Pittsburgh
Bankruptcy/Restructuring
Illinois – Aaron McCollough of Chicago
North Carolina – Trey Rayburn of Charlotte
Pennsylvania – Mark Freedlander of Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh & Surrounds) – Mark Freedlander and Frank Guadagnino of Pittsburgh
Texas – Cassandra Sepanik Shoemaker of Dallas; Demetra Liggins of Houston
Virginia – Dion Hayes and Elizabeth Sieg of Richmond
Climate Change
Nationwide – Allison Wood of Washington
Construction
District of Columbia – Christopher Thatch of Washington
Virginia – Michael Dingman of Tysons
Corporate/M&A
Maryland – Heather Welch Arbogast, Brian Kelly and Cecil E. Martin III of Baltimore
New York – Jeffrey L. Rothschild of New York
North Carolina: Raleigh, Greensboro & Surrounds – Rebecca Brophy of Raleigh
North Carolina: Charlotte & Surrounds – Chris Scheurer and David B. Whelpley Jr. of Charlotte
Southern Virginia – Brian Hager, Joanne Katsantonis, Emilie McNally and Michael Woodard of Richmond
Corporate/M&A & Private Equity
Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh & Surrounds) – Benjamin Hantz, David Hornyak and Thomas Zahn of Pittsburgh
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
Illinois – Carolyn Trenda of Chicago
North Carolina – Taylor French and Allison Tanner of Charlotte
Virginia – Robert Wynne of Richmond
Energy & Natural Resources
North Carolina – James H. Jeffries IV of Charlotte; Kristin Athens, Brett Breitschwerdt, Mary Lynne Grigg and Andrea Kells of Raleigh
Pennsylvania – Anthony Carna of Pittsburgh
Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation)
Nationwide – David Martin Connelly, Julia English, Katlyn Davis Farrell, and Todd Mullins of Washington
Energy: Electricity (Transactional)
Nationwide – Brian Kelly of Baltimore and Joanne Katsantonis of Richmond
Environment
District of Columbia – Makram Jaber and Allison Wood of Washington
Georgia – Adam Sowatzka of Atlanta
North Carolina – David Franchina and Matthew Giordano of Charlotte; W. Dixon Snukals of Raleigh
Virginia – Heather Stevenson of Richmond
Financial Services Regulation: Broker Dealer (Compliance)
Nationwide – John Ayanian of Washington
Financial Services Regulation: Broker Dealer (Enforcement)
Nationwide – Cheryl Haas of Atlanta; Todd Beaton of New York; Elizabeth Hogan of Washington
Healthcare
California – Trey Andrews of Los Angeles
Georgia – Kristen McDermott Woodrum of Atlanta
Illinois – Scott Becker, Holly Buckley, Timothy Fry and Amber McGraw Walsh of Chicago
North Carolina – Kayla McCann Marty and Bart Walker of Charlotte
Virginia – William Clayton Landa and Thomas Stallings of Richmond
Healthcare: Pharmaceutical/Medical Products Regulatory
District of Columbia – Kevin Madagan of Washington
Higher Education
Nationwide – Farnaz Farkish Thompson of Washington and Sarah Wake of Chicago
Insurance
Georgia – Joseph Englert, Shelby Guilbert and Anthony Tatum of Atlanta
Pennsylvania – Emma Leonelli of Pittsburgh
Virginia – Matthew Fender and Andrew F. Gann Jr. of Richmond
Insurance: Dispute Resolution (Policyholder)
Nationwide – Kirk Pasich of Los Angeles and Anthony Tatum of Atlanta
Insurance: Policyholder
California – Shaun Crosner and Kirk Pasich of Los Angeles
Intellectual Property
Southern Virginia – Amanda DeFord, David E. Finkelson, Janet P. Peyton, Brian C. Riopelle, Robin Cooke Vance and Lucy Jewett Wheatley of Richmond
Texas – Darren Collins and Jason Cook of Dallas
Labor & Employment
California – Sabrina A. Beldner of Los Angeles
Illinois – Michael Phillips and Joel Spitz of Chicago
Maryland – Elena Marcuss and Adam T. Simons of Baltimore
North Carolina – Paul Navarro and Meredith Pinson of Charlotte
Texas – Joel Allen of Dallas
Virginia – Amy Morrissey Turk of Norfolk; David Greenspan of Tysons
Litigation: Appellate
North Carolina – Jonathan Ellis of Raleigh
Virginia – Matt Fitzgerald, Robert W. Loftin and Brian Schmalzbach of Richmond
Litigation: General Commercial
Maryland – Ava Lias-Booker of Baltimore
North Carolina – Bradley R. Kutrow of Charlotte; Mark Anderson of Raleigh
Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh & Surrounds) – Bryan Brantley of Pittsburgh
Texas (Houston & Surrounds) – Thomas Farrell of Houston
Virginia – Jonathan Blank of Charlottesville
Litigation: Trial Lawyers
Nationwide – Steven McCool of Washington
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
District of Columbia – Julia Coleman and Steven McCool of Washington
Illinois – Christina Egan of Chicago
North Carolina – Jason Cowley of Charlotte
Texas – Mindy Sauter of Dallas
Virginia – V. Kathleen Dougherty and Benjamin Hatch of Norfolk; John Adams of Richmond
Offshore Energy
Nationwide – Samuel Kettering of Richmond
Private Equity: Buyouts
Illinois – Geoffrey C. Cockrell of Chicago
Product Liability & Toxic Torts
Virginia – Andrew F. Gann Jr., J. Tracy Walker IV and Davis Walsh of Richmond; Samuel L. Tarry Jr. of Tysons
Product Liability: Toxic Torts
Nationwide – Samuel L. Tarry Jr. of Tysons
Projects: Power & Renewables (Transactional)
Nationwide – Michael Woodard of Richmond
Projects: Renewables & Alternative Energy
Nationwide – Timothy P. Callahan of Chicago and Durham McCormick of Houston
Public Finance
District of Columbia – Robert Kaplan of Washington
Georgia – Kenneth Neighbors of Atlanta
Illinois – Kay McNab of Chicago
Maryland – Alan Cason and Anna Horevay of Baltimore
New York – John Semeniak of New York
North Carolina – Lisa Williams of Charlotte; Kristen Kirby of Raleigh
Virginia – Thomas W. Bruno and Anne Curtis Saunders of Richmond; Michael W. Graff Jr. of Tysons
Real Estate
Florida: North & Central – Christopher Thanner of Jacksonville
North Carolina – William Harris of Charlotte
Southern Virginia – Scott Weber of Richmond
Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use
Northern Virginia – Scott Adams and Gregory Riegle of Tysons
Southern Virginia – D. Brennen Keene of Richmond and Austin
Securities: Regulation (Enforcement)
Nationwide – Andrew Southerling of Washington
Tax
Georgia – Gerald Thomas of Atlanta
Transportation: Aviation (Finance)
Nationwide – Deepak Reddy of New York
Transportation: Aviation (Litigation)
Nationwide – Michael Scoville and Mack Shultz of Seattle
Transportation: Rail (for Railroads)
Nationwide – Eric Bilik of Jacksonville