McGuireWoods was recognized as a leading law firm in 40 nationwide practice areas in the 2026 edition of the Legal 500 United States, the respected independent guide to the country’s top firms and lawyers.
The annual rankings reaffirm McGuireWoods’ litigation and transactional strength across industries and practice areas, including energy; banking and finance; M&A and private equity; healthcare; commercial litigation; corporate investigations and white collar criminal defense; product liability defense; labor and employment; data protection and privacy; and transportation.
The firm earned Tier 1 nationwide rankings in Energy: litigation: electric power; Energy transactions: electric power – mid-market ($0-500m); and Product liability, mass tort and class action: automotive/transport. Overall, the firm improved its standing in eight practice categories.
Clients interviewed by Legal 500 said McGuireWoods stands out for its comprehensive capabilities, industry knowledge and commitment to delivering excellent service.
“When compared to other firms, the most notable difference is their availability and willingness to assist,” an energy industry client said. “Given the size of their firm, McGuireWoods genuinely feels like you’re dealing with a smaller boutique firm in terms of results, attention to detail and responsiveness.”
A healthcare client added, “Despite their exceptional expertise and high level of accomplishment, every attorney I’ve worked with has demonstrated humility and professionalism, without any trace of ego. Their approach is refreshing and truly sets them apart.”
The firm earned high marks for its “experienced products liability litigators who are able to think outside the box and find creative solutions to resolving costly litigation.”
“They take the time to understand my business – both products and people – and use that broad knowledge base to shape their advice,” a client said. “It’s not transactional, and it’s not a one-off strategy with this team; they are mindful of our history and our future.”
McGuireWoods also won plaudits for its government investigations and white collar litigation prowess, a longstanding strength of the firm.
“It was evident that the team was comprised of individuals who had spent time within prosecutors’ offices prior to joining McGuireWoods, given the skilled nature of their interviews,” a client said.
Practice Rankings
McGuireWoods earned rankings in the following nationwide practice areas.
- Antitrust: cartel
- Antitrust – civil litigation and class actions: defense
- Capital markets – debt offerings: advice to issuers
- Commercial lending: advice to bank lenders
- Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense: advice to corporates
- Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense: advice to individuals
- Cyber law (including data protection & privacy)
- Education
- Energy litigation: electric power
- Energy litigation: oil and gas – mid-market ($0-500m)
- Energy regulation: electric power
- Energy: renewable/alternative power
- Energy transactions: electric power – mid-market ($0-500m)
- Energy transactions: oil and gas – mid-market ($0-500m)
- Environment: litigation
- Environment: regulatory
- Environment: transactional
- Fintech
- General commercial disputes – premium ($500m+)
- Healthcare: service providers
- Insurance: advice to policyholders
- Intellectual property – trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
- Labor and employment – disputes (including collective action): defense
- Labor & employment: employee benefits, executive compensation & retirement plans: design
- Labor & employment: employee benefits, executive compensation & retirement plans: transactional
- Leading trial lawyers
- M&A: middle market ($0 – $250 million)
- Media, technology and telecoms: outsourcing
- Private equity buyouts: middle-market (up to $500m)
- Product liability, mass tort and class action – defense: automotive/transport
- Product liability, mass tort and class action – defense: consumer products (including tobacco)
- Product liability, mass tort and class action – defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices
- Product liability, mass tort and class action – toxic tort: defense
- Project finance: energy and power
- Real estate: finance
- Real estate: land use/zoning
- Tax: U.S. taxes – non-contentious
- Transport: aviation and air travel – finance
- Transport: rail and road – litigation and regulation
- Transport: shipping – litigation and regulatory
Leading Lawyers
McGuireWoods lawyers were recognized individually throughout the guide, with 14 lawyers singled out as Leading Partners in their practice areas and another named a Leading Trial Lawyer. They are:
- Heather Welch Arbogast, energy transactions: electric power – mid-market ($0 – $500m)
- Eric Bilik, transport: rail and road – litigation and regulation
- Anthony Carna, energy transactions: oil and gas – mid-market ($0 – $500m)
- Taylor French, employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: design
- Shelby Guilbert, insurance: advice to policyholders
- Benjamin Hatch, product liability, mass tort and class action: automotive/transport
- Joanne Katsantonis, energy transactions: electric power – mid-market ($0 – $500m); M&A: middle market ($0-$250m)
- Brian Kelly, energy transactions: electric power – mid-market ($0 – $500m)
- Ava Lias-Booker, leading trial lawyers
- Amy Manning, antitrust: cartel
- Todd Mullins, energy: litigation: electric power
- John Padgett, transport: shipping – litigation and regulation
- Deepak Reddy, aviation and air travel: finance
- Samuel Tarry, product liability, mass tort and class action – defense: automotive/transport
- Michael Woodard, M&A: middle market ($0-$250m).
In addition, Katlyn Davis Farrell (energy litigation: electric power), Gregory Fosheim (healthcare: service providers), Allison Tanner (employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: design) and Natalie Zagari (transport: rail and road – litigation) were singled out as “Next Generation Partners,” a designation reserved for younger partners “who make a material difference to the practice.”
Counsel Katie Rak (Labor & employment: employee benefits, executive compensation & retirement plans: design) and associate Molleigh Thomas (Energy transactions: oil & gas – mid-market) also earned recognition as leading lawyers.
Legal 500 also highlighted more than 140 McGuireWoods lawyers in its editorial coverage of the firm’s practices. The complete rankings can be found here.