More than 230 McGuireWoods lawyers from the firm’s U.S. offices were selected for inclusion in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, 21 of whom were named “Lawyers of the Year,” an honor given to only one lawyer in each practice area per city.
Among the firm’s honorees, 30 lawyers were listed for Commercial Litigation, 26 for Banking and Finance Law, and 24 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law.
Best Lawyers selects honorees based on surveys in which thousands of lawyers confidentially evaluate their peers.
The following McGuireWoods lawyers were recognized as “Lawyers of the Year” for 2027:
- John D. Adams, Richmond, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Mark E. Anderson, Raleigh, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Craig D. Bell, Richmond, Litigation and Controversy – Tax
- Thomas William Bruno, Richmond, Public Finance Law
- Jonathan Y. Ellis, Raleigh, Appellate Practice
- Bryan A. Fratkin, Richmond, Litigation – Banking and Finance
- Christopher K. Greene, Atlanta, Banking and Finance Law
- Dion W. Hayes, Richmond, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Meghan Gehr Hubbard, Richmond, Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- Robert A. Kaplan, Washington, D.C., Public Finance Law
- Bradley R. Kutrow, Charlotte, Litigation – Securities
- Vishwa Bhargava Link, Richmond, Energy Law
- Kay McNab, Chicago, Banking and Finance Law
- Stephen W. Murphy, Charlottesville, Trusts and Estates
- Joseph K. Reid III, Richmond, Energy Regulatory Law
- Brian C. Riopelle, Richmond, Patent Law
- Brian D. Schmalzbach, Richmond, Appellate Practice
- Thomas J. Stallings, Richmond, Health Care Law
- Bruce M. Steen, Charlotte, Litigation – ERISA
- Lawton B. Way, Richmond, Corporate Governance Law
- H. Ramsey White III, Charlotte, Venture Capital Law
The following McGuireWoods attorneys were selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers.
ATLANTA – Nicholas A. DuPuis, Banking and Finance Law; Art Gambill, Banking and Finance Law; Christopher K. Greene, Banking and Finance Law; Shelby S. Guilbert Jr., Insurance Law, International Arbitration – Governmental; Cheryl L. Haas, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy); Adam G. Sowatzka, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental; Anthony P. Tatum, Insurance Law; Gerald V. Thomas II, Tax Law; Kristen McDermott Woodrum, Health Care Law; Gerum Yilma, Banking and Finance Law
AUSTIN – Matt Matthews, Government Relations Practice; Kwame Walker, Government Relations Practice
BALTIMORE – Ilene A. Bailey, Real Estate Law; Alan C. Cason, Banking and Finance Law, Public Finance Law; Ava E. Lias-Booker, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Securities; Elena D. Marcuss, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Cecil E. Martin III, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Patrick M. Shelley, Real Estate Law; Adam T. Simons, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Alan T.L. Sun, Public Finance Law
CHARLOTTE – Stephen David Allred, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance; Stephanie K. Briggs Evans, Corporate Law; Christian Brose, Banking and Finance Law; Sabrina N. Conyers, Tax Law; Jason H. Cowley, Criminal Defense: White-Collar; James W. Ewing, Banking and Finance Law; David A. Franchina, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental; Taylor W. French, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Allyson Grainger, Banking and Finance Law; Joshua K. Green, Banking and Finance Law; Adam J. Greene, Banking and Finance Law, Project Finance Law; C. Caroline Grier Kraich, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; William N. Harris, Real Estate Law; James T. Hedrick, Jr., Banking and Finance Law; James H. Jeffries IV, Communications Law, Energy Law; Anne Team Kelly, Corporate Governance Law; Greg R. Kilpatrick, Corporate Law; Mark W. Kinghorn, Commercial Litigation; Bradley R. Kutrow, Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – First Amendment, Litigation – Securities, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; David R. Lapp, Banking and Finance Law; Jodie Herrmann Lawson, Commercial Litigation; John G. McDonald, Employment Law – Management; Kevin A. McGinnis, Banking and Finance Law; Robert Muckenfuss, Commercial Litigation; Raj Natarajan, Banking and Finance Law; Paul M. Navarro, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Christopher S. Nesbit, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law; Meredith Pinson, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – ERISA, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Trey Rayburn, Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Ethridge B. Ricks, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Staci E. Rosche, Banking and Finance Law; Chris Scheurer, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Richard S. Starling, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law, Venture Capital Law; Bruce M. Steen, Commercial Litigation, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – ERISA, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Allison P. Tanner, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Richard W. Viola, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation; Bart Walker, Health Care Law; W. Kent Walker, Jr., Banking and Finance Law; H. Ramsey White III, Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law; Lisa Medina Williams, Public Finance Law; Elizabeth G. Wren, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Jonathan T. Blank, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Securities; William J. Culbertson, Nonprofit / Charities Law; J. Brian Jackson, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Stephen W. Murphy, Trusts and Estates
CHICAGO – Brett W. Barnett, Commercial Litigation, Health Care Law; Scott Becker, Health Care Law; H. Holden Brooks, Antitrust Law; Holly Buckley, Health Care Law; Patrick Clyder, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Geoffrey C. Cockrell, Health Care Law; Christina M. Egan, Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Donald A. Ensing, Banking and Finance Law; Gregory E. Fosheim, Health Care Law; Timothy J. Fry, Health Care Law; Amy B. Manning, Litigation – Antitrust; Aaron G. McCollough, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Kay McNab, Banking and Finance Law, Public Finance Law; Michael R. Phillips, Employment Law – Management; Katie M. Rak, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Amber McGraw Walsh, Health Care Law
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Michael Anzelmo, Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Regulatory Law; W. Ford Graham, Government Relations Practice; James H. Hodges, Government Relations Practice
DALLAS – Joel S. Allen, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Darren W. Collins, Information Technology Law, Patent Law; Jason W. Cook, Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent; Jon W. Finger, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law; David P. McLean, Corporate Law, Venture Capital Law
HOUSTON – Jeremiah J. Anderson, Construction Law; Jay Hughes, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Demetra L. Liggins, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy; Tyler T. VanHoutan, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Thomas R. Brice, Employment Law – Management; Kristen P. Courtney, Real Estate Law; Christal L. Fish, Real Estate Law; Lisa A. Purvis, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Christopher J. Thanner, Real Estate Law
LOS ANGELES – Shaun H. Crosner, Insurance Law; Craig M. Hirsch, Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance; Kirk A. Pasich, Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance; Shahrooz R. Shahnavaz, Tax Law; Pamela Woods, Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance; Alice M. Youngbar, Real Estate Law
NEW YORK – William E. Goydan, Commercial Litigation; Benjamin B. Iselin, Banking and Finance Law; Stephen E. Older, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; John J. Semeniak, Public Finance Law; Brian I. Swett, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Carolyn L Trespasz, Public Finance Law
NORFOLK, Va. – Richard J. Cromwell, Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Robert W. McFarland, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation; John D. Padgett, Admiralty and Maritime Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Transportation Law; Amy Morrissey Turk, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
PITTSBURGH – Bryan C. Brantley, Commercial Litigation; Peter C. Butcher, Banking and Finance Law; Anthony J. Carna, Oil and Gas Law; Mark E. Freedlander, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy; Alan B. Gordon, Real Estate Law; David J. Hornyak, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Scott E. Westwood, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Penny E. Zacharias, Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Thomas E. Zahn, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
RALEIGH, N.C. – Mark E. Anderson, Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants; E. Brett Breitschwerdt, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Utilities Law; Rebecca A. Brophy, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law; Amy E. Cassalia, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; William E. Doyle, Jr., Employment Law – Management; Jonathan Y. Ellis, Appellate Practice; Franklin E. Freeman, Jr., Government Relations Practice; Mary Lynne Grigg, Energy Law; D. Bowen Heath, Government Relations Practice; Harrison J. Kaplan, Government Relations Practice; Kristen M. Kirby, Public Finance Law; Henry L. Kitchin, Jr., Commercial Litigation
RICHMOND – John D. Adams, Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Theodore F. Adams III, Government Relations Practice; James M. Anderson III, Corporate Governance Law; Erin B. Ashwell, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy); Frank Atkinson, Government Relations Practice; Igor Babichenko, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Kathryn M. Barber, Commercial Litigation; Mary Dalton Baril, Copyright Law, Trademark Law; Michael H. Barker, Trusts and Estates; Craig D. Bell, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law; Candace Blydenburgh, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Mark Bowles, Government Relations Practice; Thomas William Bruno, Public Finance Law; Benjamin S. Candland, Trusts and Estates; Michael Daglio, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Arrion N. Dennis, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Matthew D. Fender, Insurance Law; Matt Fitzgerald, Appellate Practice; Bryan A. Fratkin, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Ryan D. Frei, Commercial Litigation; Joy Fuhr, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Brian L. Hager, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law; Jonathan P. Harmon, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Individuals; Dion W. Hayes, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy; Michael N. Herring, Commercial Litigation; Garrett H. Hooe, Commercial Litigation; C. J. Berkeley Horne, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Justin D. Howard, Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Daniel E. Howell, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Meghan Gehr Hubbard, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Trusts and Estates; Joanne Katsantonis, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law; D. Brennen Keene, Energy Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law; Douglas E. Lamb, Banking and Finance Law, Energy Law, Project Finance Law, Public Finance Law; William Landa, Health Care Law; Vishwa Bhargava Link, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Utilities Law; Courtney M. Malveaux, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment; George Keith Martin, Construction Law, Municipal Law, Real Estate Law; Stephanie A. Martinez, Trademark Law; Eugene E. Mathews III, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental; Michele A. W. McKinnon, Nonprofit / Charities Law, Trusts and Estates; Bernard L. McNamee, Energy Regulatory Law, Government Relations Practice; Christopher Michalik, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management; Perry W. Miles IV, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Jon G. Neal, Tax Law; Christopher R. Nolen, Government Relations Practice; Janet P. Peyton, Information Technology Law, Trademark Law; Edmund S. Pittman, Real Estate Law; S. Virginia Bondurant Price, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Jontille Ray, Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Regulatory Law; Robert F. Redmond, Jr., Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Joseph K. Reid III, Energy Regulatory Law, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Brian C. Riopelle, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, Trade Secrets Law; David A. Rivard, Securities / Capital Markets Law; Elaine Sanderlin Ryan, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law; Brandon M. Santos, Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Brian D. Schmalzbach, Appellate Practice; Kassie Schroth, Government Relations Practice; Joseph S. Sheerin, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy; K. Elizabeth Sieg, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy; Heidi E. Siegmund, Litigation – ERISA, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Thomas J. Stallings, Health Care Law; W. Lake Taylor, Jr., Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law; Robin Cooke Vance, Trademark Law; J. Tracy Walker IV, Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Lawton B. Way, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law; Scott L. Weber, Real Estate Law; Michael B. Woodard, Corporate Law
SAN FRANCISCO – Jeffrey Browning, Banking and Finance Law; Todd J. Dressel, Litigation – Bankruptcy; Peter S. Szurley, Securitization and Structured Finance Law
TYSONS, Va. – Scott E. Adams, Land Use and Zoning Law; Michael S. Dingman, Construction Law; Michael W. Graff Jr., Banking and Finance Law, Public Finance Law; David L. Greenspan, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Trade Secrets Law; Kang He, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation – Real Estate; Richard Dean Holzheimer Jr., Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate; E. Kristen Moye, Banking and Finance Law; Gregory A. Riegle, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law; Thomas E. Spahn, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation; Samuel L. Tarry Jr., Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; John E. Thomas Jr., Litigation – Labor and Employment; John D. Wilburn, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Real Estate; Gino Zaccardelli, Trusts and Estates
WASHINGTON, D.C. – John V. Ayanian, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation; Julia M. Coleman, Criminal Defense: General Practice; David Martin Connelly, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law; Julia D. English, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law; David E. Finkelson, Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, Trade Secrets Law; Louis D. Greenstein, Litigation – Securities, Securities Regulation; Elizabeth J. Hogan, Litigation – Securities, Securities Regulation; Makram B. Jaber, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental; Robert A. Kaplan, Public Finance Law; Shannon M. Kasley, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental; Kevin M. Madagan, FDA Law; Steven J. McCool, Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Michael J. Podberesky, Qui Tam Law; J. Patrick Rowan, Criminal Defense: White-Collar; William I. Sanderson, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates; Michael E. Scoville, Commercial Litigation; E. Andrew Southerling, Litigation – Securities; Christopher N. Thatch, Litigation – Construction; Farnaz F. Thompson, Litigation – Labor and Employment; Allison Wood, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental.