Caroline Schmidt Burton Partner

Caroline is an experienced litigator in McGuireWoods’ nationally-recognized Government Investigations and White Collar Group. She represents corporate and individual clients in a wide-variety of high-stakes situations, including government and internal investigations, regulatory enforcement actions, and litigation in state and federal courts.

Caroline has led internal and government-facing investigations for corporate and individual clients across a broad range of industries including financial services, manufacturing, telecommunications, and healthcare. Her work often involves guiding clients through complex criminal and regulatory matters involving legal and reputational risk in numerous jurisdictions. She has particular experience with matters involving allegations of fraud, bribery, and employee misconduct. Caroline has led dozens of witness interviews, managed large-scale document collections and reviews, presented investigative findings to corporate boards and executives, and counseled clients on managing risks and bolstering internal compliance. She has advocated for clients before the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Board, among others.

Caroline also has significant courtroom experience, including most recently serving as co-lead counsel in a multi-week federal criminal trial for an individual accused of criminal securities fraud. That representation resulted in six acquittals of the eight counts charged, and the two convictions were later vacated by the presiding Judge.

On the civil side, Caroline has counseled clients in disputes involving hundreds of millions of dollars. She has argued motions in federal and state courts and taken and defended depositions. Caroline is a member of the firm’s Appeals and Issues team and she has led the effort for total client victories before the Third, Fourth, and Ninth Circuits.

Prior to joining McGuireWoods, Caroline was a law clerk on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (the Honorable Kent A. Jordan) and for the District of Maryland (the Honorable J. Frederick Motz). She also spent time as an associate at a global law firm based in Washington D.C.

She was recently selected as “One to Watch” for Commercial (2021-2025), Appellate Litigation (2022-2025) and Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2024, 2025) by Best Lawyers.

Caroline is committed to both the Richmond community where she lives and pro bono service. She is a member of the John Marshall Inn of Court and the Virginia chapter of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association. Her active pro bono practice has included representing indigent clients in complex litigation involving the First Amendment, habeas corpus, and international child custody.