V. Kathleen Dougherty Partner

Katie is partner in the firm’s Government Investigations and White Collar Litigation group. Prior to joining McGuireWoods, Katie spent nine years as a federal prosecutor with the Norfolk Division of United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, where she focused on prosecuting white-collar crimes, including healthcare and securities fraud, federal tax violations, and various forms of fraud against government programs.

During her time as an AUSA, Katie personally conducted seven jury trials and briefed and argued multiple appeals before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Katie investigated and prosecuted a broad assortment of cases, including healthcare and securities fraud, federal tax crimes, international drug conspiracies, and human trafficking. Additionally, Katie was selected as an inaugural leader of the Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force and led multiple trainings for federal and state law enforcement agencies. Before she joined the US Attorney’s Office, Katie worked in the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice through the Attorney General’s Honors Program, where she worked on school desegregation and Title IX cases around the nation.

Katie served as a law clerk to Judge Rebecca Beach Smith of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Katie graduated from the University Virginia School of Law, where she was a member of the Raven Society, President of the Public Interest Law Association, and recipient of the Mary H. Claiborne and Roy H. Ritter Prize.

Katie serves as an Adjunct Professor at the College of William and Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law, teaching a course on Sentencing Law.

Since joining McGuireWoods, Katie has focused a significant portion of her practice on conducting internal investigations and corporate compliance. She regularly represents individuals in grand jury investigations relating to healthcare fraud and financial crimes.

  • University of Virginia School of Law, JD, 2008
  • The College of William & Mary, BS, magna cum laude, 2004

Faculty, Virginia State Bar Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Course

Member, Virginia State Bar Standing Committee on Legal Ethics, 2020-present

Member, I’Anson Hoffman American Inn of Court, 2013-2018, 2020-present

President, Federal Bar Association – Hampton Roads Chapter, 2018-2019

  • Virginia
  • District of Columbia
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia

Recipient, Robin J. Spalter Outstanding Achievement Award, Federal Bar Association, 2021

Named to "Top 40 Under 40," Inside Business/The Virginian Pilot, 2019

  • Hon. Rebecca Beach Smith, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, 2008-2009
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