Kayci G. Hines Counsel

Kayci’s practice focuses on complex restructuring, insolvency, and bankruptcy litigation, with significant experience advising clients at the intersection of financial distress and environmental and energy regulation. Her bankruptcy practice spans all aspects of bankruptcy case management, including high-value claims negotiation, motions practice, regulatory strategy, and multi-party settlement. Kayci’s significant experience in harmonizing bankruptcy law with environmental and energy laws enables her to efficiently navigate and resolve the unique challenges arising in complex environmental and energy bankruptcies. Her environmental and energy practice involves client representation in government and private litigation as well as enforcement and compliance counseling.

Prior to joining McGuireWoods, Kayci served as senior bankruptcy counsel in the United States Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. In that role, she led and oversaw representation of the United States on behalf of federal regulatory agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of the Interior, in some of the nation’s most consequential bankruptcies. She, for instance, led the United States in the two largest offshore oil and gas bankruptcies in U.S. history. She also advised DOJ leadership regarding critical issues inherent in energy and environmental restructurings, and she presented nationally regarding environmental and energy issues in Chapter 11. During her time at DOJ, she also prosecuted federal civil environmental enforcement cases brought under major federal environmental statutes such as CERCLA, RCRA, the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act. She has managed full-lifecycle litigation, from case development through complex negotiations resolving multimillion-dollar civil penalties and injunctive relief.

Earlier in her career, during her time in private practice, Kayci advised corporate clients regarding bankruptcy issues in business reorganizations, secured and unsecured creditors’ rights, as well as bankruptcy and complex commercial litigation.

Clients value Kayci’s ability to integrate regulatory insight with restructuring strategy, delivering practical, solution-oriented counsel in high-stakes, contentious matters.