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McGuireWoods LLP
HeadquartersRichmond, Virginia
No. of offices21[1]
No. of attorneys1000+
Major practice areasGeneral practice
Date founded1834; 190 years ago (1834)
FounderEgbert R. Watson
Company typeLimited liability partnership
Websitewww.mcguirewoods.com

McGuireWoods LLP is a US-based international law firm headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. Initially founded in 1834, the firm has grown into the largest law firm in the state of Virginia, and has 21 offices across the country.[2] Along with its Richmond headquarters, the firm's largest offices are located in Chicago, Illinois and Charlotte, North Carolina.

History

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1800s–1960s

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McGuireWoods traces its origins to two lawyers, Egbert R. Watson[3] and Murray Mason McGuire.[4] In 1834, Watson opened a law office in Charlottesville, VA.[3][4] In 1870, he formed a partnership with his son-in-law, George Perkins[3] in what would become Perkins, Battle & Minor.

In 1897, McGuire started practicing law in Richmond, VA.[4] He was joined by John Stewart Bryan in 1898 and the two formed McGuire & Bryan.[4] In the 1960s, the firm became McGuire, Woods, King, Davis & Patterson.[4]

1966–2000

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In 1966, Charlottesville’s Battle, Neal, Harris, Minor & Williams merged with Richmond’s McGuire, Woods, King, Davis & Patterson to create McGuire, Woods & Battle.[4][3]

In 1987, the firm merged with Boothe, Prichard & Dudley, a 75-lawyer firm located in Tysons, Virginia, to create McGuire, Woods, Battle & Boothe. The newly-merged firm became the 33rd largest in the United States at the time.[5] In 1991, McGuire, Woods, Battle & Boothe merged with Cable, McDaniel, Bowie & Bond, a Baltimore-based law firm.[6]

In 1998, the firm established its affiliate McGuireWoods Consulting to provide consulting services in government and public relations.[4][3]

2000–present

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Following additional mergers, the firm changed its name to McGuireWoods in 2000.[3][7] In 2003, McGuireWoods merged with Chicago-baed firm Ross and Hardies.[8] In 2006, McGuireWoods merged with Chicago-based firm Gordon & Glickson.[9] In 2008, the firm merged with Helms Mulliss & Wicker in North Carolina.[10] In 2009, McGuireWoods opened a London office after a merger with Grundberg Mocatta Rakison.[11]

In 2014, McGuireWoods opened its Dallas, Texas office.[12] In 2015, the firm entered into an alliance with FuJae Partners, a Shanghai-based law firm[13] and opened a second office in Los Angeles.[14] In 2016, the firm opened an office in San Francisco.[4][15] As of 2019, the firm has 21 offices worldwide.[1]

In December 2017, Richard Cullen stepped down as chairman of McGuireWoods and partner Jonathan Harmon became the firm’s new chairman.[16] In 2019, Richard Davis was hired as the new chief operating officer.[17]

In June 2020, the Open Technology Fund (OTF) asked McGuireWoods, which had been advising it pro bono, for help in a conflict with the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and its then-director Michael Pack. McGuireWoods advised it could not help in the case. OTF learned in December 2020 that the reason for the refusal was that McGuireWoods had decided to investigate OTF on behalf of USAGM and Pack instead.[18] The Government Accountability Project, citing records obtained via the Freedom of Information Act, claimed McGuireWoods had billed USAGM $1.625 million at an average rate of $320 an hour after receiving a no-bid contract to investigate OTF as well as Voice of America employees.[19]

In 2022, Trump's Save America political action committee paid McGuireWoods almost $900,000 in legal fees.[20]

Notable cases

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  • In June 2017, Vice President Mike Pence retained Richard Cullen, then-chairman of McGuireWoods, as outside legal counsel[21] related to the special counsel investigation into Russian efforts to interfere with the 2016 election.[22]
  • In May 2018, Elizabeth Hutson led the McGuireWoods team that represented human trafficking survivor Kendra Ross. Ross was awarded an almost $8 million judgment, the largest civil single-plaintiff human trafficking award in U.S. history, in the suit she brought against the nationwide regimented cult The Value Creators Inc. (formerly known as The United Nation of Islam).[23]
  • McGuireWoods attorneys including Richard Cullen represented Cynthia and Frederick Warmbier when they sued North Korea for having “brutally tortured and murdered” their son, Otto Warmbier.[24][25] In December 2018, a federal court ordered North Korea to pay the Warmbiers over $500 million.[25]
  • In 2018, McGuireWoods attorney Matthew Fitzgerald represented Ryan Collins in the U.S. Supreme Court case Collins v. Virginia.[26][27] The Court voted in favor of Collins, ruling that the automobile exception to the Fourth Amendment does not permit a police officer to enter the curtilage of a home without a warrant.[26]
  • McGuireWoods lawyers were part of the defense team hired to represent Boeing in a federal criminal investigation related to the 737 MAX aircraft.[28] In January 2021, Boeing entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice.[29]
  • McGuireWoods represented mining company Asarco LLC in litigation related to the ongoing cleanup of a former lead and zinc smelting site in western Montana. In May 2021, U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen ruled that Atlantic Richfield Co. must pay Asarco $16 million and 25 percent of future sums to contribute to ongoing cleanup.[30][31]

McGuireWoods alumni

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Notable current attorneys and consultants

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Attorneys

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McGuireWoods Consulting (MWC)

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Recognition

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McGuireWoods was named one of the most innovative law firms in North America by Financial Times in 2018 and 2019.[56][57]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "McGuireWoods law firm hires new chief operating officer". Richmond Times Dispatch. 2019-10-01.
  2. ^ Hamilton, Katherine (2023-11-29). "'National powerhouse'". Virginia Business. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "McGuireWoods (1834)". The Daily Progress. 22 November 2017. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "McGuireWoods". Richmond Times-Dispatch. 26 June 2016. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
  5. ^ Marcus, Ruth (2024-08-05). "Two Major Law Firms Join Forces". Washington Post. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
  6. ^ Marudas, Georgia (October 3, 1991). "Major Va. law firm coming to Baltimore McGuire, Woods to merge with Cable, McDaniel as of Nov. 1". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
  7. ^ "Former U.S. Ambassador to Australia William C. Battle dies". Richmond Times-Dispatch. 2 June 2008. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
  8. ^ "McGuireWoods merger part of 'ongoing strategy'". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  9. ^ "Gordon & Glickson Merges With McGuireWoods". 2006-01-19. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  10. ^ "McGuireWoods LLP Gains Dominant Position in N.C. Market As Merger With Helms Mulliss & Wicker Is Completed". 2008-04-01. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  11. ^ "McGuireWoods to Wed London-Based Law Firm With 36 Attorneys". ABA Journal. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  12. ^ "Why National Law Firms Are Flocking to Texas". D Magazine. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  13. ^ "Seeking China Beachhead, McGuireWoods Inks Shanghai Deal". Law.com. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  14. ^ "McGuireWoods expands in LA with Integer Law deal". Richmond Times-Dispatch. 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  15. ^ "McGuireWoods opening office in San Francisco". Richmond Times-Dispatch. 23 March 2016. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  16. ^ "Jon Harmon to lead troops as chairman at McGuireWoods as Cullen steps down from role". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  17. ^ "McGuireWoods names new COO". Virginia Business. 2019-10-01. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
  18. ^ Folkenflik, David (10 March 2021). "'I Was Speechless': Law Firm Investigated Its Own Ex-Client For Trump VOA Chief". National Public Radio. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  19. ^ "Press Release: Whistleblowers Reveal More Alarming Details About Law Firm Contracts Awarded by Voice of America Overseer to Investigate Federal Employees". whistleblower.org. Government Accountability Project. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  20. ^ Polantz, Katelyn (February 22, 2023). "Trump leadership PAC spent more than $16 million on legal services in 2022". CNN.
  21. ^ "VP Mike Pence retains Richard Cullen of McGuireWoods in Russia probe". Richmond Times-Dispatch. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  22. ^ "Vice President Pence hires outside counsel to deal with Russia inquiries". CNBC. 2017-06-15. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  23. ^ "The cult next door: Debunking five misconceptions about human trafficking". MarketWatch. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  24. ^ "Parents of Otto Warmbier sue North Korean government over his imprisonment, death". POLITICO. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
  25. ^ a b "U.S. judge orders North Korea to pay more than $500 million in death of student Otto Warmbier". ChicagoTribune. 24 December 2018. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
  26. ^ a b "Collins v. Virginia" (PDF). Supreme Court. 2018-05-29.
  27. ^ "Warrant required: Supreme Court ruling in Albemarle case bolsters Fourth Amendment". C-VILLE Weekly. 2018-06-05. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
  28. ^ "Boeing turns to high-powered defense attorneys in 737 MAX investigation". The Seattle Times. 2019-06-06. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  29. ^ "Boeing to pay $2.5 billion to settle U.S. criminal probe into 737 MAX crashes". Reuters. 2021-01-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  30. ^ "ARCO must pay Asarco $16 mln over Superfund". Reuters. 2021-05-27. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  31. ^ "Atlantic Richfield Owes Asarco $16 Million in Montana Cleanup". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  32. ^ "Ex-Gov. Allen now 'rainmaker' for Va. law firm". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  33. ^ "Government | Politics 2023: RICHARD CULLEN". Virginia Business. 2023-08-31. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  34. ^ "Richard Cullen to step down as McGuireWoods chairman but continue law practice". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  35. ^ "Former U.S. Ambassador to Australia William C. Battle dies". Richmond Times-Dispatch. 2 June 2008. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  36. ^ "Lawyer Who Made Case for Clinton Indictment Confirmed as Judge". news.bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  37. ^ "USDOJ: United States Department of Justice Archive - Office of Legal Policy".
  38. ^ "New leadership coming to McGuireWoods Consulting". TheHill. 17 April 2017. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  39. ^ Bernstein, Adam (2011-02-09). "Leroy R. Hassell Sr., Virginia's first black chief justice, dies at 55". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2020-08-01.
  40. ^ Bryan, Scott J. (June 5, 2019). "Jack Is Back - Former Quincy manager, attorney is back in charge". The Gadsden County Times.
  41. ^ "Carlos Muniz Confirmed as Education Department General Counsel". Executive Gov. 2018-04-19. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  42. ^ "Commending the Honorable Lewis F. Payne". Richmond Sunlight. Retrieved 2020-07-13.
  43. ^ "WV gov. hires former US acting AG for residency lawsuit". Charleston Gazette. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  44. ^ "Richard L. Williams, veteran federal judge, dies at age 87". Times Dispatch. 2013-02-04. Archived from the original on 2013-02-04. Retrieved 2020-07-13.
  45. ^ "John Adams, the political opposite of Attorney General Mark Herring, wants his job". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  46. ^ "Scott Becker". McGuireWoods. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  47. ^ Russell-Kraft, Stephanie. "McGuireWoods Nabs White Collar Litigator From Perkins Coie". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
  48. ^ "Bernard L. McNamee". www.mcguirewoods.com. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  49. ^ "The 50 Most Influential People In Columbia". Columbia Business Monthly. Retrieved 2020-05-28.
  50. ^ Matt Naham (28 August 2023). "Ken Starr deputy who once grilled Bill Clinton before grand jury is now defending Mark Meadows in Trump RICO case". Law and Crime. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  51. ^ "Handshake's latest update lets James Madison University students search for jobs and internships".
  52. ^ "McGuireWoods".
  53. ^ "VAS Selects McGuire Woods Consulting for Lobbying Representation". VAS. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  54. ^ "Former House speaker joins McGuireWoods Consulting". Richmond Times-Dispatch. 2018-07-15. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  55. ^ "G. K. Butterfield". McGuireWoods. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  56. ^ "FT North American Innovative Lawyers Awards 2019". Financial Times. 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
  57. ^ "FT North America Innovative Lawyer Awards 2018". Financial Times. 2018-12-12. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
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