Praised as ‘masterful at getting to know and understand their clients’ needs’, the ’knowledgeable’ lawyers at McGuireWoods LLP assist higher education institutions, K-12 schools, school board, academic medical centers, and foundations with the range of education mandates. Core areas of practice for the group include representing universities in government investigations and Title IX litigation, corporate governance, and education-related labor and employment mandates. Washington DC-based Farnaz Thompson steers the practice and handles litigation, investigations, and due diligence in education-related transactions, including in the edtech industry. Additional key contacts include Chicago-based Sarah Wake, who takes on both contentious and advisory mandates, and Virginia-based Michele McKinnon, who majors on providing tax compliance assistance to universities and their affiliated foundations. In Atlanta, Shelby Guilbert routinely works on insurance recovery actions, contract disputes, and cross-border litigation.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘In my experience, McGuire Woods is masterful at getting to know and understand their clients' needs. The practice takes a very comprehensive approach in gaining all applicable knowledge and information. The attorneys are extremely knowledgeable about the law and are fantastic advocates for their clients.’
‘Heidi Siegmund and Peter Farley are outstanding attorneys. They are brilliant, with unparalleled work ethic and unwavering determination. They are extremely communicative and ensure that their clients have a good understanding of complex areas of the law that are applicable to individual cases. Heidi and Peter are very responsive and have exceeded our high expectations.’
‘The people, professionalism, expertise, transparent billing practices, and responsiveness are a few reasons why this firm stands out among a sea of others.’
‘The Education practice at McGuire Woods in Richmond is essential to the success of higher education in Virginia.'
Key clients
- University of Arizona
- Arizona State University
- The Los Angeles Film School
- Education Affiliates
- Prince William County School Board
- Stanford University
- University of Southern California
- Norfolk State University
- The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)
- University of Virginia
- Washington & Lee University
- Davidson College
- Central Piedmont Community College
- Liberty University
- The Pennsylvania State University
Work highlights
- Represented Oberlin College in high profile insurance recovery litigation.
- Represented Appalachian State University as bond counsel to finance an indoor practice facility to be used by the football team and other sports teams and groups at the University.
- Advised George Mason University on how to structure a financing program to take advantage of complex financing techniques available to higher education institutions and reduce the need for contributions from the state.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Farnaz Thompson