RICHMOND, Va. — Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger today announced the appointment of Matt McGuire to serve as Counsel to the Governor and a member of her senior leadership team.
“Mr. McGuire brings a broad record of experience across public and private practice, including his service to the Commonwealth as Principal Deputy Solicitor General in the Office of the Attorney General,” said Spanberger. “He will help ensure my administration works effectively across the executive branch to put Virginians first, secure wins for the Commonwealth, and achieve my goals of lowering costs for families, growing Virginia’s economy, and strengthening Virginia’s public schools.”
“As a native Virginian, it is a tremendous honor and privilege to return to public service under Governor-elect Spanberger as she works to bring Virginians together by focusing on solutions that prioritize people, affordability, and delivering results. I’ll draw on my extensive experience with public law issues, my global background in business and technology matters as well as litigation to ensure the Governor-elect’s crucial policies will benefit Virginians for years to come,” said McGuire. “I’m excited to partner with Governor-elect Spanberger’s dedicated administration officials to advance the Affordable Virginia Agenda for the benefit of all Virginians.”
BIOGRAPHY
Matt McGuire, Counsel to the Governor
Matt McGuire, proudly born and raised in Virginia, is a distinguished legal advisor and litigator whose career has involved public service, stints at private companies and law firms as well as academia. He previously served the Commonwealth under Attorney General Mark Herring as the Principal Deputy Solicitor General & Executive Division Counsel, advising the Attorney General and senior staff on the most sensitive and complex legal matters facing Virginia.
While in private practice, Matt has advised clients around the world with respect to civil and criminal matters. His clients are diverse with wide-ranging legal issues, including some of the largest global companies, emerging technology startups in crypto and AI as well as local governments and individuals. During his time in-house at Shopify, Matt engaged with law enforcement and regulators across North America, Europe, Asia, and South America; oversaw the company’s global privacy team; and worked side-by-side with the general counsel as her senior advisor.
Matt brings a deep understanding of litigation risks that affect the Commonwealth, having argued cases at every level of the federal and Virginia judicial systems, more than 25 appeals overall, including in the United States Supreme Court. He also co-taught a seminar at the University of Richmond Law School on state constitutionalism and state attorneys general. He is excited to leverage his background and experience to support Governor-elect Spanberger’s vision for the Commonwealth and help ensure its longevity.
Matt graduated summa cum laude from George Mason University School of Law, and received his bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University. After graduating law school, he clerked for the Honorable E. Grady Jolly on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Matt resides in Richmond with his wife, Dori, and their two young daughters. Passionate about animals and their welfare, their family includes two large hounds and two cats.
###
