Michael N. Herring, who earned widespread acclaim and public support for his leadership as Richmond’s top prosecutor for the past 13 years, has joined McGuireWoods’ litigation practice as a partner. He will represent clients in government investigations, white-collar criminal defense and commercial litigation.
Herring was first elected Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney in 2005 and won re-election three times without opposition. Managing an office of 40 lawyers, he led high-profile criminal prosecutions and was appointed to head politically sensitive investigations involving alleged conduct of top statewide elected officials. He helped Richmond police develop strategies to reduce homicides and violent crimes dramatically and implemented groundbreaking criminal justice reforms adopted by other Virginia localities.
Herring initiated efforts to find alternatives to criminal trials such as diversion programs and deferred prosecutions for first-time nonviolent offenders. He also collaborated with the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project to exonerate three individuals wrongfully convicted of violent crimes in Richmond decades ago.
Before his election as Commonwealth’s Attorney, he handled criminal defense, medical malpractice and personal injury litigation in private practice and served in the office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney from 1992 to 1996 as senior felony trial attorney for violent crimes and narcotics offenses. Herring is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America.