McGuireWoods Consulting helps private equity investors and portfolio companies understand the implications of state-level policy decisions and market trends for their investment and business decisions.
While numerous public affairs firms, including ours, provide insights on federal policy and regulatory actions that are relevant to investor due diligence and decision-making, our firm has a distinctive capability to assist in the states. With offices in multiple state capitals and deep experience representing clients in all 50 states, we can provide timely and detailed information about political trends, probable election outcomes, and actual or anticipated legislative and regulatory actions that impact the potential value of private equity investments.
We provide comprehensive state-level policy reports, including in-depth information on legislative threats, opportunities, and moves to regulate or deregulate markets relevant to our clients’ investments. Our team members meld knowledge and insights gained from firsthand political experience, historical research, regulatory and legislative trends, and industry knowledge to reliably assist private equity investors in their due diligence and portfolio management activities. Our extensive relationships with elected and appointed state officials provide rare insights into issues that impact key investment decisions and business transactions.
While we assist clients on a full range of subject matters, our team has particular depth in sectors that often are most relevant to our private equity clients, including education, energy and the environment, healthcare, and infrastructure and economic development.
Understanding key state levers impacting investments. MWC assists a national company that produces a highly regulated consumer product by actively monitoring relevant laws and regulations in all 50 states. We have identified the key elected leaders and interest groups that impact state policy decisions of interest to the client, and we evaluate political giving patterns of interest groups and the effectiveness of state association advocacy work around these issues. This program has allowed the private equity fund to better understand the key state levers impacting its investments.

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Analysis of regulatory policies and political dynamics. For private equity firms with interests in the education sector, MWC analyzes state and local regulatory policies and political dynamics on an ongoing basis, with a lens toward identifying areas primed for new and increased sales revenue. We also provide information related to state and federal funding opportunities arising from COVID-19 stimulus legislation.
State legislation and local government action tracking. MWC monitors and tracks policy decisions that impact the real estate market in specific locations around the United States.
Learn more about how McGuireWoods Consulting can help private equity and portfolio companies.
Education
Laura co-leads MWC's national education team and assists clients with policy and legislative matters with a particular focus on education issues at the state and federal level. Laura served as the Secretary of Education for the Commonwealth of Virginia where she led the development and implementation of the Governor’s education priorities and provided guidance to the 16 public universities, the Virginia Community College System, the Department of Education and the state-supported museums, library, and Arts Commission.
Frank is a lawyer and consultant and counsels business and governmental entities on a range of strategic and policy issues. His practice includes government relations and public affairs, higher education, public-private partnerships, and economic development.
Energy and Environment
Bernie is a former FERC Commissioner and provides clients legal, policy and legislative guidance on a wide range of energy and environmental issues. His practice focuses on strategic planning and policy development, legislation, and rulemakings, including issues involving Congress, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), as well as regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and independent system operators (ISOs).
Ryan assists clients with matters before Congress, regulatory agencies and the executive branch. He works on a large variety of issues, with extensive experience in agriculture, energy, transportation, appropriations and trade.
Preston's expertise lies in water, wastewater and energy generation projects, and he advises clients on project site selection and regulatory affairs. For the past 15 years, Preston's experience in environmental and energy matters has developed from his work in both the public and private sectors. As Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources in the cabinet of Governor Timothy M. Kaine, Preston led the state's six environmental, recreational, wildlife and historic resources agencies, which included a staff of 2,200, and a $420 million annual budget. He also helped write Virginia's first state-wide energy plan.
Healthcare
Gov. Hodges assists clients on matters in all 50 states, and has extensive knowledge about government and government decision makers across the United States. He regularly works with clients having matters at the National Governors Association, Democratic Governors Association, Democratic Attorneys General Association, and National Association of Insurance Commissioners. In addition, he works with private equity investors and portfolio companies to help them understand the implications of state-level policy decisions and market trends for their investment and business decisions, and to gain a better understanding of the key players in government impacting these important decisions.
Stephanie helps clients navigate the legislative and executive branches of federal government to solve problems involving a variety of healthcare policy issues. Her work focuses on providers, medical device manufacturers, drug manufacturers and associations concerned about Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
Mike helps clients develop strategies to address complex public policy challenges. He is a seasoned operative who understands how to integrate direct lobbying, grassroots campaigning, communications, and digital media to achieve results.
Viewed by his clients as a trusted advisor, Mike helps to lead the firm's multi-state national practice, working with clients across the country as they interact with governors, attorneys general, state legislators, and regulators.
Infrastructure and Economic Development
Chris leads the infrastructure and economic development team where he specializes in site selection and economic development incentives negotiations. Since 1998, Chris has worked on dozens of high profile, corporate expansions and relocations across the country. Chris has also worked closely with clients on numerous public-private partnership projects for transportation and other infrastructure, and played a leading role in the development and passage of Virginia's public-private partnership laws, which have since become model legislation for use in other states.
Tracy successfully represents private sector clients in the areas of transportation planning, funding and policy; public-private partnership and innovative procurement; education policy; technology policy; and land use and economic development before state and local governments.