Richard Cullen is the chairman of McGuireWoods LLP and a senior litigation partner. He counsels corporate executives, boards of directors, elected officials and the heads of major nonprofit institutions on matters of the utmost sensitivity, often involving issues of national security. He has extensive experience defending large multinational corporations in investigations conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice, state attorneys general and local prosecutors. He is frequently called on to conduct confidential internal investigations to assist corporations in assessing the risk of criminal prosecution or regulatory enforcement. His representation of clients in investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice often includes the proceedings that parallel white-collar prosecution, such as SEC enforcement actions, collective prosecution or civil enforcement by states’ attorney generals, debarment actions and civil litigation.

Richard gained a broad perspective on law enforcement from his service in high-level legal positions in both federal and state government. From 1997-98, Richard was Attorney General of Virginia. In 1991, President George H. W. Bush appointed him U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, where he directed investigations and prosecutions of financial institutions and defense contractors, and other white collar defendants. While serving as U.S. Attorney, Richard was chosen to be on Attorney General William Barr’s Advisory Committee. Richard also served as special counsel to U.S. Senator Paul Trible (R-VA) during the Iran-Contra investigation and was on the staff of Representative M. Caldwell Butler (R-VA) during the Watergate investigation. In addition, he was on President George W. Bush’s legal team during the recount of the 2000 election in Florida.