Andrea Chomakos Joins McGuireWood

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– Andrea Chomakos, a highly regarded estate planning lawyer with significant experience advising family-owned and closely-held businesses, has joined McGuireWoods’ nationally recognized private wealth services group as a partner in the firm’s Charlotte office.

Chomakos counsels business owners and high-net-worth individuals on estate and gift tax planning strategies. She advises clients on ownership transitions of family and closely-held business entities and represents both fiduciaries and beneficiaries in estate litigation matters. In addition, Chomakos assists clients in forming public charities and private foundations and advises charitable organizations on Internal Revenue Code compliance.

Chomakos joins McGuireWoods from the Charlotte office of Parker Poe, where she was lead partner in the estate planning practice group. This is her encore at McGuireWoods, where she was a tax and estate planning associate in Charlotte from May 2001 to September 2002. She also has experience at a major public accounting firm.

“Andrea has a stellar reputation and she brings invaluable experience that will enhance our ability to serve clients in Charlotte and beyond,” said Scott Vaughn, the managing partner of McGuireWoods’ Charlotte office. “She is an important addition for us, and we’re thrilled to have her on our team.”

McGuireWoods’ private wealth services group focuses on the unique needs of high net worth clients and is consistently rated among the nation’s best. The group earned a Band 1 ranking, the highest possible, from Chambers and Partners in its 2014 guide, “Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.”

In addition, the firm’s lawyers along with professionals from the firm’s public affairs arm, McGuireWoods Consulting, have contributed to the formation of tax policy at the national level by participating in the development of legislation and regulations.

“Andrea is known for building strong relationships with clients and developing effective estate planning strategies for families and businesses,” said Charles D. “Skip” Fox  IV, chair of McGuireWoods’ private wealth services group. “Her skills and experience are tremendous assets, and we are delighted to welcome her back to McGuireWoods.”

Chomakos is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. She has been listed in Best Lawyers in America for Tax Law and Trust and Estates Law each year since 2012. Business North Carolina Magazine has named her to its annual Legal Elite list for Tax and Estate Planning six times. Chomakos received the Women in Business Achievement Award from the Charlotte Business Journal in 2010.

“I am so excited to return to McGuireWoods,” Chomakos said. “The firm’s private wealth services group has a long-standing reputation for providing the highest level of service to clients, and I know my practice will thrive here.”

Chomakos earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 1993, her law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 1997, and her LL.M. in taxation from the New York University School of Law in 2001.

McGuireWoods LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 1,000 lawyers in 21 offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.mcguirewoods.com. McGuireWoods Consulting LLC offers infrastructure and economic development, strategic communications and grassroots advocacy, and government relations solutions.