McGuireWoods Names Murielle Dawdy Managing Director of Private Equity in San Francisco

McGuireWoods appointed Murielle Dawdy as Managing Director of Private Equity, based in its San Francisco office, the firm said. Pulse 2.0 reported the appointment on November 12, 2026. Dawdy joins from 50 South Capital Advisors, Northern Trust's alternative investments business, where she was director of private equity investments.

Dawdy's Role at McGuireWoods Capital Partners

At McGuireWoods, Dawdy will work with the firm's private equity lawyers and leadership to develop relationships with general partners and limited partners. Her responsibilities include expanding engagement with emerging managers and select independent sponsors, cultivating industry partnerships, and helping lead the firm's private equity conferences and events. She will also coordinate market intelligence, thought leadership and business-development initiatives across the firm.

The role supports McGuireWoods Capital Partners, a newly launched strategic platform designed to guide the continued development of the firm's Emerging Manager Program and Independent Sponsor Initiative. The platform brings together the firm's legal capabilities, private capital market knowledge and industry relationships to support transaction execution and connect clients with institutional and private capital.

At 50 South Capital, Dawdy was a senior investor overseeing primary fund investments, secondary transactions and co-investments across a $15 billion global platform. She directed investments and co-investments in the United States and Europe, built financial models and developed investment strategies for individual commitments, and represented investors on the advisory boards of private equity and venture capital funds.

"Murielle's experience on the allocator side gives our clients firsthand insight into how institutional investors evaluate emerging managers and build investment relationships," said Jon Finger, President of McGuireWoods Capital Partners and Leader of McGuireWoods' Private Equity Industry Team. Tom Zahn, Chair of McGuireWoods' Corporate & Private Equity Department, said her hands-on investment experience adds value for clients as they raise capital, launch new funds and pursue transactions.

McGuireWoods' Private Equity and Emerging Manager Record

McGuireWoods served as legal counsel for Seven Hills Capital's $235 million Fund II close in February 2026, according to akta.pro company records, deepening its positioning in the Independent Sponsor and Emerging Manager programs. The firm operates 21 offices worldwide and employs more than 900 lawyers, the report said. Company records list 1,091 lawyers across 21 offices, with headquarters in Richmond and a founding date of 1834.

Earlier Leadership Additions in 2026

McGuireWoods hired Allison Kendrick and David Lassen, former Boeing product liability leaders, to its Seattle office in September 2026, Pulse 2.0 reported. The Seattle office then had 16 lawyers, including 10 partners. In August 2026, the firm added Andrew Barrios as a partner in its Chicago office from Reed Smith, Pulse 2.0 reported; he had helped clients recover over $200 million from insurers. Also in August 2026, McGuireWoods promoted Jackie Wells to partner in its New York office, elevating her role in the Securities Enforcement & Regulatory Counseling Practice, Pulse 2.0 reported.