R. Patrick Dover, counsel in McGuireWoods’ Complex Commercial Litigation
Department in Jacksonville, will join Patriot Rail Co. LLC on May 3, 2021, as
assistant legal counsel. His last day at McGuireWoods is April 30.
As
one of two lawyers in the legal department of this rapidly expanding holding
company for 13 short-line railroads, Dover will help manage Patriot Rail’s
day-to-day legal affairs, including outside litigation, real estate, mergers and
acquisitions, and customer contracts.
Dover started as a summer
associate with McGuireWoods in 2008, and since joining the firm full time in
2009, he has focused on litigating and arbitrating railroad business torts, with
an emphasis on federal pre-emption and appellate work. The
Legal 500 US recognized him as a "Rising Star" in Transport: Rail and Road –
Litigation in 2019 and 2020. Dover has been a key member of the CSX client team
working in the firm’s Jacksonville and Atlanta offices.
Dover took a
one-year hiatus from the firm to serve as an appellate law clerk to Judge Henry
F. Floyd of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and previously served as a
legal intern for the Federal Programs branch of the U.S. Department of Justice.
“I am grateful for the opportunity McGuireWoods has provided to work on
high-profile, complex litigation matters with great mentors and attorneys for
more than a decade in our Jacksonville and Atlanta offices. Although I will miss
my McGuireWoods colleagues, I look forward to growing the railroad experience I
developed at the firm in my new in-house role,” Dover said.
“Patrick has
been an outstanding attorney and colleague during his career with the firm. He
has been an invaluable member of the CSX team and developed nationally
recognized experience in railroad regulatory and pre-emption litigation. While
we will miss Patrick’s legal talents and contributions as a professional
colleague and friend, we are excited for Patrick as he begins this new chapter
of his career,” said Jacksonville office managing partner
Eric Bilik, who
leads the office's complex commercial litigation group.