2025 In-House Counsel Awards: Sarah McCoy

Number of years with firm: 10

Law school: Regent University School of Law (2011)

Legal leadership: I have served on the Hampton Roads Board of Governors for the Virginia Opera and was a two-term president of the Global Commerce Council. I am a 2015 graduate of LEAD Hampton Roads and a 2019 graduate of LEAD Virginia. Beginning in 2018, I served several terms on the board of directors at the Hope House Foundation with a focus on civil rights advocacy for disabled adults.

Pro bono work/community or civic involvement: I take an active role in the Hampton Roads community through my board service and organizational leadership as described above.

Awards/accolades: I was named the 2017 Young Professionals ICON by Hampton Roads Chamber LEAD Foundation for my work in the community. I was named one of Hampton Roads’ most influential women in business in 2019. In 2023, I was recognized as an “Influential Woman in Law” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly.

On my identity/background: I grew up in rural Texas, caring for livestock and listening to my parents discuss the price per barrel of crude oil and the price per pound of beef. These conversations, rooted in both national and international markets, shaped my understanding of how global forces impact local livelihoods. That early exposure to commodity markets and trade dynamics now informs my work, where I serve a business engaged in international commerce. My background gives me a grounded perspective on how policy, regulation, and market shifts affect real people and industries.

Most pressing issue that IHCs face: Earning a seat at the strategic table, not just being called upon when litigation arises.