Michael H. McGinley

Michael H. McGinley, Global Co-chair of the Securities and Complex Litigation practice group, focuses his practice on high-stakes litigation, specifically appellate and complex commercial matters. Mr. McGinley has experience representing clients at every level of the federal judiciary, as well as in numerous federal agencies and state courts. In early 2025, he argued three cases before the United States Supreme Court in a span of four months.

Mr. McGinley has litigated a wide range of issues, including federal jurisdiction, foreign sovereign immunity, Chevron deference, federalism, preemption, antitrust, arbitration, labor law, tort law, antidumping and trade-remedy disputes, securities and corporate law, contract rights, voting rights, free speech, religious freedom and many other constitutional issues. Mr. McGinley also regularly advises individual, corporate and government clients on strategic, criminal defense, and regulatory matters. 

Prior to joining Dechert, Mr. McGinley served as Associate Counsel and Special Assistant to the President in the White House Counsel's Office, where his primary responsibilities included the review of major legislative and regulatory actions and the confirmation of judicial nominees, including Justice Gorsuch. During his time in the White House, Mr. McGinley worked closely with the Department of Justice, the Office of Management and Budget, a number of federal agencies, and various congressional committees. He also previously served as a law clerk to Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., of the Supreme Court of the United States and to then-Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. 

Mr. McGinley is an elected member of the American Law Institute.  He was appointed by the President to the governing Council of the Administrative Conference of the United States, which is an independent agency charged with convening experts from the public and private sectors to recommend improvements to administrative process and procedure. He also serves as the Co-Chair of the American Bar Association’s Administrative Rulemaking Committee.

Mr. McGinley is ranked by Chambers USA in Band 1 for appellate litigation in Pennsylvania, where clients regard him as “very responsive, an extraordinary brief writer and all around a pleasure to work with.” He is also recognized by The Legal 500 for his expertise in financial services litigation, general commercial disputes, and international litigation. In 2020, the Philadelphia Business Journal named him a “Best of The Bar” Honoree and he was selected as one of Pennsylvania Legal Awards 2021's Lawyers on the Fast Track by The Legal Intelligencer.