“I apologize to the Court on behalf of my firm”: McGuire Woods LLP Managing Partner Tracy Walker IV Issues Extraordinary Apology On Behalf of His Entire Firm For Mistakes By “Portfolio” Attorney

So update to yesterday’s article on the McGuire Woods attorney who submitted multiple fake cites to a court in a case for Bank of America– things are even worse than they seem.

The firm’s managing partner–Tracy Walker IV–submitted an extraordinary apology to the court on behalf of the entire firm in a declaration submitted in late December. You can read the declaration here: Ringer v. Bank of America Response to Order

He conceded that McGuire Woods should have done more–really, anything–to prevent the insane errors and it failed to do so.

Most problematically, his declaration reveals there were MULTIPLE other instances in which this happened:

Unfortunately, we have found a pattern of errors similar to the. errors identified by the Court in this matter. We have filed a motion seeking leave to file corrected briefs in a separate case pending in this Court, Simmons v. Bank of America, Inc., Civil Action No. 1:25-cv-04718 JPB-JSA, and we anticipate filing other such motions. 

Good lord. So this wasn’t just a one time thing.

There’s just no excuse for this guys.

Although Walker’s declaration sets forth assurances all citations will be “manually” checked from now on–hmmmm– his declaration does not mention one important phrase: AI.

Back in September, 2025 the firm cluelessly boasted about adopting AI– the regrettable Harvey technology that all the clownshow law firms are using–and despite the court’s CLEAR concern about AI misuse, Walker’s declaration is completely silent on how the firm’s AI tools are being used and, most importantly, controlled.

What a telling omission.

Instead Walker’s declaration implies strongly the error resulted from the firm’s use of “staff” attorneys for special “portfolio” projects–implying the work done by these teams was less important and/or less supervised than real legal work. (This is my paraphrase, not a quote of course.)

Big law firms will often offer cut rate services of so-called “staff attorneys”– generally lawyers who are paid much less then associates and have much less oversight but also generally inferior qualifications to standard associates. The thinking is the work they do is “commodity” work and can be handled quickly and for less money. Some big law firms have historically even used staff lawyers for TCPA cases!!! Just INSANE.

But big law is all about profits– not results. And anywhere they can squeeze and save a dollar or two they will do it.

In fairness these firms are under tremendous cost pressures put on them by client’s with major purchasing power. It should not be lost on anyone that this case involved Bank of America– a major long-term client of the firm that likely requires work to be performed at massively discounted rates. The firm’s priority then becomes trying to salvage some sort of profit on these cases that are largely taken on just to keep their foot in the door for more lucrative and larger cases they hope/assume will also be sent their way in exchange for the price concessions on the “portfolio” work.

Its a dirty little secret that these portfolio cases–sometimes taken on a flat fee basis– are generally staffed by the firm’s perceived worst lawyers and the least possible work is put into each case to try to salvage profitablity.

The disaster in Ringer, then, may not have resulted from AI– but rather from different poorly thought out and desperate attempts to cut costs and drive profitability.

Really unfortunate what happens at Big Law firms. Ironically I ended up the highest-priced lawyer in the nation by NOT focusing on profitability– just results. The difference stands out wide and obvious and I enjoy a towering reputation for success because Troutman Amin, LLP NEVER cuts corners.

In fact, we have literally told clients to go elsewhere when they’ve asked us to change staffing arrangements in a way I thought would hurt our chances to win. We have ZERO interest in working for clients that put dollars above results. We are here to WIN. Companies that want to cut corners on legal expense can find many other law firms to work with.

Troutman Amin, LLP will stand ready to assist those who want things done the right way– that’s what “Deserve to Win” means.

As for McGuire Woods, it remain to be seen what changes they make to their “portfolio” litigation team and, more importantly, their reliance on Harvey.

I expect federal courts will soon ban the use of GenAI solutions altogether– and I will have a good laugh at the #biglaw firms that rushed into the disaster when they do.

More to come on this.

Chat soon.