Megan E. Woodward

Senior Associate

Megan advises clients on a wide array of transactional matters both within and outside the United States.

Megan Daily Portrait

Megan is a Senior Associate in the Corporate & Securities practice, where she focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and strategic transactions, and complex corporate reorganizations. She represents buyers, sellers, and investors across the full lifecycle of transactions, including acquisitions and divestitures, equity investments, restructurings, and governance matters.

Megan regularly serves as primary day-to-day counsel on middle-market and upper middle-market deals, drafting and negotiating definitive transaction documents and coordinating multidisciplinary deal teams that include tax, employment, benefits, intellectual property, real estate, and regulatory specialists. She is known for her ability to manage high-stakes transactions efficiently, translate legal risk into practical advice, and guide clients through complex diligence and closing processes.

Her experience spans a wide range of transaction structures, including stock and asset acquisitions, mergers, roll-ups, carve-outs, minority investments, and internal reorganizations, as well as post-closing integrations and governance matters. Megan has significant experience advising private companies, family-owned businesses, professional services firms, and portfolio companies, and she frequently works with boards, executives, and financial advisors.

In addition to her transactional practice, Megan advises clients on corporate governance, entity formation, and ongoing compliance matters, including Delaware law issues. She also has substantial experience with cross-border and multi-jurisdictional transactions and financings, coordinating with local counsel to address perfection, priority, and restructuring considerations.

Megan is a leader within the firm, serving as a point person and supervisor on complex matters. She is an active speaker and writer on corporate and M&A topics and has presented continuing legal education programs on deal structuring, negotiation strategy, and transactional risk allocation. Megan is a member of the AFS Associates’ Committee, a member of the AFS Fellows Class of 2023 (firm leadership and professional development program), and a participant in the AFS Prometheus Project (firm leadership program focused on innovation and technological advancement).

Previous Work

Prior to joining ArentFox Schiff, Megan was a commercial transactions and entities associate at a Delaware-based law firm. There, among other things, she drafted and negotiated UCC perfection and entity opinions, financing statements, security instruments, and formation documents for Fortune 500 companies and other US and foreign clients in transactions including: international legacy airline financings; refinancings of two international restaurant franchises and an international entertainment conglomerate; a hedge fund acquisition of a national retail chain; private equity firm acquisitions in multi-level financings of 900+ property portfolios; and multi-iteration REIT financings.

Publications, Presentations & Recognitions

Publications

Presentations

  • “Mastering the Art of Contract Drafting: Lessons from Legal Practice,” myLawCLE (Mar. 7, 2025)
  • “M&A Earnout Provisions & Best Practices for Drafting Dispute-Free Clauses,” myLawCLE (Aug. 26, 2024)
  • “Deconstructing & Negotiating Buy-Sell Agreements,” MCLE New England, Conference (Oct. 12, 2023)
  • “Understanding the Fundamentals of Nonprofit Organizations: An Eight-Part Business Law Course for Nonprofit Leaders – How the Law Impacts Your Nonprofit Organization: What’s in a Contract and Why,” DC Bar Pro Bono Center, DC Department of Small & Local Business Development (DSLBD), and DC Small Business Development Center (DCSBDC), Webinar (recurring annually 2021 - 2025)
  • “Understanding the Fundamentals of Small Businesses: An Eight-Part Business Law Training – How the Law Impacts Your Small Business: What’s in a Contract and Why,” DC Bar Pro Bono Center, DC Department of Small & Local Business Development (DSLBD), and DC Small Business Development Center (DCSBDC), Webinar (recurring annually 2021 - 2025)

Recognitions

Megan was a recipient of the ArentFox Schiff Roger Pascal Pro Bono Award in April 2023. She has also been featured in Washington Lawyer multiple times for her efforts with the DC Pro Bono Center.  Megan’s volunteer work with the DC Bar Pro Bono Center’s Nonprofit & Small Business Legal Assistance Programs was highlighted by the Washington Council of Lawyers in 2023, which noted how she has educated and provided legal assistance to hundreds of small businesses and nonprofits.  

Megan serves on the DC Bar Pro Bono Committee and as the Co-chair for the Pro Bono Subcommittee of the DC Bar Early Career Lawyers Community.

In recognition of her contributions, Megan was named to the 2025 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll with High Honors.

Life Beyond the Law

During her free time, Megan is an avid theater-goer and enjoys ballroom dancing, singing, traveling, and running while pushing her dog, Bowie, in his running stroller. 

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