Pro Bono Spotlight: Mark Kinghorn

By Tricia Russ

Mark Kinghorn is equal parts litigator, connector, and community advocate. As a partner at McGuireWoods and Chair of the Financial Services & Securities Enforcement Department, Mark helps companies navigate their most complex challenges, including arbitration, commercial litigation, and multi-jurisdictional disputes that require both strategic insight and steady leadership. Yet his influence within the firm extends far beyond case strategy. A recognized pro bono leader and mentor, Mark invests deeply in developing new attorneys and associates, reminding them through his actions what the legal profession should represent. His message is consistent: compassion, consistency and excellence matter equally — whether serving paying clients or those with limited means.

As he often emphasizes, “I want to be remembered not just as a great lawyer, but as one who worked hard for everyone, including those who can’t afford it.”

That philosophy is reflected in Mark’s sustained commitment to pro bono service across North Carolina. He currently serves as a Charlotte Triage Housing Champion and recently completed his term as co-chair of the Pro Bono Committee in McGuireWoods’ Charlotte office, yet his service continues uninterrupted. Over the past several years, Mark has been a frequent housing volunteer with Legal Aid of North Carolina, helping families facing urgent and often destabilizing legal challenges. He has also drafted wills for Habitat for Humanity homeowners and worked with veterans returning from combat to secure the government benefits they have earned. A self-described volunteer who tries not to turn down opportunities to help those in need, Mark approaches each project with humility and persistence. His colleagues describe him as someone who brings the same level of preparation, care, and professionalism to pro bono matters as he does to his most demanding corporate representations — an example that inspires those he mentors.

Mark’s dedication to service has deep roots. He often recalls the quiet generosity of his grandfather, an attorney and jack-of-all-trades in Anderson, South Carolina, who might help a neighbor form a business one day and appear in court the next. What stayed with Mark were not the cases themselves, but the way people spoke about his grandfather — the small business owners, families, and community members who remembered him with gratitude because he showed up when they needed him most. Mark sees his own work as an extension of that legacy.

“The people who remembered him most fondly were the ones he helped along the way,” Mark reflects, a reminder that continues to guide his approach to the law.

Today, through each matter he handles — whether a sophisticated securities dispute or a pro bono case involving housing stability — Mark strengthens that legacy of service. His work ensures that North Carolinians, regardless of circumstance, receive the support, advocacy, and respect they deserve. Project by project, client by client, he continues to shape a career defined not only by legal excellence but by a genuine commitment to helping people.

Tricia Russ serves as a member of the NCBA Pro Bono Recognition Committee.