Troutman Pepper Locke LLP

The state attorneys general practice at Troutman Pepper Locke LLP engages in a wide range of AG inquiries, investigations and litigation which frequently center around advertising and marketing, privacy and data security, product safety, consumer lending and environmental protection regulatory issues. The practice is led by Ashley Taylor, who is based in Richmond, and Clayton Friedman, who sits in Orange Country. Taylor is considered a go-to practitioner for both single and multistate enforcement and litigation proceedings involving state AGs, including high stakes bet-the-company investigations, while Friedman, a former assistant deputy attorney general in Missouri, focuses on preventative measures before litigation and enforcement, providing strategic and regulatory counsel. In Richmond, Stephen Piepgrass represents clients in investigations and interactions with state AGs, specializing in heavily regulated industries and consumer financial services, and Christopher Carlson is a popular choice in investigative matters due to his expertise in state consumer protection laws and service as assistance attorney general in West Virginia. In Orange County Michael Yaghi covers enforcement investigations related to all facets of advertising and sales practices. Among the recent changes to the team was the arrival of Blake Christopher to the firms Washington D.C. office in March 2024 from the Kentucky AGs office, while Avi Schick left the team in May 2024.