Sarah J. McCoy

Sarah J. McCoy serves as general counsel to the Virginia Port Authority (VPA) working closely with all divisions to provide sound advisory support and collaborative decision making throughout The Port of Virginia. She is focused on safeguarding and improving the port, serving her business partners, and serving as the connection to The Office of the Attorney General to ensure the port has efficient and comprehensive access to its legal resources.

“While my duties are multi-facted – the protection of state assets, the mitigation of risk, the balancing act of the needs of our port colleagues alongside our business partners and customers – my goal has always been the same: to ensure the continued success and sustainability of The Port of Virginia.”

Sarah joined the port in 2014 as a member of the Government Affairs team first as a manager of state and local government affairs then became its director in 2015. In this role, she was an advocate for the port in relation to funding and regulation for the Commonwealth and was a liaison to our state representatives to assist in that effort. In August 2017, she was appointed by the Attorney General to serve as in-house counsel to the VPA.

“We’ve made it our mission to provide sound advisory support and collaborative decision making through an innovative lens to safeguard, serve, and improve The Port of Virginia.”

Prior to joining the port, Sarah worked as an associate in a private Norfolk practice where she had the opportunity to develop her legal skills and serve the needs of her clients.

Sarah takes an active role in the Hampton Roads community. She serves on the Hampton Roads Board of Governors for the Virginia Opera and is a 2015 graduate of LEAD Hampton Roads. Sarah was named the 2017 Young Professionals ICON by Hampton Roads Chamber LEAD Foundation for her work in the community. She currently serves as on the board of directors at the Global Commerce Council and was the organization’s president from 2016-2017.

Sarah has a law degree from Regent University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.