Best Lawyers Honors 155 Adams & Reese Attorneys in 2027 Edition

The Best Lawyers in America® 2027 edition features a total of 155 Adams & Reese attorneys ranked by their peers among “Best Lawyers” and “Ones to Watch”. This year’s list also includes Adams & Reese attorneys recognized as “Lawyers of the Year” in both the Memphis and Mobile offices.

Attorneys are ranked among The Best Lawyers in America (10 or more years of practice) and Ones to Watch (less than 10 years), in both their practice areas and their cities. These lawyers represent the top 5% across the U.S. The 2027 edition features lawyers from more than 200 metropolitan areas spanning over 150 practice areas.

First launched in the 1980s, The Best Lawyers in America list is the oldest peer-review publication in the legal profession. Recognition is regarded by clients and professionals as a significant honor, conferred on a lawyer by their peers through tens of thousands of confidential peer-review surveys.

Adams & Reese congratulates each attorney honored for this prestigious distinction. This recognition speaks to the quality of their work, their commitment to the legal profession, and their unwavering dedication to their clients.

The following are this year’s Adams & Reese honorees:

The Best Lawyers in America® (2027 Edition) – Adams & Reese Honorees: Best Lawyers, Lawyers of the Year, and Ones to Watch

Atlanta

Best Lawyers

• Ron Bingham: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Commercial Litigation
• Zack Rippeon: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction
• Scott Sudderth: Litigation – Patent; Technology Law
• John Thomson: Banking and Finance Law; Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Ones to Watch

• David Stewart: Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Baton Rouge

Best Lawyers

• Rudy Aguilar: Commercial Litigation; Corporate Law; Insurance Law; Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions
• Susan Eccles: Commercial Litigation
• Marshall Grodner: Commercial Transactions / UCC Law; Equipment Finance Law
• Kellen Mathews: Administrative / Regulatory Law; Commercial Litigation; Government Contracts; Labor Law – Management
• J-P Perrault: Corporate Law; Insurance Law
• Rob Rieger: Communications Law; Government Relations Practice; Health Care Law; Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
• Michael Rubin: Appellate Practice; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Banking and Finance
• Bill Shea: Administrative / Regulatory Law; Insurance Law

• Chris Joseph: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction
• Taylor LeDuff: Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law
• Katelin Varnado: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction

Birmingham

Best Lawyers

• Richard Carmody: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Bob Eckinger: Antitrust Law; Litigation – Antitrust; Litigation – Banking & Finance
• Mark Gaines: Administrative / Regulatory; Government Relations Practice
• Aaron McLeod: Appellate Practice
• Stephen Rowe: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Securities; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

Charlotte

Ones to Watch

• Ashlee Poplin: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction

Columbia

Best Lawyers

• Rob Bethea: Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Tax Law
• Lyndey Bryant: Commercial Litigation
• Drew English: Commercial Transactions / UCC Law; Corporate Law; Real Estate Law
• Burnie Maybank: Administrative / Regulatory Law; Litigation and Controversy – Tax; Tax Law
• Bill McElveen: Banking and Finance Law; Real Estate Law
• Cliff Moore: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Banking and Finance; Litigation – Real Estate
• Kirby Shealy: Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
• Taylor Stanley: Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Construction
• Will Umbach: International Mergers and Acquisitions

• Anthony Quattrone: Tax Law

Houston

Best Lawyers

• Lee Butler: Oil and Gas Law; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Alex Cosculluela: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Chris Derden: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Jane Haas: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Construction; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Alton Hall.: Commercial Litigation
• Leslie Henry: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• David Toney: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction; Real Estate Law
• Brad Waters: Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

• Anam Fazli: Litigation – Construction

Jackson

Best Lawyers

• Tim Anzenberger: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Alex Bondurant: Oil and Gas Law; Real Estate Law; Timber Law
• Paul Carrubba: Banking and Finance Law; Financial Services Regulation Law
• KaShonda Day: Education Law
• John Hooks: Education Law; Litigation – Labor and Employment
• James Keith: Education Law; Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management
• Elizabeth Lee Maron: Education Law; Employment Law – Management
• Gee Ogletree: Banking and Finance Law; Energy Law; Litigation – Real Estate; Natural Resources Law; Real Estate Law; Timber Law
• Charles Parrott: Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Financial Services Regulation Law; Litigation – Real Estate
• Jeff Trotter: Energy Law; Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental; Oil and Gas Law

Ones to Watch

• Danielle Street: Real Estate Law

Jacksonville

Best Lawyers

• Tim Volpe: Arbitration; Banking and Finance Law; Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation – Insurance

Ones to Watch

• Chris Earle: Commercial Litigation; Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

Memphis

Best Lawyers

• Cannon F. Allen: Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants
• Donna Boyce: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
• James McLaren: Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Economic Development; Project Finance Law; Public Finance Law
• Lucian Pera: Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation; Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law; First Amendment Law; Health Care Law; Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants; Legal Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs; Litigation – First Amendment; Media Law
• Hank Shelton: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Banking and Finance; Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Clarence Wilbon: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Banking and Finance

Lawyer of the Year

• Lucian Pera: Appellate Practice

Mobile

Best Lawyers

• Michael Berson: Government Contracts; Government Relations Practice
• Britton Bonner: Economic Development Law; Government Contracts; Government Relations Practice
• Patrick Dungan: Commercial Litigation; Government Relations Practice
• Andy Freeman: Corporate Law; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Blake Hale Hardwich: Administrative/Regulatory Law; Government Relations Practice
• Scott Hetrick: Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
• David Johnson: Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Victor Lott: Corporate Law; International Mergers and Acquisitions; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities Regulation; Timber Law
• Rusty Russell: Corporate Law
• April Smith: Corporate Law; Timber Law

Lawyer of the Year

• Britton Bonner: Government Relations Practice
• Andy Freeman: Corporate Law

Nashville

Best Lawyers

• Dale Allen: Government Relations Practice
• Cindy Barnett: Public Finance Law
• Mitch Boult: Copyright Law; Litigation – Intellectual Property; Patent Law; Trademark Law
• Larry Brock: Commercial Litigation; Health Care Law; Litigation – Health Care; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Martin Brown: Corporate Law; Litigation – Securities; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Richard Busch: Copyright Law; Entertainment Law – Music; Litigation – Intellectual Property; Media Law
• Will Cheek: Food and Beverage Law; Nonprofit / Charities Law
• Trey Harwell: Commercial Litigation; Criminal Defense – White-Collar
• Aubrey Harwell: Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Criminal Defense – White-Collar
• Russell Harwell: Real Estate Law
• Phil Kirkpatrick: Commercial Litigation; Entertainment Law – Motion Pictures and Television; Entertainment Law – Music; Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Brad Lampley: Government Relations Practice
• Haverly MacArthur: Litigation – Intellectual Property; Trademark Law
• Lynn Morrow: Copyright Law; Entertainment Law – Music; Litigation – Intellectual Property; Media Law
• Darrick O’Dell: Employment Law – Management; Insurance Law; Litigation – Insurance; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Rob Pinson: Food and Beverage Law
• Edward Playfair: Copyright Law; Trademark Law
• Gif Thornton: Education Law; Government Relations Practice; Health Care Law; Insurance Law
• Maia Woodhouse: Copyright Law; Litigation – Intellectual Property; Trademark Law

New Orleans

Best Lawyers

• Richard Aguilar: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Banking and Finance; Litigation – Bankruptcy; Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions; Litigation – Real Estate; Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• Gregg Barrios: Admiralty and Maritime Law
• Mark Beebe: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Antitrust; Litigation – Securities
• Philip Bergeron: Health Care Law
• Charlie Cerise: Admiralty and Maritime Law; Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Environmental; Oil and Gas Law; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Robin Cheatham: Banking and Finance Law; Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Financial Services Regulation Law
• Chris D’Amour: Insurance Law
• Johnny Domiano: Admiralty and Maritime Law; Commercial Litigation
• John Duck: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; International Mergers and Acquisitions
• Brooke Duncan: Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management
• Richard Eason: Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants; Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
• Philip Franco: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Real Estate
• Kirk Gasperecz: Insurance Law
• Gerard Gaudet: Energy Law
• Matt Guy: Admiralty and Maritime Law; Construction Law; Litigation – Insurance; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Lisa Hedrick: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Chris Kane: Economic Development Law
• Ed Laizer: Admiralty and Maritime Law; Commercial Litigation; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Leslie Lanusse: Employment Law – Management; Insurance Law; Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Frank Liantonio: Admiralty and Maritime Law; Energy Law; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Oil and Gas Law
• Don McKinney: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Health Care; Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Bob Nolan: Oil and Gas Law; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Lee Reid: Economic Development Law; Education Law
• Jeff Richardson: Appellate Practice; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Jim Rogers: Admiralty and Maritime Law; Litigation – Construction; Litigation – Insurance
• Deborah Rouen: Commercial Litigation; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Liz Roussel: Commercial Litigation; Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management
• Leigh Ann Schell: Appellate Practice; Energy Law
• Paige Sensenbrenner: Government Relations Practice; Health Care Law; Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Philip Sherman: Corporate Law; Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law; Real Estate Law
• Tyson Shofstahl: Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Ronald Sholes: Arbitration; Environmental Law; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Mark Spansel: Admiralty and Maritime Law; Litigation – Environmental
• Martin Stern: Appellate Practice; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Mark Surprenant: Commercial Litigation; Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Lauren Tafaro: Commercial Litigation; Employment Law – Management
• Roland Vandenweghe: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• David Wolf: Public Finance Law
• Laurie Young: Admiralty and Maritime Law; Commercial Litigation

Ones to Watch

• Taylor Brett: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Environmental; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Alexandra Roselli Lamb: Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Elisabeth LeBlanc: Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Harper Street: Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Billy Wright: Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

Sarasota

Best Lawyers

• David Boyette: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Real Estate; Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• Tom Dart: Litigation – Construction; Litigation – Real Estate
• Ryan Owen: Commercial Litigation; Construction Law

Tampa

Best Lawyers

• Ric Asfar: Litigation – Construction
• Ben Bard: Litigation – Labor and Employment
• David Bernstein: Real Estate Law
• Bob Boos: Commercial Litigation
• Ben Briggs: Employment Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Trent Cotney: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction
• Jim Dickson: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction
• Roscoe Green: Litigation – Construction
• Brian Lambert: Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Insurance Law; Litigation – Construction
• Donald Mihokovich: Commercial Litigation
• Brian Oblow: Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Litigation – Construction
• Deborah Oliver: Commercial Litigation
• Eric Partlow: Commercial Litigation
• Lou Ursini: Banking and Finance Law; Litigation – Banking and Finance

Ones to Watch

• Christie Coston: Construction Law
• Jacqueline Feliciano: Construction Law; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates
• Alex Sarsfield: Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Litigation – Construction
• Lee Tomlinson: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction

Washington, D.C.

Best Lawyers

• Nick Schandlbauer: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law