Chambers USA Ranks 57 Adams & Reese Attorneys Among Top Legal Counsel in 2026

Chambers USA ranks 57 Adams & Reese attorneys as leading practitioners and recognizes 27 of the firm’s practice areas across national and state jurisdictions in the 2026 global rankings edition.

The annual Chambers USA Guide is a cornerstone directory for business leaders selecting legal counsel. Rankings are based on direct attorney interviews, client and peer evaluations, and research assessing technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence, commitment, and overall effectiveness. Law firms and individual lawyers are ranked in Bands 1 (the highest) through 6, with additional recognitions Up & Coming, Associates to Watch, Eminent Practitioners, and Senior Statespeople.

“Year over year, we continue to see more of our attorneys and practice areas recognized in the rankings, a testament to our strong client relationships, extensive practice excellence, and the firm's strategic growth,” said Gif Thornton, Managing Partner at Adams & Reese.

Adams & Reese earned 34 improved rankings, including 20 individual attorney rankings and 14 firm practice area rankings. The firm also received several new rankings across key practices, including Nationwide Construction, Nationwide Transportation: Road, South Carolina Banking & Finance, Louisiana Corporate/M&A, Alabama Environmental, and Tennessee Public Finance. The firm also received six Band 1 practice area rankings: Nationwide Government Relations: State & Local; Nationwide Transportation: Aviation: Regulatory; Tennessee Intellectual Property; South Carolina Banking & Finance; Louisiana Litigation: Appellate; and Louisiana Insurance.

Eight Adams & Reese attorneys received Band 1 individual rankings: Marc Warren in Nationwide Transportation: Aviation: Regulatory; Bill McElveen in South Carolina Banking & Finance; Jean-Paul Perrault in Louisiana Corporate/M&A; Jeff Trotter in Mississippi Energy & Natural Resources; Ralph DeMeo in Florida Environment; Martin Stern in Louisiana Litigation: Appellate; Cindy Barnett in Tennessee Public Finance; and Gee Ogletree in Mississippi Real Estate.

Below are Adams & Reese’s complete rankings in the 2026 Chambers USA Guide.

2026 Chambers USA Firm Practice Area Rankings

Nationwide

• • Government Relations: State & Local, Nationwide, Band 1
  • Transportation: Aviation: Regulatory, Nationwide, Band 1
  • Transportation: Road, Carriage/Logistics, Nationwide, Band 2
  • Food & Beverages: Alcohol, Nationwide, Band 4
  • Construction, Nationwide, Band 5
    

• • Banking & Finance, South Carolina, Band 1
  • Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Louisiana, Band 2
  • Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Georgia, Band 4
  • Construction, Mississippi, Band 2
  • Construction, Alabama, Band 3
  • Construction, Texas, Band 3
  • Construction, Florida, Band 4
  • Corporate/M&A, Louisiana, Band 2
  • Corporate/M&A, South Carolina, Band 3
  • Energy & Natural Resources, Mississippi, Band 2
  • Environmental, Alabama, Band 3
  • Insurance, Louisiana, Band 1
  • Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory, Florida, Band 2
  • Insurance: Dispute Resolution, Florida, Band 4
  • Intellectual Property, Tennessee, Band 1
  • Labor & Employment, Louisiana, Band 3
  • Litigation: Appellate, Louisiana, Band 1
  • Litigation: General Commercial, Louisiana, Band 2
  • Litigation: General Commercial, Tennessee, Band 3
  • Media & Entertainment, Tennessee, Band 3
  • Public Finance, Tennessee, Band 2
  • Real Estate, Tennessee, Band 4

2026 Chambers USA Individual Attorney Rankings

Nationwide

• Marc Warren, Transportation: Aviation: Regulatory, Band 1
• Paul Alp, Transportation: Aviation: Regulatory, Band 2
• Britton Bonner, Government Relations: State & Local, Band 2
• B. Jeffrey Brooks, Government Relations: Federal, Band 2
• Brad Lampley, Government Relations: State & Local, Band 2
• Rob Pinson, Food & Beverage: Alcohol, Band 3
• Matthew Guy, Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Litigation, Band 3
• Will Cheek, Food & Beverage: Alcohol, Band 4

Alabama

• Rob Fowler, Environment, Band 3
• Jannea Rogers, Construction, Band 3
• Richard Carmody, Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Senior Statespeople

District of Columbia

• Nick Schandlbauer, Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Band 4

Florida

• Ralph DeMeo, Environment, Band 1
• Trent Cotney, Construction, Band 2
• Tim Volpe, Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory, Band 3

Georgia

• Ron Bingham, Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Band 4
• John Thomson, Jr., Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Band 4
• Zack Rippeon III, Construction, Band 4
• Benjamin Rachelson, Construction, Up & Coming

Louisiana

• J-P Perrault, Corporate/M&A, Band 1
• Martin Stern, Litigation: Appellate, Band 1
• Richard Aguilar, Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Band 2; Litigation: General Commercial, Band 2
• Rudy Aguilar, Corporate/M&A, Band 2
• Mark Beebe, Litigation: General Commercial, Band 2
• John Duck, Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Band 2
• Kellen Mathews, Insurance, Band 2
• Jeff Richardson, Litigation: Appellate, Band 2
• Liz Roussel, Labor & Employment, Band 2
• Leigh Ann Schell, Litigation: Appellate, Band 2
• Bill Shea, Insurance, Band 2
• Ray Ward, Litigation: Appellate, Band 2
• Robin Cheatham, Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Band 3
• Marshall Grodner, Real Estate, Band 3
• Lisa Merz Hedrick, Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Band 3
• Brooke Duncan III, Labor & Employment, Senior Statespeople
• Leslie Lanusse, Labor & Employment, Senior Statespeople
• Michael Rubin, Litigation: Appellate, Senior Statespeople
• Zelma Frederick, Construction, Up & Coming

Mississippi

• Gee Ogletree, Real Estate, Band 1
• Jeff Trotter, Energy & Natural Resources, Band 1
• Tim Anzenberger, Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Up & Coming

South Carolina

• Bill McElveen, Banking & Finance, Band 1
• Rob Bethea, Corporate/M&A, Band 2
• Rhett DeHart, White Collar Crime, Band 2
• Will Umbach, Corporate/M&A, Band 3
• Lyndey Bryant, Litigation: General Commercial, Up & Coming

Tennessee

• Mitch Boult, Intellectual Property, Eminent Practitioners
• Cindy Barnett, Public Finance, Band 1
• Lynn Morrow, Media & Entertainment, Band 2
• Lucian Pera, Litigation: General Commercial, Band 2
• Maia Woodhouse, Intellectual Property, Band 2
• Kristina Schrader, Intellectual Property, Band 3
• Russell Harwell, Real Estate, Band 3
• Aubrey Harwell, Jr., Litigation: General Commercial, Senior Statespeople
• Taylor Brooks, Public Finance, Associates to Watch

Texas

• David Toney, Construction, Band 2
• Adam Massey, Construction, Band 4