The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 list recognizes 186 BakerHostetler attorneys in a total of 286 rankings; another 61 of our attorneys have earned a spot on the Ones to Watch list. In addition, 12 of our attorneys were designated as Lawyers of the Year.
Attorneys become Lawyers of the Year by earning great respect among their peers for the skill, professionalism and integrity that characterizes their work on a daily basis. Only one attorney in any practice field for a given metropolitan area can receive this distinction.
Below are listed our 2026 Lawyers of the Year, Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch.
2026 Lawyers of the Year
Chicago
Jennifer M. Kurcz – Patent Law
Cincinnati
W. Ashley Hess – Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Cleveland
Alexander C. Campbell – Nonprofit/Charities Law
Suzanne K. Hanselman – Securities/Capital Markets Law
Carole S. Rendon – Criminal Defense: General Practice
Columbus
Todd M. Kegler – Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Albert G. Lin – Litigation – Banking and Finance
Orange County
Kristin L. Yokomoto – Trusts and Estates
Orlando
James V. Etscorn – Bet-the-Company Litigation
Elizabeth A. Green – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency Reorganization Law
Litigation – Bankruptcy
Gregory D. Lee – Land Use and Zoning Law
Philadelphia
Steven B. Samuels – Litigation – Intellectual Property
2026 Best Lawyers in America®
Orange County
R. Scott Feldmann – Litigation – Intellectual Property
George T. Mooradian – Tax Law
Kristin L. Yokomoto – Trusts and Estates
Los Angeles
Raymond O. Aghaian – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
David L. Aronoff – Commercial Litigation
Shareef Farag – Litigation – Labor and Employment
John Gilbertson – Health Care Law
Matthew C. Kane – Employment Law – Management
David J. Richardson – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Eric E. Sagerman – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
David H. Stern – Commercial Litigation
San Francisco
Robb C. Adkins – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Robert A. Julian – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Bankruptcy
Denver
Mark S. Barron – Energy Law
Paul G. Karlsgodt – Commercial Litigation
L. Poe Leggette – Energy Law, Natural Resources Law, Oil and Gas Law
Laurin D. Quiat – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Intellectual Property
David L. Starbuck – Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
Michael R. Stiff – Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
Timothy A. Worrall – Patent Law
Washington, D.C.
Jonathan R. Barr – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Edward J. Beckwith – Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
Glenn S. Benson – Energy Law
Mark W. DeLaquil – Environmental Law
William F. Dougherty – Admiralty and Maritime Law
Matthew R. Elkin – Tax Law
Amy Ralph Mudge – Advertising Law
Jeffrey H. Paravano – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
Paul M. Schmidt – Tax Law
Randal M. Shaheen – Advertising Law
Michael S. Snarr – International Trade and Finance Law
Orlando
Jason A. Brady – Corporate Law
Alberto S. Bustamante – Real Estate Law
Joyce Ackerbaum Cox – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Trade Secrets Law
Jeffrey E. Decker – Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
James V. Etscorn – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
David L. Evans – Real Estate Law
Elizabeth A. Green – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights, Litigation Bankruptcy
Andrew Layden – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Bankruptcy
Gregory D. Lee – Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
Michael R. Levin – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property
Patrick M. Muldowney – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Jimmy D. Parrish – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights
William L. Pence – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
Joel E. Roberts – Commercial Litigation, International Trade and Finance Law
James W. Seegers – Employment Law – Management
Kevin W. Shaughnessy – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Qui Tam Law
Robert W. Thielhelm – Commercial Litigation
Robert J. Webb – Leisure and Hospitality Law, Real Estate Law
Michael C. Wilde – Real Estate Law
Ormend G. Yeilding – Leisure and Hospitality Law, Real Estate Law
Atlanta
Christopher M. Arena – Patent Law, Technology Law
Josiah A. Bancroft – Real Estate Law
Eric L. Barnum – Litigation – Labor and Employment
S. Derek Bauer – Litigation – Health Care, Media Law
Janine Anthony Bowen – Information Technology Law, Privacy and Data Security Law, Technology Law
Kevin D. Bradberry – Commercial Litigation
Lisa N. Collins – Information Technology Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property
Payal P. Cramer – Health Care Law
Jason D’Cruz – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Douglas S. Eingurt – Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Amy E. Fouts – Health Care Law
Brian M. Harris – Employment Law – Management
Joann Gallagher Jones – Real Estate Law
Mark S. Lange – Tax Law
Wendy W. Markham – Real Estate Law
Brian F. McEvoy – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Charlene L. McGinty – Health Care Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Christopher A. Wiech – Copyright Law, Trade Secrets Law
Chicago
Michael D. Gannon – Litigation – Patent
Jennifer M. Kurcz – Patent Law
John S. Letchinger – Commercial Litigation
Timothy G. Payne – Immigration Law
David M. Serwer – Immigration Law
Leif R. Sigmond – Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent
John M. Touhy – Arbitration, Commercial Litigation
New York
John J. Carney – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Linda A. Goldstein – Advertising Law, Commercial Litigation
Tatiana Markel – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights
Heather J. McDonald – Litigation – Intellectual Property
Keith R. Murphy – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights
Irving H. Picard – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights
Lauren J. Resnick – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Jorian L. Rose – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights
David J. Sheehan – Litigation – Bankruptcy
John Siegal – Commercial Litigation
George A. Stamboulidis – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Amy J. Traub – Employment Law – Management
Amy E. Vanderwal – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights
Oren J. Warshavsky – Copyright Law
Cincinnati
W. Ashley Hess – Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
David A. Mancino – Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
M. Scott McIntyre – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
John M. Mueller – Litigation – Intellectual Property
Nicholas L. Simon – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Cleveland
Albert T. Adams – Corporate Law
John J. Allotta – Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
Martin T. Booher – Environmental Law
Terry M. Brennan – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Phillip M. Callesen – Banking and Finance Law, Project Finance Law
Alexander C. Campbell – Corporate Law, Health Care Law, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Tax Law
Ann M. Caresani – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Todd A. Dawson – Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Christopher D. Fidler – Trusts and Estates
Robert R. Galloway – Trusts and Estates
Matthew D. Graban – Corporate Law
Suzanne K. Hanselman – Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
Michelle M. Hervey – Tax Law
Suzanne M. Jambe – Family Law
Amy E. Kellogg – Real Estate Law
Richard M. Knoth – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent
Todd H. Lebowitz – Litigation – Labor and Employment
Lawrence V. Lindberg – Real Estate Law
James A. Loeb – Family Law
Thomas R. Lucchesi – Commercial Litigation
Chad W. Makuch – Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Trusts and Estates
Raymond M. Malone – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Gregory V. Mersol – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – ERISA, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Jennifer A. Mills – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Meagan L. Moore – Environmental Law
Christina Moser – Litigation – Intellectual Property
Brian M. Murray – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Adam R. Nazette – Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Finance Law, Equipment Finance Law
John D. Parker – Commercial Litigation
Carole S. Rendon – Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: General Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Lisa A. Roberts-Mamone – Trusts and Estates
Hewitt B. Shaw – Tax Law
Ronald A. Stepanovic – Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Alexander J. Szilvas – Tax Law
Matthew A. Tenerowicz – Banking and Finance Law
Michael A. VanNiel – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
Jeffrey R. Vlasik – Employment Law – Management
Daniel R. Warren – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Columbus
M.J. Asensio – Employment Law – Management, Health Care Law, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Joseph C. Devine – Employment Law – Management
Rodger L. Eckelberry – Commercial Litigation
Daniel J. Guttman – Litigation – Labor and Employment
Seth J. Hanft – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Mark Hatcher – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, Health Care Law
Todd M. Kegler – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Kevin W. Kirsch – Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent
Albert G. Lin – Appellate Practice, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Securities
Ronald G. Linville – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Susan Lubow – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Robert K. Rupp – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, Health Care Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law
Amy M. Shepherd – Corporate Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law
Jeffrey W. Stiltner – Real Estate Law
Mark C. Zronek – Employment Law – Individuals
Philadelphia
David R. Bailey – Patent Law
Robert E. Bittner – Real Estate Law
Felicity E. Groth – Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, Patent Law
Carl W. Hittinger – Commercial Litigation
Jonathan G. Lombardo – Patent Law
Joseph Lucci – Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
Edward J. McAndrew – Technology Law
Chad A. Rutkowski – Copyright Law
Steven B. Samuels – Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
Austin
Cynthia Bast – Public Finance Law, Real Estate Law
Victoria M. Delisle – Real Estate Law
Dallas
Elise Schuller Barajas – Health Care Law
Joshua J. Bennett – Appellate Practice
Craig C. Carpenter – Corporate Law
Jenny G. Givens – Health Care Law
Matt Hunsaker – Tax Law
Courtney Barksdale Perez – Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Robert A. Schroeder – Corporate
Stefan P. Smith – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Tax Law
James G. Wiehl – Health Care Law
Houston
Gary M. Alletag – Real Estate Law
Matthew W. Caligur – Commercial Litigation
Gregory Dillard – Environmental Law
Sashe D. Dimitroff – International Law – Commercial
Ashlee C. Grant – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Michael W. Mengis – Commercial Litigation, Energy Law
Michael J. Pappert – Real Estate Law
Ryan A. Pittman – Energy Law
Lynn Sessions – Health Care Law
Peter J. Stuhldreher – Employment Law – Management
Mark D. Temple – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
W. Ray Whitman – Commercial Litigation, Natural Resources Law
Seattle
Timothy D. Casey – Patent Law
Douglas A. Grady – Litigation – Patent
Jessica Mitchell – Real Estate Law
Michael J. Swope – Litigation – Patent
Ones to Watch
Orange County
Taylor A. Bloom – Intellectual Property Law, Technology Law
Rolando González – Intellectual Property Law
Los Angeles
Kamran B. Ahmadian – Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants
Amy E. Beverlin – Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Robyn W. Lin – Privacy and Data Security Law
Nicholas D. Poper – Litigation – Labor and Employment
Kerri H. Sakaue – Litigation – Labor and Employment
San Francisco
Victoria L. Weatherford – Appellate Practice
Denver
Hillary A. Hammond Cook – Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
Jacob D. Millis – Corporate Law, Tax Law
Sean B. Solis – Commercial Litigation
Washington, D.C.
John F. DeStefano – Tax Law
James East – Alternative Dispute Resolution, Litigation – Construction
Tung A. Nguyen – Administrative/Regulatory Law
Richard B. Raile – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation
Lindsey Simmons – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
Elizabeth N. Sneitzer – Intellectual Property Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property
Orlando
Maureen B. Soles – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation
Jacob Steffey – Corporate Law
Benjamin R. Taylor – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation Bankruptcy
Atlanta
Megan E. Canning – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Hillary L. Freesmeier – Labor and Employment Law – Management
Kyle R. Gregory – Health Care Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Jennifer S. Lee – Corporate Law, Insurance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Ryan Mayo – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Privacy and Data Security Law
Miranda L. Owens – Real Estate Law
Chicago
David H. Potter – Intellectual Property Law
Phillip K. Short – Commercial Litigation, Privacy and Data Security Law, Technology Law
New York
Stephanie A. Ackerman – Commercial Litigation
Csilla Boga-Lofaro – Commercial Litigation
Matthew D. Gases – Corporate Governance and Compliance Law
Victoria M. Rutherfurd – Commercial Litigation
Andrew M. Serrao – Antitrust Law, Commercial Litigation
Maximillian Shifrin – Commercial Litigation
Michelle Tanney – Litigation – Securities
Michelle Usitalo – Commercial Litigation
Lauren Weinberg – Commercial Litigation
Cincinnati
Kevin P. Flynn – Litigation – Intellectual Property
Katlin E. Rust – Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Scott A. Skiles – Intellectual Property Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
Cleveland
Cory Barnes – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
Jeremy S. Dunnaback – Commercial Litigation
Nathaniel T. Goldfinger – Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law
Kyle P. Graham – Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
Alanna C. Guy – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Robert L. McEvoy – Real Estate Law
Lauren T. Stuy – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Keaton W. Teynor – Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Venture Capital Law
Samuel F. Toth – Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Columbus
Apps M. Akpofure – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Corporate Law, Public Finance Law, Real Estate Law
Motaz Mandili – Commercial Litigation, Professional Malpractice Law
Marissa A. Peirsol – Commercial Litigation
Kayla M. Prieto – Commercial Litigation
Kevin P. Zimmerman – Patent Law
Philadelphia
Laura R. Gordon – Patent Law
Alaina J. Lakawicz
Dallas
Karina Loya – Commercial Litigation
Houston
Kristin H. Luck – Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants
Daniella E. Martinez – Commercial Litigation
Sushant Mohan – Commercial Litigation
Seattle
Paul J. Bruene – Antitrust Law, Intellectual Property Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property