Best Lawyers in the USA 2026

International law firm BCLP has been recognized in the 2026 edition of the Best Lawyers in America guide, a well-regarded publication that honors the top legal talent across the United States. This year, the firm achieved placements for 170 lawyers across eight offices, and 42 lawyers were recognized in the “Ones to Watch” category. Thirteen individuals were distinguished with the “Lawyer of the Year” award, a recognition given to practitioners with the highest overall peer feedback in a specific practice area and geographic region.  

“Lawyers of the Year” 

Kansas City-MO 

• Gino R. Serra - Nonprofit / Charities Law 

• Shannon K. Barks - Litigation - Trusts and Estates 

Phoenix 

• George C. Chen - Patent Law 

Miami  

• C. Ryan Reetz - International Arbitration - Governmental 

St. Louis 

• Dale A. Guariglia - Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental 

• Dan H. Ball - Product Liability Litigation - Defendants 

• Douglas J. Stanley - Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law 

• Keith J. Kehrer - Nonprofit / Charities Law 

• Kristin M. Yemm - Corporate Law 

• Peter D. Van Cleve - Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• Philip B. Wright - Tax Law 

• Rebecca A.D. Nelson - Antitrust Law 

• Steven M. Baumer - Securities / Capital Markets Law 

“Best Lawyers” 

Atlanta, GA  

• Richard L. Arenburg - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law 

• John R. Bielema - Litigation - Securities 

• Terrence Allen Childers - Corporate Law 

• Paul F. Concannon - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law 

• Frank A. Crisafi - Tax Law 

• William V. Custer - Bet-the-Company Litigation and Commercial Litigation 

• Jennifer B. Dempsey - Commercial Litigation 

• Marilyn M. Fish - Litigation - Labor and Employment 

• Christopher Paul Galanek - Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Labor and Employment and Trade Secrets Law 

• C. Scott Greene - Commercial Litigation 

• Jeffrey K. Haidet - Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• Luke A. Lantta - Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates 

• Johnny D. Latzak Jr. - Real Estate Law 

• Robert C. Lewinson - Banking and Finance Law 

• James J. McAlpin Jr. - Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law and Financial Services Regulation Law 

• Richard H. Miller (Rick Miller) - Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• Eliot W. Robinson - Corporate Governance Law and Securities / Capital Markets Law 

• Curtis Romig - Litigation - Construction 

• Steven G. Schaffer - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law 

• Eric P. Schroeder - First Amendment Law and Litigation - Intellectual Property 

• Louis C. Spelios - Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• Gretchen E. Von Dwingelo - Banking and Finance Law 

• G. Patrick Watson - Antitrust Law, Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Antitrust 

• Damon J. Whitaker - Litigation - Intellectual Property 

• Amy Taylor Wilson - Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• Gregory H. Worthy - Banking and Finance Law and Corporate Law 

Boulder, CO 

• Jason D. Haislmaier - Copyright Law and Information Technology Law 

• Paul E. Smith - Tax Law 

Charlotte, NC 

• Paul S. Donohue - Banking and Finance Law 

• Jarret P. Hitchings - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law 

Chicago, IL 

• Thor W. Ketzback - Environmental Law 

• Bryan E. Keyt - Environmental Law 

• Mary Margaret Moore - Employment Law - Management 

• Brian A. Sher - Litigation - First Amendment 

Colorado Springs, CO 

• Jill J. Chalmers - Copyright Law 

• Brent E. Rychener - Commercial Litigation 

• Steven B. Smith - Sports Law 

• Richard R. Young - Commercial Litigation 

Denver, CO 

• Robert H. Bach - Real Estate Law 

• Timothy R. Beyer - Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Antitrust and Securities / Capital Markets Law 

• Heather J. Boelens - Real Estate Law 

• Phillip R. Clark - Energy Law, Natural Resources Law and Oil and Gas Law 

• Tal Diamant - Real Estate Law 

• L. Anthony George - Employment Law - Management and Labor Law - Management 

• Sarah Hartley - Commercial Litigation 

• Lynn P. Hendrix - Copyright Law, Energy Law, Information Technology Law, Native American Law, Natural Resources Law and Oil and Gas Law 

• Michael J. Hofmann - Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White-Collar 

• William C. Holland - Banking and Finance Law 

• Henry W. Ipsen - Litigation - Environmental 

• Bruce L. Likoff - Real Estate Law 

• Charles D. Maguire, Jr. - Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• Sean R. Odendahl - Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• Steven B. Richardson - Energy Law and Oil and Gas Law 

Irvine, CA 

• H. Mark Mersel - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation - Bankruptcy 

• Steven H. Sunshine - Real Estate Law 

• Martin W. Taylor - Real Estate Law 

Kansas City-MO  

• Shannon K. Barks - Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates 

• Robert M. Barnes - Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• Steven B. Becker - Construction Law 

• Wesley O. Fields - Corporate Law and Public Finance Law 

• Christopher J. Fisher - Banking and Finance Law 

• Laurence M. Frazen - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation - Bankruptcy 

• Robert J. Hoffman - Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Banking and Finance, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation - Real Estate 

• Michael R. Humphrey - Real Estate Law 

• Elaine D. Koch - Litigation - Labor and Employment 

• James D. Lawrence - Commercial Litigation 

• Daniel C. Nester - Real Estate Law 

• Craig S. O'Dear - Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs 

• James P. Pryde - Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• B. John Readey III - Tax Law and Trusts and Estates 

• Michael J. Royle - Banking and Finance Law 

• Gino R. Serra - Nonprofit / Charities Law 

• Stephen S. Sparks - Public Finance Law 

• Robert M. Thompson - Bet-the-Company Litigation and Commercial Litigation 

Miami, FL 

• Pedro J. Martinez-Fraga Commercial Litigation, International Arbitration - Commercial and International Arbitration - Governmental 

• C. Ryan Reetz - Commercial Litigation, International Arbitration - Commercial and International Arbitration - Governmental 

• Justin R. Steinmark - Real Estate Law 

New York, NY 

• William Campbell - Real Estate Law 

• Ronald B. Emanuel - Real Estate Law 

• Philip E. Karmel - Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental 

• Kwon Lee - Energy Law 

• Joseph J. Richetti - Litigation - Intellectual Property 

• Steven M. Stimell - Leisure and Hospitality Law 

• Noah M. Weissman - Litigation - Real Estate 

Phoenix, AZ 

• Meridyth M. Andresen - Commercial Litigation 

• George C. Chen - Copyright Law, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Patent, Patent Law and Trademark Law 

• Kyle S. Hirsch - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law 

• Sean K. McElenney - Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Bankruptcy and Litigation - Real Estate 

San Francisco 

• Kenneth Lee Marshall - Appellate Practice 

• Rachel E. Matteo Boehm - First Amendment Law and Litigation - First Amendment 

• Roger R. Myers - First Amendment Law and Litigation - First Amendment 

Santa Monica, CA 

• Jean-Claude André - Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation 

• Kenneth R. Costello - Franchise Law 

• Keith D. Klein - Franchise Law 

• Anthony J. Marks - Franchise Law 

• Glenn Plattner - Franchise Law 

• Jonathan C. Solish - Franchise Law 

• Vanessa A. Sunshine - Real Estate Law 

• Sharon Z. Weiss - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law 

Seattle, WA 

• Jennifer L. Campbell - Commercial Litigation 

• Jenny A. Durkan - Criminal Defense: White-Collar 

• Timothy G. Leyh - Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Securities 

• Chelsey Mam - Commercial Litigation 

• Randall T. Thomsen - Commercial Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants 

St. Louis, MO 

• Ketrina G. Bakewell - Commercial Litigation and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants 

• Dan H. Ball - Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants 

• Frederick W. Bartelsmeyer - Corporate Law, International Trade and Finance Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• Steven M. Baumer - Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Securities / Capital Markets Law 

• Cathryn R. Benedict - Tax Law 

• Elizabeth Blackwell - Food and Beverage Law and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants 

• Louis F. Bonacorsi - Commercial Litigation 

• Erin L. Brooks - Environmental Law 

• James G. Buell - Real Estate Law 

• Michael P. Burke - Employment Law - Management 

• Richard P. Cassetta - Product Liability Litigation - Defendants 

• J. Bennett Clark - Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Patent, Patent Law and Trademark Law 

• John Michael Clear - Antitrust Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Antitrust, Litigation - Banking and Finance and Litigation - Securities" 

• Daniel A. Crowe - Litigation - Intellectual Property 

• Ryan S. Davis - Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• Mark S. Deiermann - Commercial Litigation 

• Jessica J. Edwards - Tax Law 

• Robert J. Endicott - Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law and Securities Regulation 

• Karen W. Fries - Banking and Finance Law 

• Herbert R. Giorgio Jr.  - Commercial Litigation 

• Victoria I. Goldson - Real Estate Law 

• Dale A. Guariglia - Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental 

• John W. Hoffman- Real Estate Law 

• Stephanie M. Hosler - Corporate Law 

• Jerry M. Hunter - Employment Law - Management and Labor Law - Management 

• Todd M. Kaye - Securities / Capital Markets Law 

• Keith J. Kehrer - Nonprofit / Charities Law 

• John R. Kindschuh - Environmental Law 

• Joel N. Lander - Corporate Law 

• Mark B. Leadlove - Commercial Litigation 

• Don G. Lents - Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, International Mergers and Acquisitions, International Trade and Finance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Securities / Capital Markets Law 

• Darci F. Madden - Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants 

• Kenneth J. Mallin - Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants 

• Michael B. McKinnis - Commercial Litigation 

• Walter L. Metcalfe J - Corporate Law 

• Jeanne Mattingly Miller - Trusts and Estates 

• Matthew G. Minder - Copyright Law and Trademark Law 

• George E. Murray - Real Estate Law 

• Rebecca A.D. Nelson - Advertising Law, Antitrust Law and Litigation - Antitrust 

• Michael N. Newmark -Tax Law 

• Robert L. Newmark - Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• James L. Nouss Jr. - Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation and Venture Capital Law 

• David A. Roodman - Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Patent, Patent Law and Trademark Law 

• Jeffrey S. Russell - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants 

• John D. Schaperkotter - Trusts and Estates 

• Christopher J. Schmidt - Commercial Litigation and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants 

• William F. Seabaugh - Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Securities / Capital Markets Law 

• Kathleen R. Sherby - Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates 

• Randy J. Soriano - Litigation - Patent 

• Douglas J. Stanley - Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates 

• Stephen G. Strauss - Product Liability Litigation - Defendants 

• Vyas Suresh - Real Estate Law 

• David M. Unseth - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law 

• Peter D. Van Cleve - Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• Lisa A. Van Fleet - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law 

• Bart D. Wall - Banking and Finance Law 

• R. Randall Wang - Corporate Law, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law and Securities Regulation 

• John M. Welge - Corporate Law 

• Nick E. Williamson - Litigation - Intellectual Property 

• Stefani L. Wittenauer - Product Liability Litigation - Defendants 

• Frank P. Wolff, Jr. - Nonprofit / Charities Law 

• Philip B. Wright - Tax Law 

• Kristin M. Yemm - Corporate Law 

Washington, DC 

• Mark A. Srere - Criminal Defense: White-Collar 

• Andrew Tauber - Railroad Law 

“Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America” 

Atlanta, GA  

• Nicholas A. Bedo - Commercial Litigation and Entertainment and Sports Law 

• Christian J. Bromley - Banking and Finance Law and Commercial Litigation 

• Brian M. Underwood - Commercial Litigation, Communications Law and Litigation - Intellectual Property 

Boulder, CO 

• Andrea E. Rastelli - Privacy and Data Security Law 

Charlotte, NC 

• Matt Sides - Energy Law and Project Finance Law 

• Meredith L. Silliman - Corporate Law, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and Tax Law 

Chicago, IL 

• Lauren J. Caisman - Product Liability Litigation - Defendants 

• Christopher A. Girouard - Tax Law 

• Alejandro J. Montenegro - Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• Braden D. Shaw - Banking and Finance Law 

• Steven G. Trubac - Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property Law and Litigation - Intellectual Property 

Denver, CO 

• Rachel M. Hirshberg - Corporate Law, Tax Law and Trusts and Estates 

• Benjamin J. Hogan - Appellate Practice, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs 

• Matthew E. Johnson - Securities / Capital Markets Law 

• Leif Olson - Litigation - Patent and Patent Law 

• Kaley Rickert - Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

• Brenna L. Wolcott - Litigation - Labor and Employment 

Irvine, CA 

• Sue Chang - Real Estate Law 

• Pushkal Mishra - Litigation - Patent 

Kansas City-MO 

• Alexandra L. Liebetrau - Real Estate Law 

• Mollie Harmon Moylan - Real Estate Law 

• Jay E. Wheeler - Banking and Finance Law 

Miami, FL 

• Margot J. Wainger - Real Estate Law 

New York, NY 

• Frank M. Fabiani - Intellectual Property Law 

• Evan Kaufman - Real Estate Law 

• Bret H. Ruber - Commercial Litigation 

• Kurt Steinhouse - Land Use and Zoning Law 

• Rebecca Zarett - Real Estate Law 

Phoenix, AZ 

• Matthew J. Stanford - Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation and Corporate Governance and Compliance Law 

San Francisco, CA 

• Abigail M. Cotton - Intellectual Property Law 

• Helen C. Goodman - Commercial Litigation 

• Caitlin M. Hartsell - Corporate Law 

• Goli Mahdavi - Commercial Litigation 

• Joseph J. Poppen - Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation 

Santa Monica, CA 

• Puanani E. Norwood - Energy Law and Real Estate Law 

St. Louis, MO 

• Peter W. Bay - Product Liability Litigation - Defendants 

• David J. Chambers - Corporate Law 

• Elizabeth A. Greenman - Commercial Litigation 

• Thea R. Hromadka - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Real Estate Law 

• Lana Hompluem Lane - Tax Law and Trusts and Estates 

 

The 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® marks 45 years of the organization's research into the top legal practitioners in the country. Since our founding in 1981, our mission has remained the same: to showcase the most distinguished attorneys across various practice areas in the United States.