August 24, 2015, USA – Reed Smith LLP today announced another strong showing of its U.S. lawyers in the annual Best Lawyers in America® rankings.
Eleven of the firm’s attorneys in six of its U.S. offices were named “Lawyer of the Year” in a practice specialty for their metro area, including four in Pittsburgh, two each in San Francisco and Philadelphia, and one each in Los Angeles, Richmond and Houston.
This year’s “Lawyer of the Year” honorees in Pittsburgh are Debra H. Dermody in Litigation – Antitrust, Thomas L. Allen in Antitrust, Kirsten Rydstrom in Litigation – Patent, and Martha Hartle Munsch in Education Law. The two San Francisco-area “Lawyers of the Year” are Jonathan R. Doolittle in Litigation – Bankruptcy, and Raymond A. Cardozo in Appellate Practice. Philadelphia “Lawyers of the Year” are Michael T. Scott in Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, and Thomas H. Suddath, Jr., in Corporate Compliance Law.
Reed Smith’s Paul B. Turner is the Houston “Lawyer of the Year” in Derivatives and Futures Law; Linda S. Husar is Los Angeles “Lawyer of the Year” in Labor Law – Management; and Kathleen S. Mehfoud is Richmond “Lawyer of the Year” in Education Law.
One hundred and seventeen Reed Smith attorneys practicing in 12 of the firm’s U.S. offices were selected as 2016 “Best Lawyers in America” for their work across 51 practice specialties. Several dozen lawyers were honored for their accomplishments in two or more practices. All told, honored Reed Smith lawyers received 177 recognitions.
“Reed Smith is exceptionally well represented among the 2016 Best Lawyers in America,” said Sandy Thomas, the firm’s Global Managing Partner. “The firm is particularly proud of its 11 ‘Lawyers of the Year’ in six of our offices across the nation. We are also delighted for the 117 lawyers recognized as ‘Best Lawyers,’ and the outstanding client relationships and results their prestigious recognition underscores. We celebrate all of our 2016 honorees for their notable accomplishments.”
Five Reed Smith lawyers – Margaret Grignon, Appellate Practice, Los Angeles; Kurt F. Gwynne, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Wilmington; Jeffrey S. Palmore, Government Relations Practice, Richmond; Bradley Schmarak, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Chicago; and Michael LoVallo, Trusts and Estates, Chicago – were recognized for their practice excellence this year for the first time.
Since its inaugural publication in 1983, Best Lawyers has been a definitive guide to legal excellence. Its choice of lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey. For the 2016 edition, some 6.7 million votes were analyzed and some 55,000 leading lawyers were recognized. Corporate Counsel described Best Lawyers as “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”
The 117 attorneys honored as 2016 “Best Lawyers in America” in each Reed Smith U.S. office, the year in which each lawyer was first honored, and the practices in which they excelled, are as follows:
CHICAGO
Robert E. Browne (2006) Litigation – Intellectual Property; Litigation – Patent; Patent Law; Trademark Law
James M. Davis (2013) Insurance Law
Diane Green-Kelly (2010) Franchise Law
Robert D. LoPrete (2015) Trusts and Estates; Tax Law
Michael LoVallo (2016) Trusts and Estates
Thomas A. Marrinson (2006) Insurance Law
John R. Mussman (2007) Banking and Finance Law
Stanley C. Nardoni (2006) Insurance Law
Brad Schmarak (2016) Mergers and Acquisitions Law
John D. Shugrue (2006) Insurance Law
John S. Vishneski III (2006) Insurance Law
Sarah R. Wolff (2001) Commercial Litigation
FALLS CHURCH
James C. Brennan (2013) Real Estate Law
Cynthia L. Gausvik (2013) Trusts and Estates
Grayson P. Hanes (1989) Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law; Litigation – Land Use and Zoning; Litigation – Real Estate
Julia Krebs-Markrich (1993) Health Care Law
James E. McNair (2006) Trusts and Estates
HOUSTON
Peter J. Chassman (2014) Litigation – Patent
Craig R. Enochs (2007) Derivatives and Futures Law
E. Lee Haag III (2011) Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Construction
Stan Perry (2013) Oil and Gas Law
Ricky A. Raven (2008) Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
Paul B. Turner (2007) Derivatives and Futures Law
LOS ANGELES
Michael K. Brown (2012) Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Margaret M. Grignon (2016) Appellate Practice
David M. Halbreich (2006) Insurance Law
Thomas E. Hill (2014) Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
Linda S. Husar (2013) Labor Law – Management
Douglas C. Rawles (2013) Commercial Litigation
James L. Sanders (2007) Criminal Defense: White-Collar
NEW YORK
Paul Evan Breene (2006) Insurance Law
John H. Doyle III (2010) Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law
William E. Goydan (2012) Commercial Litigation
Thomas J. Igoe, Jr. (1995) Energy Law
Clark W. Lackert (2007) Litigation – Intellectual Property; Trademark Law
Douglas J. Wood (2008) Advertising Law
PHILADELPHIA
Sara A. Begley (2015) Employment Law – Management
Peter S. Clark II (2007) Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy
John N. Ellison (2010) Insurance Law
Karl A. Fritton (1999) Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management
Lisa D. Kabnick (2005) Banking and Finance Law
Jay M. Levin (2006) Insurance Law
Stephen M. Lyons III (1999) Real Estate Law
Stephen J. McConnell (2007) Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
S. William Richter (2015) Banking and Finance Law
Michael T. Scott (2013) Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Joseph M. Sedlack (1999) Tax Law
Howard L. Shecter (2006) Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
John F. Smith III (2006) Insurance Law
Kyle O. Sollie (2008) Tax Law
Claudia Z. Springer (2006) Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy
Thomas H. Suddath, Jr. (2013) Corporate Compliance Law; Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
Karl A. Thallner, Jr. (1999) Health Care Law
Gary M. Tocci (2013) Employment Law – Individuals; Employment Law – Management
Labor Law – Management; Labor Law – Union; Litigation – Labor and Employment
Andrew J. Trevelise (2008) Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Douglas R. Widin (2007) Insurance Law
Lee A. Zoeller (2008) Litigation and Controversy – Tax
PITTSBURGH
Thomas L. Allen (2007) Antitrust Law; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation
William Bevan III (1989) Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management;
Litigation – Labor and Employment
Russell J. Boehner (2013) Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Dennis R. Bonessa (2005) Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Daniel I. Booker (1993) Antitrust Law; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation;
Corporate Law; Litigation – Antitrust
Douglas E. Cameron (2006) Insurance Law
Frederick H. Colen (1999) Copyright Law; Litigation – Intellectual Property; Litigation – Patent; Patent Law; Trademark Law
Eugene K. Connors (2007) Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management;
Litigation – Labor and Employment
Debra H. Dermody (2007) Antitrust Law; Litigation – Antitrust
Donna Doblick (2013) Appellate Practice
Carolyn D. Duronio (2003) Education Law; Non-Profit / Charities Law; Tax Law
David B. Fawcett III (1999) Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation
Ronald W. Frank (2006) International Trade and Finance Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Dodi Walker Gross (2012) Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Ronald G. Hartman (1999) Real Estate Law
Leo N. Hitt (1995) Litigation and Controversy – Tax; Tax Law
Courtney C.T. Horrigan (2007) Insurance Law
Dusty Elias Kirk (2006) Real Estate Law
Alan E. London (1995) Banking and Finance Law
James C. Martin (2006) Appellate Practice
David J. McAllister (2008) Employment Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
Martha Hartle Munsch (1993) Education Law; Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
Louis A. Naugle (1993) Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental
W. Franklin Reed (2013) Real Estate Law
James J. Restivo, Jr. (1995) Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation – Banking and Finance; Litigation – Bankruptcy
Patrick W. Ritchey (1987) Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management
Casey Ryan (2006) Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
Kirsten R. Rydstrom (2013) Copyright Law; Litigation – Intellectual Property;
Litigation – Patent; Patent Law; Trademark Law
Eric A. Schaffer (2005) Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Robert P. Simons (2011) Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Paul M. Singer (1995) Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Litigation – Bankruptcy
George L. Stewart II (2007) Insurance Law
Gary R. Walker (2012) Corporate Law
Kim M. Watterson (2008) Appellate Practice
PRINCETON
Leonard A. Bernstein (2001) Banking and Finance Law
Diane M. Frenier (2013) Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Daniel F. Peck, Jr. (2012) Banking and Finance Law
RICHMOND
D. Patrick Lacy, Jr. (2008) Education Law
Kathleen S. Mehfoud (2007) Education Law
Jeffrey S. Palmore (2016) Government Relations Practice
William G. Thomas (2013) Government Relations Practice
SAN FRANCISCO
J. David Bickham (2013) Commercial Litigation
Raymond A. Cardozo (2009) Appellate Practice
Colleen T. Davies (2013) Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
Jonathan R. Doolittle (2006) Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy
Bette B. Epstein (2009) Litigation – Trusts and Estates
Paul D. Fogel (2006) Appellate Practice
Harvey L. Leiderman (2010) Litigation – Bankruptcy
Dennis Peter Maio (2011) Appellate Practice
John L. McDonnell, Jr. (1983) Trusts and Estates
Charles H. Seaman (1995) Real Estate Law
David E. Weiss (2013) Insurance Law
Sonja Weissman (2011) Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Elizabeth B. Carder-Thompson (2011) Health Care Law
Eric A. Dubelier (2011) Criminal Defense: White-Collar
John P. Feldman (2008) Advertising Law
Thomas C. Fox (1991) Health Care Law
Judith L. Harris (2013) Communications Law
WILMINGTON
Kurt F. Gwynne (2016) Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
R. Eric Hutz (2012) Litigation – Intellectual Property
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a global relationship law firm with more than 1,800 lawyers in 26 offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Founded in 1877, the firm represents leading international businesses, from Fortune 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises. Its lawyers provide litigation and other dispute-resolution services in multi-jurisdictional and other high-stakes matters; deliver regulatory counsel; and execute the full range of strategic domestic and cross-border transactions. Reed Smith is a preeminent advisor to industries including financial services, life sciences, health care, advertising, entertainment and media, shipping and transport, energy and natural resources, real estate, manufacturing and technology, and education. For more information, visit reedsmith.com.
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