Eleven designated “Lawyer of the Year,” strong showings from energy, insurance, corporate and litigation practices
In addition, the global law firm reports that 169 of its lawyers are recognized on “Best Lawyers” lists, and 58 of the firm’s younger lawyers are featured in a refreshed “Ones to Watch” list.
The following Reed Smith Lawyers earned 2025 Lawyer of the Year designations:
- Monique Bhargava, Advertising Law
- James Cooper, Insurance Law
- Craig Enochs, Derivatives and Futures Law
- James Martin, Appellate Practice
- Brian Mitchell, Litigation - Banking and Finance
- Robert Riddle, Patent Law
- Andrew Roman, Insurance Law
- Timothy Royden Rupp, Corporate Law
- Paul Singer, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- David Weiss, Insurance Law
- Lee Zoeller, Litigation and Controversy – Tax
The Lawyer of the Year award is presented to just one lawyer per year in each practice area and geographic region.
The Best Lawyers list is peer-selected and represents the top 5% of all practicing lawyers in the United States, Best Lawyers says. Several Reed Smith lawyers were recommended in more than one category. The 2025 edition includes the following Reed Smith lawyers:
- Efren Acosta, Corporate Law
- Omar Alaniz, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Arthur Armstrong, Insurance Law
- Jeffrey Aromatorio, Corporate Law
- José Astigarraga, Arbitration and Commercial Litigation and International Arbitration – Commercial and International Arbitration – Governmental; and Litigation - Banking and Finance
- Keith Miles Aurzada, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Derek Baker, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Scott Baker, Litigation - Intellectual Property
- Evan Barr, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Katherine Basile, Litigation - Intellectual Property
- Terry Bates, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs
- Lawrence Benjamin, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Real Estate Law
- Felipe Berer, Corporate Law and International Mergers and Acquisitions
- Monique Bhargava, Advertising Law
- J. David Bickham, Commercial Litigation
- Daniel Booker, Antitrust Law and Bet-the-Company Litigation and Commercial Litigation and Corporate Law and Litigation – Antitrust
- John Bovich, Litigation - Intellectual Property and Litigation – Patent
- Elizabeth Brandon, Litigation – Securities and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- James Brennan, Real Estate Law
- J. Michael Brown, Banking and Finance Law
- Michael Brown, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
- Keri Bruce, Advertising Law
- Benton Burroughs, Jr., Corporate Law
- Douglas Cameron, Insurance Law
- Raymond Cardozo, Appellate Practice
- Peter Chassman, Litigation - Intellectual Property and Litigation – Patent and Patent Law
- Calvin Cobb III, Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates
- Selina Coleman, Health Care Law and Litigation - Health Care and Qui Tam Law
- Michael Cooley, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation - Bankruptcy
- James Cooper, Insurance Law
- Sarah Cummings Stewart, Health Care Law
- Luke Debevec, Insurance Law
- Robert Diamond, Community Association Law
- Paul Didomenico, Litigation - Real Estate and Real Estate Law
- James Doerfler, Construction Law
- James Duffy IV, International Arbitration – Commercial and International Arbitration - Governmental
- John Ellison, Insurance Law
- Craig Enochs, Derivatives and Futures Law and Energy Law
- Scott Esterbrook, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Financial Services Regulation Law
- S. Brian Farmer, Corporate Law and Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law and Securities / Capital Markets Law and Venture Capital Law
- John Feldman, Advertising Law
- Amber Finch, Insurance Law
- Benjamin Fliegel, Insurance Law
- Ronald Francis Jr., Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Brad Funari, Commercial Litigation
- Jennifer Gardner, Corporate Law
- Michele Haydel Gehrke, Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Melissa Geist, Health Care Law
- Mark Goldstein, Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Betty S.W. Graumlich, Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Thomas Greeson, Health Care Law
- David Gutowski, Tax Law
- Kurt Gwynne, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Cheryl Hader, Trusts and Estates
- Megan Haines, Litigation – Environmental and Oil and Gas Law
- David Halbreich, Insurance Law
- Jason Hazlewood, Commercial Litigation
- Curt Heffler, Real Estate Law
- Seth Herring, Litigation - Intellectual Property
- Brian Himmel, Insurance Law
- Leo Hitt, Litigation and Controversy – Tax and Tax Law
- Dan Hofmeister, Jr., Litigation - Insurance
- Carol Honigberg, Real Estate Law
- Courtney Horrigan, Insurance Law
- Marsha Houston, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- James Hultquist, Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property and Trade Secrets Law
- Gary Johnson, Oil and Gas Law
- Rebecca Jones McKnight, FDA Law
- Mel Justak, Trusts and Estates
- Dusty Elias Kirk, Real Estate Law
- Justin Kontul, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
- Benjamin Koplin, Health Care Law
- Michael Kostiew, Real Estate Law
- Alfred Kyle, Banking and Finance Law and Real Estate Law
- Timothy Law, Insurance Law
- James Lawlor, Banking and Finance Law
- Jeffrey Layne, Health Care Law and Litigation – Health Care
- Samuel Lee, Real Estate Law
- Lucas Liben, Energy Law and Oil and Gas Law
- Carol Colborn Loepere, Health Care Law
- Michael LoVallo, Trusts and Estates
- Hugh Lumpkin, Insurance Law and Litigation - Insurance
- Stephen Lyons III, Real Estate Law
- Todd Maiden, Environmental Law
- Joseph Marger, Real Estate Law
- Thomas Marrinson, Insurance Law
- James Martin, Appellate Practice
- Taila Martin, Real Estate Law
- David McAllister, Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Stephen McConnell, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
- Matthew Mck. Mohn, Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Paulo McKeeby, Litigation - Labor and Employment
- James McNair, Trusts and Estates
- Joseph Metro, Health Care Law
- Kelley Miller, Litigation and Controversy – Tax and Tax Law and Trusts and Estates
- Steven Miller, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Brian Mitchell, Litigation - Banking and Finance
- Paul Moak, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation - Bankruptcy
- Andrew Muha, Insurance Law
- Edward Mullen, Government Relations Practice
- Edward Mullins, Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation and International Arbitration – Commercial and International Arbitration - Governmental
- Stanley Nardoni, Insurance Law
- Robert Newman, Advertising Law and Privacy and Data Security Law
- William Overend, Litigation - Intellectual Property
- Ben Patton, Environmental Law
- Noel Paul, Insurance Law
- Daniel Peck, Jr., Banking and Finance Law
- C. Stanton Perry, Energy Law and Oil and Gas Law
- Robert Phillips, Trademark Law
- Robert Phillpott, Tax Law
- Ann Pille, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Rachael Pontikes, FDA Law
- Stephen Raptis, Insurance Law
- Traci Rea, Commercial Litigation
- Edward Rhyne, Jr., Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
- S. William Richter, Banking and Finance Law
- Robert Riddle, Litigation - Intellectual Property and Patent Law
- Francisco Rivero, Arbitration and International Arbitration - Commercial
- Jared Roach, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Financial Services Regulation Law
- Frederick Robinson, Health Care Law and Qui Tam Law
- Brian Roche, Trade Secrets Law
- Francisco Rodriguez, Arbitration and International Arbitration - Commercial
- Andrew Roman, Insurance Law
- Carolyn Rosenberg, Insurance Law and Litigation - Insurance
- Brian Rostocki, Commercial Litigation
- Timothy Royden Rupp, Corporate Law and Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Gregory Rupert, Tax Law
- Dominic Rupprecht, Insurance Law
- William Russell, International Arbitration - Commercial
- Casey Ryan, Employment Law – Management and Labor Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Michael Sanders, Health Care Law
- James Sanders, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Ronald Scharnberg, Tax Law
- Bradley Schmarak, Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Charles Seaman, Real Estate Law
- Katherine Seikaly, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- William Sheridan, Litigation - Antitrust
- Michael Sherman, Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television and Entertainment Law - Music
- John Shugrue, Insurance Law
- Christian Simonds, Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television
- John Simonis, Real Estate Law
- Paul Singer, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Bet-the-Company Litigation and Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Luke Sizemore, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Nicolle Snyder Bagnell, Commercial Litigation and Energy Law and Oil and Gas Law
- Kyle Sollie, Tax Law
- Louis Solomon, Commercial Litigation
- Nigel Stark, Technology Law
- Gerard Stegmaier, Privacy and Data Security Law
- George Stewart II, Insurance Law
- Thomas Suddath, Jr., Corporate Compliance Law and Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
- Matthew Tashman, Banking and Finance Law and Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Karl Thallner, Jr., Health Care Law
- Robert Vilter, Energy Law
- John Vishneski III, Insurance Law
- Arnd Von Waldow, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
- Jill Vorobiev, Employment Law - Management
- Lawrence Waks, Copyright Law
- Gary Walker, Corporate Law
- Chris Watt, Commercial Litigation
- Kim Watterson, Appellate Practice
- Matthew Weaver, Insurance Law
- Jeffrey Weimer, Commercial Litigation
- David Weiss, Insurance Law
- Justin Werner, Energy Law and Oil and Gas Law
- Douglas Widin, Insurance Law
- Colin Wrabley, Appellate Practice
- Dianna Calaboyias Wyrick, Commercial Litigation
- Alan York, Appellate Practice
- Lee Zoeller, Litigation and Controversy – Tax and Tax Law
Finally, 58 lawyers from Reed Smith are on Best Lawyers’ “Ones to Watch” list, which recognizes excellence among lawyers who are earlier in their careers. Several of those also were recommended in more than one category. This year’s cohort of younger Reed Smith lawyers features:
- Craig Anderson, Corporate Law and Health Care Law
- Alison Andronic, Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law
- William Atherton, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Courtney Bedell Averbach, Antitrust Law
- Daniel Avila II, Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Ana Maria Barton, Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Samantha Beck, Health Care Law
- Andrew Bell, Trusts and Estates
- Christopher Bouriat, Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Christopher Brennan, Antitrust Law and Litigation - Antitrust
- Nicole Brenner, Government Relations Practice
- Brittney Cafero, Health Care Law
- Jason Canaras, Real Estate Law
- Kristen Capriotti, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Conor Cassidy, Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
- Benjamin Chapple, Commercial Litigation and Corporate Law
- Jong-min Choi, Commercial Litigation and Intellectual Property Law and Litigation - Intellectual Property
- Han Deng, Transportation Law
- Susan Dewey, Transportation Law
- Kaitlyn Dunn, Health Care Law
- Michael Forbes, Intellectual Property Law and Patent Law
- Taylor Grant, Health Care Law
- Sujey Herrera, Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Marissa Hight, Real Estate Law
- Novika Ishar, Entertainment and Sports Law and Intellectual Property Law
- Sidharth Kapoor, Intellectual Property Law
- Katrina Kershner, Intellectual Property Law
- Max Louik, Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Jason Mayer, Health Care Law and Insurance Law
- Rose McClave, Real Estate Law
- Margaret McDonald, Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law
- Arturo Munoz Holguin, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Commercial Litigation and Energy Law and Oil and Gas Law
- David Murphy, Commercial Litigation
- Joshua Newman, Intellectual Property Law
- Thuy Nguyen, Real Estate Law
- Christine Cogbill Noonan, Government Relations Practice
- Christina Olivos, Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Rachel O'Neill, Real Estate Law
- Ryan Pate, Health Care Law
- Anne Peetz, Securities / Capital Markets Law
- Whitney Nonnette Perry, Labor and Employment Law - Management
- Alissa Piccione, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Jessica Rose, Real Estate Law
- Michael Sandusky, Real Estate Law
- Victoria Serigano, Litigation - Real Estate
- Victoria Shin, Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Alexander Sokoloff, Real Estate Law
- Russell Squire, Appellate Practice
- Anne Steadman, Commercial Litigation and Corporate Law
- Yimell Suarez Abreu, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Lisa Szymanski, Insurance Law
- Elizabeth Taylor, Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Idara Udofia, Entertainment and Sports Law and Intellectual Property Law
- Elaina Valtierra-Doherty, Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Gregory Vose, Commercial Litigation
- Claire Whitehead, Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants
- A.J. Wissinger, Energy Law and Environmental Law and Natural Resources Law
- Lauren Ashley Ziegler, Litigation - Labor and Employment
Best Lawyers publications and supplements provide coverage of local news, insights, and profiles on relevant topics, both regionally and internationally. Its method of selecting lawyers is based on peer review.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. With an inclusive culture and innovative mindset, we deliver smarter, more creative legal services that drive better outcomes for our clients. Our deep industry knowledge, long-standing relationships and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for complex disputes, transactions, and regulatory matters.
For more information, please visit www.reedsmith.com.
