Best Lawyers® - Purely Peer Review™
by Their Peers
"Lawyer of the Year" Honorees {{Geolocation}}
Jane Higgins Marx joined Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP in August 2000 and practices estate and business planning, probate, probate litigation, business succession planning and elder law. Jane counsels individuals, business owners, executives and caregivers on matters of estate planning, estate and gift taxation, income taxation of trusts and estates, charitable giving, business succession and probate. She provides comprehensive planning for disability, including counseling on special needs...
Matthew R. Wilson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs. Matthew R., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Matthew R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Marc J. Kessler is an experienced trial lawyer who is widely regarded as one of the nation’s preeminent business litigators. He has extensive experience with large scale, “bet-the-company” matters and is widely recognized for his ability to handle the most complex and critical litigation issues . Marc’s expertise includes complex commercial transactions, procurement, healthcare, trade secrets and non-competition, product liability, business torts, real estate, intellec...
David P. Meyer is the founder and managing principal of the Meyer Wilson Werning law firm. David is a financial fraud attorney with more than twenty-five years’ of experience in federal and state trial courts and arbitration cases, representing clients from all over the world. David has the honor of winning a record-breaking $261 million class action jury verdict against Prudential Securities on behalf of 200 retirees. David filed the class action lawsuit back in 1999 when he was 29 yea...
Joseph R. Durham is a member of Eastman & Smith and has represented cities, counties, local health districts, solid waste management districts, townships and villages in environmental law and litigation and public health law. Mr. Durham has represented clients before the Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Review Appeals Commission, Ohio Department of Commerce, Ohio Board of Pharmacy, Ohio Real Estate Commission, county boards of revision (real e...
Peter W. Hahn is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law and Litigation - Construction. Peter W., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2017. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Peter W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Scott Friedman is an OSBA Board Certified Specialist in Family Relations Law. Mr. Friedman is also licensed to practice law in the State of Florida. Mr. Friedman was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and attended The Columbus Academy. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Miami University and his Juris Doctorate from Capital University Law School, where he was honored with the Order of the Curia. Scott served as President Chair of the American Bar Association Family Law Section for 2013-2014 ...
James E. Arnold is recognized as one of Ohio's top trial lawyers. He was recognized by Best Lawyers as Central Ohio's "Securities Litigation Lawyer of the Year" in 2012, as the "Bet-The-Company Litigation Lawyer of the Year" in 2013, 2016, 2021, 2024 and 2026, and as the "Intellectual Property Litigation Lawyer of the Year" in 2014. Since 2001 he has consistently been recognized by Best Lawyers in multiple fields, including bet-the-company, personal injury (plaintiffs and defense), commercial...
Joseph J. Golian is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law and Transportation Law. Joseph J., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joseph J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Patrick D. Cornelius is a thoughtful, creative adviser, whether regarding strategic transactions or general business counseling. Pat makes it a priority to understand his clients’ goals, objectives and concerns and offer practical advice to help them solve problems, realize and execute on advantageous opportunities, and balance risk and reward. Pat has extensive experience leading M&A transactions for acquirers and targets, as well as advising clients on joint venture, capital raisi...
Lawyers {{Geolocation}}
David DeVillers is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar. David, who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jerry has been successfully trying cases since he received his law licence. His career with the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office in 1974 as an Assistant Prosecutor, where he tried over 75 cases in a three-year period. In less than two years, he was lead counsel in a death penalty case and obtained a conviction under Ohio's new death penalty statute. He entered private practice in 1977 after taking courses in gross anatomy and clinical pathology at The Ohio State University School of ...
J. Thomas “Tom” Nocar is a partner in the firm’s Litigation Practice Area in the Columbus office. Tom dedicates his practice to construction law and construction businesses. Before becoming a construction lawyer, Tom spent 26 years managing construction projects. This experience provides him with a unique set of skills to offer his clients—broad technical knowledge of the commercial construction industry and a practical approach to dispute avoidance and resolution. Tom...
Eric B. Kjellander is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law. Eric B., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Eric B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Geoffrey Kunkler joined Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP in 2014 and has been a Partner since 2018. His practice is centered around estate planning for individuals and business owners, as well as asset protection planning for retirees. He focuses primarily on the areas of estate planning, elder protection, estate administration, charitable and philanthropic planning and special needs planning. He also has extensive experience in conducting educational seminars on legal topics related to his e...
Nicole R. Woods is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Nicole R., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nicole R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Joseph M. Patchen is a Partner at Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP, representing businesses, financial institutions, owners, and professionals in business and real estate matters. His business law practice emphasizes corporation and limited liability company formation, mergers, and succession planning. His commercial real estate representation focuses on finance, construction, leasing, and acquisition. Joe joined CPM in June 1987. He serves as Chair of CPM’s Real Estate Practice Group.
Jack Butler is a Partner at Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP, and he concentrates on business matters and tax law. He focuses on company representation (corporate, LLC, and joint venture), including establishment, venture structuring, business relationship agreements, governance, and ongoing services; M&A transactions; debt and equity financings; captive insurance companies; business advisory; transaction planning and structuring; syndications; business succession planning; tax planning; ...
Bryan Pritikin is an experienced trial attorney and Partner in CPM’s Litigation Practice Group, representing clients in complex business, civil, commercial, and probate litigation. His corporate litigation practice includes business disputes, breaches of contract, fiduciary duty claims, fraud, restrictive covenants such as non-compete and non-solicitation provisions, and shareholder and partnership disputes, and declaratory actions. He also has significant experience litigating construc...
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