Best Lawyers® - Purely Peer Review™
by Their Peers
"Lawyer of the Year" Honorees {{Geolocation}}
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.
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...
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.
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...
Courtney Hanna is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Collaborative Law: Family Law and Litigation - Real Estate. Courtney, 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 Courtney is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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.
Bill Nolan serves as managing partner of the firm’s Ohio office, which he opened in 2009. Bill works to bring attentiveness and clarity to bear on employment, contract and other disputes, but is most passionate about helping clients build teams, policies and processes to minimize the frequency, cost and severity of disputes. Bill's litigation and trial work includes covenant not to compete and trade secret cases in many states. He regularly represents employers in discrimination and dis...
Shawn Dominy is a criminal defense attorney, and the primary focus of his practice is representing clients charged with OVI/DUI and serious vehicular crimes like Vehicular Homicide and Vehicular Assault. Shawn is a leader in professional organizations. He is the past President of the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (OACDL), the state delegate for the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD), and the recipient of the NCDD Leadership Award. Shawn is a founding member of the national...
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...
Lawyers {{Geolocation}}
Philip R. Westerman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Philip 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 Philip R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Bob Robenalt is a partner in the firm's Columbus office. He represents management in a variety of labor and employment issues, including workers' compensation, employment litigation and traditional labor matters. Bob has defended numerous wrongful discharge, Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), workers' compensation and employment discrimination actions in state and federal courts, and has argued in defense of employment actions before the 4th and 6th Circuit Federal Courts. He ha...
Doug Oldham advises employers of all sizes on a broad range of fair employment and wage and hour policies and practices to avoid disputes with employees. When those disputes are inevitable, Doug represents employers in employment discrimination and wage and hour litigation in courts across the country. Since joining the firm more than a decade ago, Doug has accumulated significant labor and employment litigation experience. Doug is actively involved in briefing motions for summary judgment, m...
Meredith K. Sugar is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Trusts and Estates. Meredith K., 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 Meredith K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Position: Managing Attorney/Principal Born: Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada Admitted to bar,1981, Ohio. (Also a member of the Pennsylvania Bar) Education: The Ohio State University B.S., summa cum laude, 1978 J.D., cum laude, 1981. Best Lawyers in America from 1993 to present. Also named one of Ohio's Super Lawyers Listed in Columbus Monthly (Nov 2003) article Top lawyers The city's best & brightest Recipient, Judge Joseph M. Harter Memorial Award. Bar Memberships: Columbus Bar Association: C...
Lloyd Pierre-Louis is a member of Dickinson Wright’s Cannabis Practice Group. His practice focuses on government affairs and administrative law, and particularly the legal cannabis and hemp industries. He represents clients providing the industry with equity and debt capital, equipment, devices, and other services. He also assists entities and individuals through every aspect of licensure, business operation, regulatory compliance, employment, and transactions with related businesses. L...
Mark A. Shaw represents employers in workers' compensation, litigation and employment matters. He has represented both private and public sector employers before state courts and at all administrative levels before the Industrial Commission. He is a frequent speaker and guest lecturer at seminars regarding workers' compensation and employment law topics. Mr. Shaw is a member of Eastman & Smith, practicing in the Firm's Columbus, Ohio, office, and is listed in Best Lawyers in America®....
Tom Metzger is a nationally recognized employment law advisor, litigator, and trainer. With a career spanning over 20 years, he has developed expertise representing employers and executives in connection with covenants-not-to-compete, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) regulatory and litigation matters, discrimination and retaliation claims, contract disputes, and related workplace matters. Tom represents employers and executi...
Brett A. Miller joined Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP in 2021 as Of Counsel and is a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. He primarily represents clients in the areas of complex business litigation and family law matters, including dissolution, divorce, and post-decree issues. For over 20 years, Brett has gained extensive experience as a trial attorney throughout many of Ohio’s 88 counties and U.S. federal district courts. In addition to his primary areas, Brett has e...
Katrina M. Thompson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Katrina M., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Katrina M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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