Highlighted Lawyers & Firms
The Year’s Best in the Eyes of Their Peers
“Lawyer of the Year” Honorees
Abbey Garber focuses his practice on tax litigation and providing advice in connection with applying tax laws to individuals, estates, corporations, and partnerships. Serving more than 30 years in the Office of Chief Counsel at the Internal Revenue Service, he tried cases of all sizes in Tax Court, earning significant favorable opinions in fraud, tax shelter, and many other cases; received a full Tax Court opinion in an attorneys’ fees case; and prosecuted criminal tax cases in United S...
Armando is a commercial and real estate litigator and is leader of the Distressed Commercial Debt Litigation team. He represents businesses and owners in a wide variety of contractual, shareholder and commercial realty disputes. He devotes a large portion of his practice to representing holders of commercial debt in all aspects of work-outs, foreclosures, receiverships and guaranty enforcement actions. I focus my practice on the following areas: Distressed Commercial Debt I represent special ...
Whit Rayner is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group and co-leader of the intellectual property team. He focuses on copyright and trademark registration and protection, software licensing, and intellectual property litigation and prosecution. Whit provides counsel and advice to notable large domestic and international clients, including outdoor lifestyle brands, technology companies, and financial institutions. He also represents clients in commercial litigation and contract disputes. Wh...
Wyatt Jansen is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Trusts and Estates. Wyatt, who practices law in Stamford, Connecticut, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Wyatt is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
John M. Jennings is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Governance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Securities / Capital Markets Law. John M., who practices law in Greenville, South Carolina, has been recognized since 2011. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Brian M. Davis is a Partner at VLP, a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and former Co-Chair of the Intellectual Property Practice Group. Brian focuses his practice on client counseling relating to trademarks, including trademark clearance and the prosecution of U.S. and foreign trademark applications. He also has experience with copyright and other intellectual property issues, such as domain name disputes (including the UDRP), licensing programs and other intellectual property-r...
Melissa Hewey is an accomplished litigator with substantial experience across a broad range of practice areas, including insurance defense, school law, higher education law, employment matters, and complex commercial litigation. Melissa has represented a diverse set of clients, such as insurance companies, schools, colleges and universities, municipalities, law firms, hospitals, individuals, and businesses in a variety of industries. Melissa has tried a wide range of cases and argued signific...
For sixteen years, Kevin Scanlan’s career has centered on litigation and trial work in a broad range of cases, including professional liability, transportation law and other personal injury claims. He also regularly handles insurance coverage/bad faith actions, products liability lawsuits, toxic tort claims, and commercial litigation cases, such as actions for breach of fiduciary duty and fraud. Mr. Scanlan’s trial experience includes cases involving allegations of medical malprac...
"Ones to Watch" Recipients
Kyle A. O'Meara is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Municipal Law and Natural Resources Law. Kyle A., who practices law in Okemos, Michigan, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kyle A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Christopher Koester is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Christopher, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christopher is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kaitlin Price brings her experience as a law clerk in the North Carolina Business Court to represent businesses and individuals in complex commercial matters in the North Carolina Business Court. In addition, she also represents individuals and corporations facing white-collar criminal prosecution as well as government and corporate investigations. Kaitlin brings unwavering dedication to her clients and a deep work ethic to her practice. Her experience as a law clerk for the former Chief Judg...
Natural resources attorney with expertise in water resources, NEPA/CEQA and forestry issues. Former attorney with U.S. Department of Agriculture advising on forestry and federal land management matters. Combining a background working with and for government agencies, Liz Esposito leverages her diverse, hands-on natural resources experience to provide strategic counsel and advocacy on a range of natural resource matters. On behalf of private and public clients, Liz assists in the acquisition, ...
Dustin Rickett is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Securities / Capital Markets Law. Dustin, who practices law in Denver, Colorado, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Dustin is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Thomas Cain is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Securities Regulation and Venture Capital Law. Thomas, who practices law in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Thomas is held by o...
James Y. Lee is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. James Y., who practices law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James Y. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Highlighted Firms
Aberdeen
Van Cott Bagley Cornwall & McCarthy
Steptoe & Johnson PLLC
Foster Wheeler North America Corp.
Sumitomo Chemical
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