Michael Best Attorneys Earn Recognition in The Best Lawyers in America 2026 List

Michael Best is proud to announce the selection of 104 firm attorneys to The Best Lawyers in America 2026 list, with representation across 48 different areas of legal practice nationwide. Best Lawyers® is one of the most respected peer-reviewed publications in the legal profession and has been published for more than three decades. Best Lawyers' methodology is based on a comprehensive peer-review survey in which thousands of attorneys across the United States evaluate their peers in various legal practice areas.

The firm is also pleased to announce that five attorneys were included in The Best Lawyers in America 2026 “Lawyer of the Year” list, a prestigious designation of a single lawyer in each specific practice area and location. Additionally, 29 firm attorneys have been featured as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

Lawyer of the Year

Madison, WI

• Hamang B. Patel: Tax Law

Milwaukee, WI

• Christopher B. Austin: Patent Law
• Scott C. Beightol: Employment Law - Management
• Todd E. Palmer: Environmental Law
• Lauren A. Triebenbach: Litigation - Construction

Best Lawyers

Austin, TX

• Katie A. Fillmore: Administrative / Regulatory Law
• Darren G. Gibson: Litigation – Labor and Employment
• John A. Menchaca II: Corporate Law

Charlotte, NC

• Nicole A. Murphey: Employment Law - Management

Chicago, IL

• Jeffrey H. Brown: Advertising Law, Entertainment Law – Music
• Luke W. DeMarte: Entertainment Law – Music
• Daniel A. Kaufman: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• Charles A. Laff: Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Trademark Law
• Kerryann Haase Minton: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Brian P. Paul: Employment Law – Management
• Marshall J. Schmitt: Patent Law
• Martin L. Stern: Patent Law
• Courtney D. Tedrowe: Commercial Litigation

Cottonwood Heights, UT

• Michael C. Barnhill: Commercial Litigation
• Stuart A. Fredman: Corporate Law
• Anne T. Freeland: Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Brad R. Jacobsen: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Steven J. Joffee: Commercial Litigation

Denver, CO

• Scott M. Alter: Patent Law
• Jon R. Trembath: Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent

Green Bay, WI

• Timothy A. Burkard: Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Transactions / UCC Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Angela M. Rust: Health Care Law

Madison, WI

• Amy O. Bruchs: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Joseph D. Brydges: Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Holly E. Courtney: Employment Law - Management
• David A. Crass: Environmental Law
• Michael S. Green: Corporate Law, Real Estate Law
• Jordan J. Hemaidan: Communications Law, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law
• Nicholas J. Herdrich: Corporate Law
• Tod B. Linstroth: Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law
• Gregory J. Lynch: Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Porter J. Martin: Energy Law
• Hamang B. Patel: Tax Law
• Ian A.J. Pitz: Commercial Litigation
• Farrah N.W. Rifelj: Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Tanya M. Salman: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• John C. Scheller: Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation - Patent
• Sheila Boothby Stevens: Trusts and Estates
• Melissa M. Turczyn: Corporate Law, Venture Capital Law
• Leah Hurtgen Ziemba: Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental

Milwaukee, WI

• Victor J. Allen: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Luis I. Arroyo: Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Christopher B. Austin: Patent Law
• Scott C. Beightol: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Paul E. Benson: Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Peter L. Coffey: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• David W. Croysdale: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• James W. DeCleene: Tax Law
• Michelle Wagner Ebben: Construction Law, Real Estate Law
• Linda C. Emery: Privacy and Data Security Law
• Kelly M. Fortier: Immigration Law
• Alexander P. Fraser: Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Thomas O. Gartner: Real Estate Law
• Stephen A. Gigot: Patent Law
• Julie L. Gorens-Winston: Trusts and Estates
• Denise Greathouse: Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Nancy Leary Haggerty: Real Estate Law
• Kristofor L. Hanson: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• Devin S. Hayes: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Robert J. Johannes: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Daniel S. Jones: Patent Law
• Bradley J. Kalscheur: Trusts and Estates
• Jerome H. Kringel: Corporate Law, International Trade and Finance Law
• David A. Krutz: Construction Law
• Molly S. Lawson: Patent Law
• K. Thor Lundgren: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Jonathan H. Margolies: Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, Trademark Law
• Bethany C. McCurdy: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
• Justin M. Mertz: Corporate Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy, Real Estate Law
• Jason P. Muth: Patent Law
• Elizabeth A. Odian: Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Joseph L. Olson: Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Todd E. Palmer: Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Kirk A. Pelikan: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Employment Law - Management
• Mitchell W. Quick: Employment Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Bret A. Roge: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Tax Law
• Kelly R. Rourke: Employment Law – Management, Immigration Law
• Eric H. Rumbaugh: Employment Law – Individuals, Employment Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Trade Secrets Law
• Serene R. Sahar: Patent Law
• Timothy G. Schally: Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
• Christopher Schreiber: Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Charles P. Stevens: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Brent A. Stork: Commercial Finance Law
• Kevin J.T. Terry: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• Martin P. Tierney: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Tax Law
• Lauren A. Triebenbach: Banking and Finance Law, Construction Law, Litigation – Construction, Real Estate Law
• Daniel J. Vaccaro: Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Roy E. Wagner: Construction Law
• Adam E. Witkov: Commercial Litigation

Raleigh, NC

• James R. Forrest: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Emily M. Haas: Advertising Law, Patent Law, Trademark Law
• Carrie E. Meigs: Litigation – Health Care, Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Lucas S. Osborn: Litigation – Patent
• Rebecca R. Thornton: Litigation – Insurance

Salt Lake City, UT

• Melinda A. Morgan: Litigation – Insurance
• Lyndon L. Ricks: Corporate Law, Privacy and Data Security Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Judson D. Stelter: Employment Law – Management
• Evan S. Strassberg: Commercial Litigation
• Betsy T. Voter: Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law

Waukesha, WI

• Richard L. Kaiser: Patent Law
• Kevin P. Moran: Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
• Charles B. Palmer: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Workers' Compensation Law – Employers
• Derek C. Stettner: Patent Law

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch

Broomfiled, CO

• Keith T. Zittle: Corporate Law   

Chicago, IL

• William R. Andrichik: Commercial Litigation
• Christine A. Filarski: Intellectual Property Law, Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Carolyn E. Isaac: Commercial Litigation
• Katherine M. Lyons: Health Care Law, Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law
• Prateek Reddy: Litigation – Patent
• Chelsea T. Zielke: Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation – Construction

Denver, CO

• Robin A. Jackson: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate
• Emi M. Passini: Labor and Employment Law – Management

Los Angeles, CA

• David Szwarcsztejn: Labor & Employment Law

Madison, WI

• Emily A. McGovern: Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Technology Law, Venture Capital Law
• Leah N. Toro: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Labor and Employment Law – Management
• Brett R. Valentyn: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Milwaukee, WI

• Nicholas S. Behrens: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Alexander M. DeGuire: Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Alexander G. Izzo: Intellectual Property Law
• Michael R. Laing: Commercial Litigation
• Laura Lamansky: Entertainment and Sports Law, Intellectual Property Law
• Audrey N. Luzader: Labor and Employment Law – Management
• Julia F. Mader: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Labor and Employment Law – Management
• Katelyn Pellitteri: Corporate Law, Health Care Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Jared D. Riedl: Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law
• C. Nick Schaefer: Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law
• Madeline C. Schmid: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Ashley A. Smith: Corporate Law, Venture Capital Law

Raleigh

• Young Fei: Patent Law
• Destiney Parker-Thompson: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Francis Pray III: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Katarina D. Stockton: Labor and Employment Law – Management

Waukesha, WI

• Nicolaas T. Bressers: Intellectual Property Law, Litigation – Patent