Michael Best Attorneys Earn Recognition in The Best Lawyers in America 2027 List 

Michael Best is proud to announce that 150 attorneys have been selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2027 list, with representation across 52 different practice areas across the nation. In addition, the firm is also excited to share that six attorneys have been named to the 2027 edition of the “Lawyer of the Year” list, which is a prestigious designation of a single lawyer in each specific practice area and location. 33 attorneys have also been named to the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch 2027 list.  

Best Lawyers® is one of the most respected peer-reviewed publications in the legal profession and has published annual lists 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. 

Lawyer of the Year

Madison, WI

• Joseph Brydges: Litigation - Banking and Finance, Litigation - Bankruptcy 

Milwaukee, WI

• Richard L. Kaiser: Patent Law 
• Justin Mertz: Litigation - Bankruptcy 
• Todd E. Palmer: Litigation - Environmental 
• Kelly Rourke: Immigration Law 
• Timothy G. Schally: Litigation and Controversy – Tax

Denver, CO

• Scott M. Alter: Patent Law 
• Eric R. Jonsen: Legal Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs, Professional Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs 
• Jennifer E. Schlatter: Employment Law - Management 
• Matthew R. Sullivan: Real Estate Law 
• Jon R. Trembath: Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Patent 
• Patrick D. Vellone : Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Bankruptcy, Litigation - Securities  

Washington, DC

• Amanda Wait: Antitrust Law 

Chicago, IL

• Jeffrey H. Brown: Advertising Law, Entertainment Law - Music 
• Carrie Byrnes: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law 
• Luke W. DeMarte: Entertainment Law - Music 
• Susan Frohling: Trademark Law 
• Daniel A. Kaufman: Employment Law - Management 
• Kerryann Haase Minton: Employment 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  

Charlotte, NC

• Tracy Thompson James: Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation - Construction 
• Nicole A. Murphey: Employment Law - Management 

Durham, NC

• David Morris: Corporate Law 

Raleigh, NC

• James 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 Osborn: Litigation - Patent 
• Rebecca R. Thornton: Litigation - Insurance 

Lincoln, NE

• Bart Dillashaw: Corporate Law, Venture Capital Law 
• Maggie Schiefen: Litigation - Labor and Employment 

Austin, TX

• Katie A. Fillmore : Litigation - Construction 
• Darren G. Gibson: Litigation - Labor and Employment 
• John A. Menchaca II: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law 
• Michael A. Shaunessy: Commercial Litigation 

Salt Lake City, 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 
• Melinda A. Morgan: Litigation - Insurance 
• Evan S. Strassberg: Commercial Litigation 
• Betsy T. Voter: Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law 

Madison, WI

• Amy O. Bruchs: Employment Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment 
• Joseph 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 
• Nicolas Herdrich: Corporate Law, Venture Capital Law 
• Gregory J. Lynch: Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law 
• Porter J. Martin: Corporate Law, Energy Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law 
• Hamang B. Patel: Tax Law 
• Ian A.J. Pitz : Commercial Litigation 
• Farrah N.W. Rifelj: Employment Law – Management, 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 Ziemba: Environmental Law, Litigation - Environmental  

Manitowoc, WI

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

Milwaukee, WI

• Victor J. Allen: Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Labor and Employment 
• Michael Altman: Corporate Law 
• Luis I. Arroyo: Litigation - Labor and Employment 
• Christopher B. Austin: Patent Law 
• Scott C. Beightol: Employment 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 
• K. Sam Brooks: Patent Law 
• Peter L. Coffey: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Mergers and Acquisitions Law 
• David W. Croysdale: Employment Law - Management 
• James W. DeCleene: Tax Law 
• Michelle Ebben: Construction Law, Real Estate Law 
• Linda 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 
• Daniel J. Gawronski: Commercial Litigation, Corporate 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 
• Devin Hayes: Employment 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 
• David A. Krutz: Construction Law 
• Molly S. Lawson: Patent Law 
• Mark Lotito: Employee Benefits (ERISA) 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, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Workers' Compensation Law - Employers 
• Justin Mertz: Corporate Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy, Real Estate Law 
• Vincent Morrone: Corporate Law 
• Jason P. Muth: Patent Law 
• Elizabeth A. Odian: Litigation - Labor and Employment 
• Joseph L. Olson: Commercial Litigation 
• Todd E. Palmer: Environmental Law, Litigation - Environmental 
• Kirk 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 Rourke: Employment Law – Management, Immigration Law 
• Eric H. Rumbaugh: Employment Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Trade Secrets Law 
• S. Edward Sarskas: Litigation - Patent 
• 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 
• Jason Thompson: Corporate Law 
• 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 
• Adam E. Witkov: Commercial Litigation 
• Carrie Ziegler Thomas: Immigration Law 

Waukesha, WI

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

Broomfield, CO

• Keith Zittle: Corporate Law 

Denver, CO

• Averil K. Andrews: Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Intellectual Property 
• Brenton L. Gragg: Commercial Litigation 
• Lance Henry: Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Banking and Finance, Litigation - Bankruptcy 
• Robin Jackson: Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Real Estate 
• Jeremy Jonsen: Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law, Litigation - Labor and Employment 
• Emi Passini: Labor and Employment Law - Management 
• Benjamin J. Woodruff: Health Care Law, Professional Malpractice Law 

Chicago, IL

• Christine A. Filarski: Intellectual Property Law, Litigation - Intellectual Property 
• Carolyn Isaac: Commercial Litigation 
• Katherine Lyons: Health Care Law, Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law 
• Prateek Reddy: Litigation - Patent 
• Chelsea Zielke: Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation - Construction 

Charlotte, NC

•  Peter Clements: Insurance Law, Litigation - Construction

Raleigh, NC

• Young Fei: Patent Law 
• Francis Pray III: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Mergers and Acquisitions Law 
• Katarina Stockton: Labor and Employment Law - Management 

Madison, WI

• Leakhena Au: Environmental Law 
• Emily A. McGovern: Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Technology Law, Venture Capital Law 
• Leah Toro: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Labor and Employment Law - Management 
• Brett Valentyn: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

Milwaukee, WI

• Nicholas S. Behrens: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law 
• Alexander DeGuire: Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants 
• Alexander Izzo: Intellectual Property Law 
• Laura Lamansky: Entertainment and Sports Law, Intellectual Property Law 
• Audrey Luzader: Labor and Employment Law - Management 
• Julia Mader: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Labor and Employment Law - Management 
• Katelyn Miller (Pellitteri): Corporate Law, Health Care Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law 
• Jared Riedl: Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law 
• Christian 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  

Waukesha, WI

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