Press Releases
129 Benesch Attorneys Recognized in 2026 Best Lawyers® Rankings
August 21, 2025
Benesch is proud to announce that the firm has been recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers in America®. This year, 73 Benesch attorneys have been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers®, and 56 have been named in Best Lawyers® “Ones to Watch” 2026. Additionally, two of our attorneys have been honored with the prestigious “Lawyer of the Year” designation. This award is particularly impressive, as only one lawyer in each practice area and geographic region receives this honor each year.
2026 Edition “Lawyer of the Year Award”
Cleveland, OH
- Jessica N. Angney – Litigation and Controversy – Tax
- Joseph N. Gross – Labor Law – Management
The Best Lawyers in America® (2026 Edition)
Chicago, IL
- J. Erik Connolly – Commercial Litigation
- Paul Coyle – Banking and Finance Law, Health Care Law
- Scott Downing – Health Care Law
- Jason Greis – Health Care Law
- Melissa Grim – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Seth J. Kleinman – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Manish K. Mehta – Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
- Joan Meyer – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Juan Morado, Jr. – Health Care Law
- Margo Wolf O’Donnell – Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management
- John E. Rooney – Energy Law
- Kal K. Shah – Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
Cleveland, OH
- Jessica N. Angney – Litigation and Controversy – Tax
- W. Eric Baisden – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
- Harry M. Brown – Administrative / Regulatory Law, Health Care Law
- Joseph A. Castrodale – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation – Securities
- Nora Cook – Commercial Litigation
- Thomas O. Crist – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
- Matthew P. Delguyd – Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Finance Law
- Gregg A. Eisenberg – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
- Kathryn Kramer Gaydos – Real Estate Law
- Angela R. Gott – Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Trademark Law
- Joseph N. Gross – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Norman W. Gutmacher – Real Estate Law
- Ira C. Kaplan – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law
- Lisa M. Kimmel – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Ross J. Kirchick – Commercial Finance Law
- Peter N. Kirsanow – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- M. Casey Kucharson – Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Finance Law, Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
- David Mansbery – Real Estate Law
- Kevin D. Margolis – Environmental Law, Real Estate Law
- Megan L. Mehalko – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
- Barry J. Miller – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
- Michael J. Montgomery – Commercial Litigation
- Steven M. Moss – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
- W. Clifford Mull – Health Care Law
- Jared E. Oakes – Real Estate Law
- Daniel J. O’Brien – Corporate Law, Health Care Law
- Robert C. Ondak, Jr. – Real Estate Law
- Johanna Fabrizio Parker – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
- Gregory J. Phillips – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions
- Richard A. Plewacki – Transportation Law
- Michael A. Primrose – Corporate Law
- Matthew David Ridings – Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Litigation – Antitrust
- Robert A. Ross – Corporate Law, International Trade and Finance Law
- H. Alan Rothenbuecher – Commercial Litigation, Trade Secrets Law
- Alan E. Schabes – Health Care Law
- William E. Schonberg – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Elliot M. Smith – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Shaylor R. Steele – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Howard A. Steindler – Real Estate Law
- Michael D. Stovsky – Information Technology Law, IT Outsourcing Law, Privacy and Data Security Law, Technology Law
- Michael K. Swearengen – Real Estate Law
- Richard F. Tracanna – Tax Law
- Michael W. Ward – Corporate Law, Real Estate Law
- Dana B. Weiss – Commercial Finance Law, Real Estate Law
- Jeffrey J. Wild – Real Estate Law
- Eric L. Zalud – Commercial Litigation, Transportation Law
- Robert A. Zimmerman – Employment Law – Management, Government Relations Practice, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Columbus, OH
- Trevor Alexander – Commercial Litigation, Energy Regulatory Law
- Marc S. Blubaugh – Commercial Litigation, Transportation Law
- Frank Carsonie – Health Care Law
- Laura L. Hult – Commercial Finance Law
- Steven D. Lesser – Energy Law, Government Relations Practice
- Vince J. Nardone – Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Health Care Law, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
- Martha J. Sweterlitsch – Health Care Law, Nonprofit / Charities Law
New York, NY
- Rachel Hold-Weiss – Health Care Law
- Daniel Meier – Health Care Law
San Francisco, CA
- Charanjit Brahma – Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Ruby H. Kazi – Commercial Litigation
Wilmington, DE
- Michael J. Barrie – Financial Services Regulation Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Jennifer R. Hoover – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Financial Services Regulation Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America (2026 Edition)
Chicago, IL
- Ermias Y. Abebe – Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Cristina Almendarez – Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
- Patrick J. Beisell – Commercial Litigation
- Hanna M. Conger – Energy Law
- Theresa Cross – Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Health Care Law
- Christopher DeGrande – Health Care Law
- Tevin L. Hopkins – Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Jacob H. Marshall – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Trevor J. Martin – Intellectual Property Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Technology Law
- Alexander M. Moss – Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Kate Watson Moss – Commercial Litigation
- Nicholas Pesavento – Tax Law
- Nesko Radovic – Corporate Law, Health Care Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Samuel J. Ruggio – Litigation – Patent
- Sam Stucker – Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Olivia Sullivan – Commercial Litigation
- Jamie N. Ward – Commercial Litigation
- Jacob Wilbers – Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Cleveland, OH
- James Bedell – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation
- Michael R. Beer – Banking and Finance Law
- Allyson Cady – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law
- Alison K. Evans – Intellectual Property Law, Technology Law
- Gregory T. Frohman – Commercial Litigation
- David M. Hopkins – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law
- Yelena G. Katz – Labor and Employment Law – Management
- Mariam Keramati – Real Estate Law
- Christopher M. Matgouranis – Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law
- Brian D. Mielcusny – Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
- Alyssa A. Moscarino – Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- J. Philip Nester – Transportation Law
- Kelly D. Noll – Real Estate Law
- Christopher Razek – Transportation Law
- Mackenzie L. Rini – Commercial Litigation, Labor and Employment Law – Management
- Christopher A. Rogers – Construction Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Transportation Law
- Nathan Sargent – Health Care Law
- Abraham Spira – Corporate Law, Health Care Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- James E. Von der Heydt – Commercial Litigation
- James J. Walsh, Jr. – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation
- Jaquan Williams – Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Ryan J. Williams – Banking and Finance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities Regulation
Columbus, OH
- Michael E. Fisher – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law
- Jonathan N. Fox – Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Kelly E. Mulrane – Commercial Litigation, Transportation Law
- Robert Naumoff – Transportation Law
- Abby Riffee – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law
New York, NY
- Douglas DiMedio – Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Nida Javaid – Corporate Law
- Kevin J. Kiley, Jr. – Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law
- Jaclyn S. Ruch – Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
- Aaron Schwed – Real Estate Law
- Lion H. Song – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
- Erica Youngerman – Health Care Law
San Francisco, CA
- Sydney E. Allen – Commercial Litigation
- Greg Proctor – Intellectual Property Law, Litigation – Patent
Wilmington, DE
- John C. Gentile – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Andrew Kinsey – Commercial Litigation
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