Press Releases

47 Benesch Attorneys Selected to 2026 Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

January 27, 2026

emaillinkedin

Benesch is pleased to announce that 17 attorneys have been selected by their legal community peers to the 2026 Ohio Super Lawyers list, and 30 have been named to the 2026 Ohio Rising Stars list.

The Super Lawyers selection process evaluates lawyers based upon multiple criteria, including professional achievement and peer recognition; honors and awards; firm and bar involvement and leadership; scholarship and professional writings; community service and pro bono activities; and other outstanding achievements. Rising Stars honorees are top up-and-coming attorneys who are no more than 40 years old or who have been practicing for no more than 10 years.

Only five percent of Ohio lawyers are chosen for the Ohio Super Lawyers list and no more than 2.5 percent in the state are recognized on the Rising Stars list. Learn more about the Super Lawyers selection process by clicking here. 

2026 Ohio Super Lawyers Honorees – Cleveland

  1. Joseph A. Castrodale – General Lit.
  2. Thomas O. Crist – Construction Lit.
  3. Marisa Darden – Crime Def: White Collar
  4. Phillip Eckenrode – Business Lit
  5. Joseph N. Gross – Employment & Labor
  6. Kathryn Gaydos – Real Estate
  7. Kevin D. Margolis – Environmental
  8. Barry J. Miller – Construction Lit.
  9. Jared E. Oakes – Real Estate
  10. Gregory J. Phillips – Business Lit.
  11. Matthew David Ridings – Crime Def: White Collar
  12. Jeffrey J. Wild – Real Estate
  13. Eric L. Zalud – Transportation/Maritime
  14. Robert A. Zimmerman – General Lit.

2026 Ohio Super Lawyers Honorees – Columbus

  1. Trevor Alexander – Utilities
  2. Marc S. Blubaugh – Transportation/Maritime
  3. Frank W. Carsonie – Health Care

2026 Ohio Rising Stars Honorees – Cleveland

  1. Samantha J. Barbara – Securities & Corp Finance
  2. Christopher Battles – Business Lit
  3. James Bedell – Business Lit.
  4. Alayna Bridgett – Health Care
  5. Allyson Cady – Business Lit.
  6. John Dagon – Business Lit.
  7. Eric Flagg – Employment & Labor
  8. Lyndsay Flagg – Employment Lit: Defense
  9. Caroline Hamilton – Business Lit.
  10. David Michael Hopkins – Civil Lit: Defense
  11. Robert Kolansky – Crime Def: White Collar
  12. Hannah Kraus – Employment Lit: Defense
  13. Jared Kriwinsky – Real Estate
  14. Lauren Lipsyc – Real Estate
  15. Warren T. McClurg – Business Lit
  16. Brian D. Mielcusny – Mergers & Acq.
  17. Samuel Mintzer – Real Estate
  18. Lidia Mowad – IP
  19. Robert Pleines – Transportation/Maritime
  20. Christopher Razek – Transportation/Maritime
  21. Mackenzie Rini – Employment & Labor
  22. Anthony Rossi – Securities & Corp Fin
  23. Sarah Schneider – General Lit.
  24. Abraham Spira – Health Care
  25. James J. Walsh, Jr. – Business Lit.

2026 Ohio Rising Stars Honorees – Columbus

  1. Michael Fisher – Business Corp
  2. Holly F. Gross – Government Relations
  3. Kari D. Hehmeyer – Energy & Resources
  4. Abigail Riffee – Business Lit.
  5. Michael Silverstein – Business Lit.