Benesch is pleased to announce that 17 attorneys have been selected by their legal community peers to the 2026 Ohio Super Lawyers list, and 32 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
- Joseph A. Castrodale – General Lit.
- Thomas O. Crist – Construction Lit.
- Marisa Darden - Crime Def: White Collar
- Phillip Eckenrode - Business Lit
- Joseph N. Gross – Employment & Labor
- Kathryn Gaydos - Real Estate
- Kevin D. Margolis – Environmental
- Barry J. Miller – Construction Lit.
- Jared E. Oakes – Real Estate
- Gregory J. Phillips – Business Lit.
- Matthew David Ridings - Crime Def: White Collar
- Jeffrey J. Wild - Real Estate
- Eric L. Zalud – Transportation/Maritime
- Robert A. Zimmerman – General Lit.
2026 Ohio Super Lawyers Honorees – Columbus
- Trevor Alexander - Utilities
- Marc S. Blubaugh – Transportation/Maritime
- Frank W. Carsonie – Health Care
2026 Ohio Rising Stars Honorees – Cleveland
- Samantha J. Barbara – Securities & Corp Finance
- Christopher Battles - Business Lit
- James Bedell – Business Lit.
- Alayna Bridgett - Health Care
- Allyson Cady – Business Lit.
- John Dagon - Business Lit.
- Eric Flagg - Employment & Labor
- Lyndsay Flagg - Employment Lit: Defense
- Caroline Hamilton - Business Lit.
- David Michael Hopkins - Civil Lit: Defense
- Robert Kolansky - Crime Def: White Collar
- Hannah Kraus - Employment Lit: Defense
- Jared Kriwinsky - Real Estate
- Lauren Lipsyc - Real Estate
- Warren T. McClurg – Business Lit.
- Sean McKinley - Employment & Labor
- Brian D. Mielcusny – Mergers & Acq.
- Samuel Mintzer - Real Estate
- Lidia Mowad - IP
- Robert Pleines – Transportation/Maritime
- Christopher Razek – Transportation/Maritime
- Mackenzie Rini - Employment & Labor
- Anthony Rossi - Securities & Corp Fin
- Sarah Schneider - General Lit.
- Abraham Spira - Health Care
- James J. Walsh, Jr. – Business Lit.
2026 Ohio Rising Stars Honorees – Columbus
- Michael Fisher - Business Corp
- Holly F. Gross – Government Relations
- Kari D. Hehmeyer – Energy & Resources
- Ashley Laughlin Duff – Real Estate
- Abigail Riffee - Business Lit.
- Michael Silverstein - Business Lit.