Langley & Banack, Inc. attorney Kristal C. Thomson was honored by the State Bar of Texas for her contributions in 2018 to the Bar’s continuing legal education efforts. Thomson was one of four volunteer lawyers receiving an award selected by the staff of TexasBarCLE.

In addition to her speaking engagements in 2018, Thomson served as a course director for two TexasBarCLE courses.

Thomson is board certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Other recognition for Thomson include being a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a Life Member of the Texas Family Law Foundation, a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, and Chair-Elect of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Thomson also is a Grievance Committee Panel Chair and a member of the Pattern Jury Charge Committee, Estates & Family Law.

Thomson holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas and a Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s University School of Law.

Attorney Deborah Hankinson has been selected for the 14th time to D Magazine’s list of the Best Lawyers in Dallas for her practice in conflict resolution.

The 2019 honor recognizes the former Texas Supreme Court Justice’s comprehensive practice in conflict resolution, which includes mediation, early neutral evaluation, arbitration, settlement consulting, and special settlement counsel.

The award recognizes Hankinson’s practice as a broad range of consulting and counseling options that take full advantage of her analytical and problem-solving skills. From pre-litigation to post-trial, she advances procedural efficacy and the potential for settlement.

Her practice promotes opportunities for problem-solving and resolution at all stages of a dispute by making a range of easily accessible services available to those seeking alternatives to trial. This approach expands traditional mediation and arbitration to offer a new, broad-based resource for solving legal conflicts.

Hankinson offers early neutral evaluations to assess the merits of a dispute as a predicate to potential settlement. She also conducts pre-suit mediations and helps clients develop early settlement strategies. Based on her broad expertise, she is often retained as special settlement counsel.

Hankinson has earned recognition from The Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, Texas Super Lawyers, Benchmark Appellate, Texas Lawyer, Dallas Business Journal, Martindale-Hubbell and Lawdragon, in addition to D Magazine. She also has been honored as a Texas Trial Legend by the Dallas Bar Association and was selected to The National Law Journal’s inaugural ADR Champions list, recognizing trailblazers from across the nation.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP announced its sixth consecutive nationwide ranking in the Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional) category in the Chambers USA 2019 legal directory by Chambers & Partners.

The firm also is listed among Texas’ top firms in Antitrust, Banking & Finance, Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Corporate/M&A, Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Electricity), Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Oil & Gas), Environment, Healthcare, Intellectual Property, Labor & Employment, Litigation: General Commercial, Real Estate and Tax.

Austin
Katherine L. Coleman, Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Electricity)
James C. Morriss III, Environment
Phillip G. Oldham, Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Electricity)
Ashley T. K. Phillips, Environment
Rex D. VanMiddlesworth, Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Electricity)

Dallas
David M. Bennett, Bankruptcy/Restructuring
J. Patrick Bredehoft, Healthcare
Anthony Campiti, Labor & Employment
Max Ciccarelli, Intellectual Property
Andrew B. Derman, Latin American Investment; Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional)
Stephen F. Fink, Labor & Employment
Rick Haan, Real Estate
Herbert J. Hammond, Intellectual Property
James B. Harris, Environment
Martha Harris, Real Estate
Craig A. Haynes, Litigation: Energy & Natural Resources
Benjamin Herd, Real Estate
Gregory S.C. Huffman, Antitrust
Andrew A. Ingrum, Real Estate
Wilson G. Jones, Healthcare
William M. Katz, Jr., Antitrust
James W. McKellar, Banking & Finance
Mary A. McNulty, Tax: Litigation
Emily A. Parker, Tax: Litigation
John W. Rain, Banking & Finance
Richard B. Roper, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
Mark M. Sloan, Real Estate
Bruce S. Sostek, Intellectual Property
Shad E. Sumrow, Banking & Finance
Mark Weibel, Real Estate

Houston
Roger D. Aksamit, Tax
Andrew P. Flint, Banking & Finance
Kenneth P. Held, Litigation: Securities
Bruce W. Merwin, Construction
Cassandra Mott, Banking & Finance

Freeborn & Peters LLP announced that Chambers USA has ranked five Freeborn practice areas and 13 firm attorneys in its 2019 legal industry guide. Among the ranked attorneys, Freeborn Partner Joseph T. McCullough was nationally ranked in Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance. He is one of only six attorneys nationwide to receive that honor.

Freeborn was ranked as among the top firms in Illinois in the following practice areas:

– Bankruptcy/Restructuring
– Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance
– Media & Entertainment: Transactional
– Real Estate
– Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use

Freeborn’s Chicago-based attorneys, and their recognized practice areas, ranked by Chambers USA as among the leading lawyers for business in Illinois are:

– James J. Boland (Partner, Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance)
– Mitchell A. Carrel (Partner, Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use)
– Philip L. Comella (Partner, Environment: Litigation)
– Jeffery M. Cross (Partner, Antitrust)
– Andrew L. Goldstein (Partner, Media & Entertainment: Transactional)
– Mark R. Goodman (Partner, Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory)
– David C. Gustman (Partner, Litigation: General Commercial)
– Harry Leipsitz (Associate, Real Estate)
– Joseph T. McCullough (Partner, Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance)
– Christopher J. Townsend (Partner, Energy & Natural Resources: Regulatory)
– Richard J. Traub (Partner, Real Estate)

Freeborn’s New York City-based Partners, and their recognized practice areas, ranked by Chambers USA as among the leading lawyers for business in New York are:

– Daniel Hargraves (Partner, Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer)
– Sean Thomas Keely (Partner, Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer)

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., announced that the firm’s franchising practice and officers Beata Krakus and Leonard D. Vines have been nationally ranked in the 2019 edition of the Chambers USA legal industry guide. In addition, three other Greensfelder practices and four officers were ranked by Chambers in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

Chambers ranked the firm in St. Louis for Litigation: General Commercial, Labor & Employment, and Real Estate. The firm’s attorneys ranked in St. Louis, and their primary practice areas, are:

– Amy L. Blaisdell (Labor & Employment)
– Vincent J. Garozzo (Corporate/M&A)
– David M. Harris (Litigation: General Commercial)
– Kevin T. McLaughlin (Labor & Employment)

Based in the firm’s Chicago office and a member of Greensfelder’s Franchising & Distribution practice group, Krakus works with  franchise programs for concepts including real estate brokerages, hotels, restaurants, and fitness and personal health systems, among others. Her practice also encompasses other distribution models, and she assists clients in managing their distribution networks.

Based in Greensfelder’s St. Louis office and also a member of the Franchising & Distribution group, Vines has experience representing national, regional and local franchisors and distributors. He has assisted start-up and established franchisors, as well as franchisees and franchisee associations. Vines also is a frequent lecturer and writer on franchise topics.

Also based in St. Louis, Blaisdell is a member of Greensfelder’s Employment & Labor practice group and leads the firm’s Health Care industry team. She has represented employers nationwide in the defense of employment and employee benefits litigation, including in the U.S. Supreme Court. She focuses her practice on highly regulated industries including health care and financial services.

Garozzo is a member of the firm’s Business Services practice group. Based in St. Louis, he has experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and tax issues. He is a member of Greensfelder’s board of directors and formerly served as the firm’s president.

Harris works from Greensfelder’s St. Louis and Chicago offices. A member of the firm’s Litigation practice group, he focuses on the energy, securities and health care industries, representing large integrated energy companies, broker-dealers in securities matters, and a broad spectrum of other companies and industries. Harris is a former member of the firm’s executive committee and board of directors.

Leader of Greensfelder’s Employment & Labor practice group and a former member of the firm’s board of directors, McLaughlin handles employment issues including traditional labor matters. He works with employers to navigate lawsuits, investigations and day-to-day human resources issues. He is based in Greensfelder’s St. Louis office.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP announced that 94 attorneys and 27 practice areas at the firm have been highly ranked in the 2019 edition of Chambers USA, the independent legal industry referral guide.

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in the nation for the following practice areas:

· Construction
· Financial Services Regulation: Banking (Enforcement & Investigations)
· Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance (Compliance & Litigation)
· Product Liability & Mass Torts

In addition, the following Bradley attorneys were ranked nationally:

· Aron C. Beezley (Government Contracts)
· William F. (Will) Goodman, III (Product Liability & Mass Torts)
· Tripp Haston (Product Liability & Mass Torts)
· Robert Maddox (Financial Services Regulation: Banking (Enforcement Investigations)

Based in London, Chambers and Partners ranks leading U.S. firms and attorneys based on in-depth research and interviews with attorneys’ clients and peers. Chambers USA 2019 ranks more than 6,000 law firms and 18,000 lawyers across more than 50 practice areas/sectors on a state and national level. Chambers assesses attorneys on attributes most valued by clients, including technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence, and commitment. Most attorneys are ranked in bands of 1-6, with all band rankings considered to be a significant achievement. Some attorneys earn specialized Chambers designations including “Recognised Practitioner,” which indicates an attorney who handles notable matters and/or has received some recommendation, and “Star” individual, which is awarded to lawyers with exceptional recommendations in their fields. The Chambers USA guide is widely read by industry-leading companies and organizations nationwide. For more information, visit https://www.chambersandpartners.com.

Following is a summary of Bradley’s Chambers USA rankings, organized by state.

Alabama

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in Alabama for the following practice areas:

· Banking & Finance
· Bankruptcy/Restructuring
· Corporate/Commercial
· Environment
· Healthcare
· Labor & Employment
· Litigation: General Commercial
· Real Estate

Chambers USA ranked the following attorneys in the firm’s Birmingham office as among the leading lawyers for business in Alabama:

· Charles A. J. (Charlie) Beavers, Jr. (Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use)
· Jay R. Bender (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
· Lee Birchall (Banking & Finance: Public Finance)
· Beau Byrd (Real Estate)
· Jennifer Hoover Clark (Healthcare)
· William S. (Buddy) Cox, III (Environment)
· R. Alan Deer (Banking & Finance, Banking & Finance: Mainly Regulatory)
· L. Susan Doss (Banking & Finance)
· J. David (Dave) Dresher (Banking & Finance, Banking & Finance: Mainly Regulatory, Real Estate)
· Denson N. Franklin, III (Corporate/Commercial)
· N. Chris Glenos (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
· T. Parker Griffin, Jr. (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
· John W. Hargrove (Labor & Employment)
· Judd A. Harwood (Healthcare)
· Tripp Haston (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Christopher L. (Chris) Hawkins (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
· Rod Kanter (Banking & Finance: Public Finance)
· Joel M. Kuehnert (Environment)
· Harold B. Kushner (Corporate/Commercial)
· Matthew H. (Matt) Lembke (Litigation: Appellate)
· Jack B. Levy (Healthcare)
· Robert Maddox (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Stuart M. Maxey (Corporate/Commercial)
· T. Matthew (Matt) Miller (Labor & Employment)
· Stephen R. (Steve) Monk (Real Estate)
· Charles Moore (Banking & Finance)
· Daniel F. (Dan) Murphy (Healthcare)
· Michael R. (Mike) Pennington (Litigation: General Commercial)
· E. Mabry Rogers (Litigation: Construction)
· David Roth (Environment)
· Dawn Helms Sharff (Banking & Finance, Real Estate)
· Laurence D. (Larry) Vinson, Jr. (Banking & Finance, Banking & Finance: Mainly Regulatory)
· Anne R. Yuengert (Labor & Employment)
· Alan K. Zeigler (Banking & Finance: Public Finance)

Chambers USA ranked the following attorneys in the firm’s Huntsville office as among the leading lawyers for business in Alabama:

· Kevin C. Gray (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
· H. Harold Stephens (Litigation: Medical Malpractice Defense)

District of Columbia

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in Washington, D.C., for the following practice area:

· Construction

Chambers USA ranked the following attorneys in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office as among the leading lawyers for business in the District of Columbia:

· Douglas L. (Doug) Patin (Construction)
· Robert J. (Bob) Symon (Construction)

Florida

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in Florida for the following practice areas:

· Bankruptcy/Restructuring
· Corporate/M&A and Private Equity

Chambers USA ranked the following attorneys in the firm’s Tampa office as among the leading lawyers for business in Florida:

· Troy M. Carnrite (Corporate/M&A & Private Equity)
· Robert B. (Bob) Glenn (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
· Mark A. Hanley (Labor & Employment)
· Robert C. (Bob) Rasmussen (Corporate/M&A & Private Equity)
· Edwin G. (Ed) Rice (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)

Mississippi

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in Mississippi for the following practice areas:

· Corporate/Commercial
· Litigation: General Commercial

Chambers USA ranked the following attorneys in the firm’s Jackson office as among the leading lawyers for business in Mississippi:

· Kelly R. Blackwood (Environment)
· Roy D. Campbell, III (Litigation: General Commercial)
· W. Rodney (Rod) Clement (Real Estate)
· W. Wayne Drinkwater (Litigation: Appellate, Litigation: General Commercial)
· Ralph B. Germany, Jr. (Litigation: Construction)
· J. William (Will) Manuel (Labor & Employment, Litigation: General Commercial)
· Wendy R. Mullins (Corporate/Commercial)
· Alan W. Perry (Litigation: Appellate, Litigation: General Commercial)
· William R. (Bill) Purdy (Litigation: Construction)
· Alex Purvis (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Stephen L. (Steve) Thomas (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Stephen M. (Steve) Wilson (Corporate/Commercial)

North Carolina

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in North Carolina for the following practice area:

· Construction

Chambers USA ranked the following attorneys in the firm’s Charlotte office as among the leading lawyers for business in North Carolina:

· Corby Cochran Anderson (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Ryan L. Beaver (Construction)
· Robert A. (Rob) Cox, Jr. (Bankruptcy/Restructuring)
· Christopher C. (Chris) Lam (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Robert R. Marcus (Litigation: General Commercial)

Tennessee

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in Tennessee for the following practice areas:

· Banking & Finance
· Corporate/M&A
· Healthcare
· Intellectual Property
· Labor & Employment
· Litigation: General Commercial
· Media & Entertainment
· Real Estate

Chambers USA ranked the following attorneys in the firm’s Nashville office as among the leading lawyers for business in Tennessee:

· Jeffrey L. Allen (Media & Entertainment)
· Emily Hatch Bowman (Banking & Finance)
· Stephen T. (Steve) Braun (Healthcare)
· Kevin B. Campbell (Healthcare, Healthcare: Regulatory)
· Ann Peldo Cargile (Real Estate)
· William F. (Will) Goodman, III (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Bob Hannon (Banking & Finance)
· Jay Hardcastle (Healthcare, Healthcare: Regulatory)
· John R. Haynes (Real Estate)
· Bart J. Kempf (Environment)
· Samuel D. (Sam) Lipshie (Media & Entertainment)
· Travis G. Lloyd (Healthcare)
· Matthew C. (Matt) Lonergan (Labor & Employment)
· Chuck Mataya (Labor & Employment)
· Russell B. (Russ) Morgan (Litigation: General Commercial)
· John E. Murdock, III (Banking & Finance)
· Jim Murphy (Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use)
· Andrew J. (Andy) Murray (Healthcare)
· John W. Myers, II (Banking & Finance)
· William L. (Bill) Norton, III (Litigation: Bankruptcy)
· Craig Oliver (Labor & Employment)
· Robert S. (Bob) Patterson (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Todd Presnell (Litigation: General Commercial)
· David A. Rutter (Real Estate)
· Brooks R. Smith (Real Estate)
· John W. Titus (Corporate/M&A)
· J. Thomas (Tom) Trent, Jr. (Real Estate)
· Thor Y. Urness (Litigation: General Commercial)
· Phillip E. (Phil) Walker (Intellectual Property)
· Richard F. Warren (Real Estate)
· Robert E. (Bob) Wood (Real Estate)

Texas

Chambers USA ranked Bradley as one of the top firms in Texas for the following practice area:

· Litigation: General Commercial

Chambers USA ranked Ian P. Faria in the firm’s Houston office as among the leading lawyers for Construction in Texas.

Chambers USA ranked Richard A. (Dick) Sayles in the firm’s Dallas office as among the leading lawyers for Litigation: General Commercial and Litigation: Trial Lawyers in Texas.

Dykema announced that 17 attorneys from multiple offices and practice areas received individual rankings and 10 practice areas have been recognized in the 2019 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business guide.

Published annually, Chambers has been ranking the best law firms and lawyers since 1990, and now cover 185 jurisdictions throughout the world. Chambers ranks both lawyers and law firms based on the investigations of more than 200 researchers who conduct in-depth confidential interviews with lawyers and clients.

Chambers USA recognized the following Dykema practices:

USA – Nationwide

• Product Liability & Mass Torts
District of Columbia
• Insurance: Insurer
Illinois
• Real Estate
Michigan
• Banking & Finance
• Corporate/M&A
• Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
• Labor & Employment
• Litigation: General Commercial
• Real Estate
Texas
• Bankruptcy/Restructuring

Chambers USA recognized the following Dykema attorneys, as identified by jurisdiction and practice area:

USA – Nationwide
• Lance Boldrey—Native American Law
District of Columbia
• Lewis K. Loss—Insurance: Insurer
• Thomas J. Judge— Insurance: Insurer
Illinois
• Michael S. Kurtzon—Real Estate
Michigan
• J. Michael Bernard—Corporate/M&A
• Robert A. Boonin—Labor & Employment
• Amy M. Christen—Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
• Adam M. Fishkind—Real Estate
• James P. Feeney—Litigation: General Commercial
• Dennis M. Haffey—Litigation: General Commercial
• Kyle R. Hauberg—Real Estate
• Margaret Adams Hunter—Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
• Jin-Kyu Koh—Corporate/M&A
• Cameron H. Piggott—Real Estate
• Thomas S. Vaughn—Corporate/M&A
Texas
• Mark E. Andrews—Bankruptcy/Restructuring
• Deborah D. Williamson—Bankruptcy/Restructuring

Gregory L. Deans and Michael P. Lyons, co-founders of the trial law firm Deans & Lyons, LLP, along with partner Christopher J. Simmons, have earned selection to D Magazine’s 2019 Best Lawyers in Dallas listing.

“This is a firm focused on achieving the best possible results for our clients,” said Lyons. “Greg, Chris and I appreciate that our dedication has not gone unrecognized by our peers.”

The Best Lawyers in Dallas list is determined through peer voting and extensive review by an independent panel of distinguished attorneys working in concert with the magazine’s editors.

Lyons has worked with catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases, as well as highly complex business disputes. This is his seventh time to earn D Magazine honors, and he is one of a select few to be recognized for both business litigation and personal injury trial work.

In a release, the firm said Deans is routinely asked to lead the trial team in “bet-the-company” exposure, and he often handles construction defect, catastrophic personal injury, negligence, and products liability disputes. In addition to his 2019 Best Lawyers selection, he has been named to the Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers listing six times.

Simmons represents plaintiffs and defendants in complex catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death litigation involving products liability, premises liability, professional negligence, industrial and workplace accidents, and motor vehicles. He earned recognition on D Magazine’s Best Lawyers Under 40 listing in both 2018 and 2019 and has also made the Texas Rising Stars list of Top 100 Up-and-Coming young lawyers three times.

The complete Best Lawyers in Dallas list is featured in the May 2019 edition of D Magazine and is available at http://www.dmagazine.com.

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., announced that Beata Krakus and Leonard D. Vines, officers in the firm’s Chicago and St. Louis offices, respectively, have been named to Franchise Times magazine’s 2019 Legal Eagles list of the “best and brightest attorneys in franchising.”

According to Franchise Times, “These attorneys live and breathe franchising and truly understand the nuances of this unique business model.”

Franchise Times determines its Legal Eagles honorees through nominations and recommendations from clients, peers and other legal professionals.

In a release, the firm said Krakus works with clients across the United States and around the globe, preparing franchise programs for concepts including real estate brokerages, hotels, restaurants, and fitness and personal health systems, among others. Her practice also encompasses other distribution models, and she assists clients in managing their distribution networks. Chambers & Partners has repeatedly recognized Krakus as among the top franchise lawyers globally and in the United States.

Vines has experience representing national, regional and local franchisors and distributors. He has assisted start-up and established franchisors, as well as franchisees and franchisee associations. Also a frequent lecturer and writer on franchise topics, Vines has been ranked nationally in franchise law by Chambers USA for eight consecutive years.

Trial attorney Majed Nachawati has been selected to the 2019 list of the Best Lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine based on his work in mass tort litigation. This is the fourth year the co-founding partner of Fears Nachawati Law Firm has made the list.

In a release, the firm said Nachawati has represented individuals, businesses and public entities in high-stakes litigation that includes defective drugs and medical devices. Most recently, he won a $3 million verdict for a woman who suffered complications from an intravenous blood filter in a case that marked the first time a jury reached a finding that the filters were defective. He also handles matters involving environmental and antitrust matters, as well as serious personal injury and wrongful death cases.

“Recognition on a list of the best lawyers in Dallas is a tremendous honor given the deep talent pool here,” said Mr. Nachawati. “Having a nationally focused practice, I have worked with and against the best and am fully aware that North Texas has some of the top lawyers in the country.”

Nachawati also has been recognized regularly by Super Lawyers magazine, first as a young lawyer on the Texas Rising Stars list and later among the Texas Super Lawyers ranks.

Nachawati  serves on the Dallas Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Service Committee. He also is a member of the DBA’s Legal Ethics Committee and serves as District Chairman for District 6 of the State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee.

In addition, he serves on the Public Justice Board of Directors and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association Board of Directors. He is a member of the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice’s Leaders Forum. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Trial attorney Alex Brauer, co-founder of the litigation boutique Bailey Brauer PLLC, has been named for a fourth time among the top lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine.

“Alex continues to provide aggressive, creative legal solutions to clients who expect sophisticated representation,” said firm co-founder Clayton Bailey.

“As a boutique law firm, Bailey Brauer provides the flexibility to build relationships that allow you to understand what will best help a business achieve success,” adds Mr. Brauer.

Selected to the 2019 Best Lawyers in Dallas list for his work in commercial litigation, Bauer’s practice spans a wide range of industries, the firm said in a release. He works on disputes involving claims of fraud, tortious interference, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, conspiracy, deceptive trade practices, trade secret theft, RICO, and antitrust violations. He has successfully defended clients facing class and collective actions and represented plaintiffs and defendants in complex tort and negligence cases, the firm said.

He also has been recognized in the Texas edition of Super Lawyers magazine by Thomson Reuters and in The Best Lawyers in America guide.

A graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, Brauer has served on several Dallas Bar Association committees and is a community advocate. He is a board member for literacy program Readers 2 Leaders and is on the Host Committee for the Great Investors’ Best Ideas Foundation, benefiting The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and the Vickery Meadow Youth Development Foundation.

The Best Lawyers in Dallas list is determined through peer voting and extensive review by an independent panel of distinguished attorneys along with the magazine’s editors. The complete Best Lawyers in Dallas list is featured in the May 2019 edition of D Magazine.

Jay Sawczak of Farrell Fritz has been selected to receive a 2019 Young Professionals Award from the Subcontractors Trade Association’s Young Professionals Committee.

Sawczak was honored on April 11 at the 50th Annual Construction Awards Dinner.

The Young Professionals Award is designed to honor innovative individuals that are emerging throughout the building and professional services industry.

Sawczak, a Hoboken, NJ, resident, earned his J.D. from Rutgers Law School and his B.S. from the University of Vermont.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP announced that it has received the 2018 Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year ($50 to $100 million) Award from M&A Advisor for the firm’s role in the Chapter 11 case of Vanguard Healthcare and its 17 subsidiaries.

Bradley was the debtor’s counsel in the case, which was among the winners of M&A Advisor’s 13th Annual Turnaround Awards. Bradley partners William L. Norton III and James Blake Bailey served as lead bankruptcy attorneys, firm partner Michael D. Brent served as lead corporate counsel, and Bradley partner Ty E. Howard served as lead litigation counsel in the case.

The awards were presented during the 2019 M&A Advisor Distressed Investing Summit March 28 in Palm Beach, Fla. Bradley bankruptcy partner William A. Norton III accepted the award on behalf of the firm, along with a representative of BMC Group, which was the claims agent for the Vanguard Healthcare case.

Based in Bradley’s Nashville office, Norton is a member of the firm’s Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Practice Group. He has experience with both debtor and creditor representation in bankruptcy, out-of-court workouts and restructurings, and bankruptcy-related litigation.

Based in Bradley’s Birmingham office, Bailey is a member of the firm’s Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Practice Group. He has experience with both debtor and creditor representation in bankruptcy, out-of-court workouts and restructurings, and bankruptcy-related litigation. He also regularly represents commercial lenders and mortgage servicers in federal court commercial litigation.

Brent is based in Bradley’s Nashville, Tenn., office and is a member of the firm’s Healthcare Practice Group. He focuses his practice primarily on business law, representing clients in a wide range of transactional, regulatory and operational matters.

Also based in the Nashville office, Howard is a member of the firm’s Government Enforcement and Investigations Practice Group. He defends and counsels businesses and individuals involved in government investigations, compliance matters, False Claims Act and whistleblower cases, related business litigation, and white-collar criminal matters.

The Turnaround Awards recognize the best of the distressed investing and reorganization industry, including leading transactions, firms and individuals. The 2018 nominations represented more than 276 participating companies and were judged by an independent panel of industry experts. For a complete list of the 2018 Turnaround Awards winners, visit: https://maadvisor.com/DITA/2019-DITA/13th_Annual_Turnaround_Award_Winners_List.pdf.

Estes Thorne & Carr has earned a place on the 2019 BTI Client Service A-Team List.

Selection is reserved for firms and individuals that go above and beyond on the promise of outstanding client service. Attorneys cannot self-nominate, self-refer, or pay to be included. Selection to the list is based solely on unprompted feedback from GCs through in-depth telephone interviews.

In addition, firm founder Dawn Estes was singled out with a place among the BTI Client Service All-Stars, an elite group of just 335 attorneys nationwide.

Read about the award.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP announced that the partners W. Wayne Drinkwater and Anne Marie Seibel have been named 2019 BTI Client Service All-Stars in the litigation practice area.

Bradley is one of only 72 firms with two or more All-Stars for 2019, “suggesting these law firms are more focused on cultivating a culture of client service excellence than other firms,” according to BTI.

“We congratulate Wayne and Anne Marie on their achievement in client service as members of the BTI Client Service All-Stars class of 2019,” said Bradley chairman of the board and managing partner Jonathan M. Skeeters.

Both members of Bradley’s Litigation Practice Group, Drinkwater and Seibel are among 335 attorneys from 152 law firms listed as 2019 All-Stars. This marks the 18th consecutive year that BTI Consulting Group has published its All-Stars list based on independent research with C-level executives to identify attorneys whom corporate counsel say “represent the epitome of client service” and “have an unquenchable thirst to understand their clients better than all other attorneys.” Attributes of the client service All-Stars are superior client focus, unmatched client experience, understanding of the client’s business like no other, unparalleled legal skills, and innovative thought leadership. During interviews, corporate counsel recommended top attorneys by name and in an unprompted manner. Attorneys and firms cannot self-nominate, self-refer, nor pay to be included in the report.

Based in Bradley’s Jackson, Miss., office, Drinkwater has experience in major business, commercial and constitutional litigation and has tried some of Mississippi’s most significant cases, the firm said in a release. He also has handled more than 70 appeals, arguing more than 30 of them in state and federal courts across the United States. A former law clerk of former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger, Drinkwater is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. He also is an Advocate of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Drinkwater is included in The Best Lawyers in America® in four litigation fields and is recognized as a Star Individual for Commercial Litigation by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

Based in Bradley’s Birmingham office, Seibel is involved with multi-forum and multi-plaintiff high-stakes litigation. Her experience includes trials in state and federal courts, AAA arbitrations, and the Tribal Court of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Seibel recently served as lead trial counsel in New Hampshire, securing a trial judgment that was upheld this year after Seibel argued the appeal. Seibel currently serves as a co-chair of the Membership and Marketing Committee of the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Litigation. Her prior leadership roles with the Section of Litigation have included co-chair of the Regional Meeting Committee, liaison to the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession, and co-chair of the Woman Advocate Committee. In addition, Seibel is a founder of Bradley’s Women’s Initiative and is co-chair of the firm’s Inclusion and Diversity Committee.

Freeborn & Peters LLP announced that Matthew J. O’Hara and Jeffrey A. Rossman, partners in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group, have been named 2019 BTI Client Service All-Stars in the area of litigation. Freeborn is among only 72 firms with two or more BTI All-Stars this year.

“The firm is extremely proud of Matt’s and Jeff’s achievement in being recognized for this prestigious honor. It is an affirmation of their commitment to delivering outstanding client service,” said Freeborn co-managing partner Joseph L. Fogel. “Matt and Jeff embody Freeborn’s commitment to the highest standards of client service.”

For 18 years, BTI Consulting Group has published its All-Stars list based on independent research with corporate counsel who recommended top attorneys by name and in an unprompted manner. According to BTI, the All-Stars “represent the epitome of client service” and “have an unquenchable thirst to understand their clients better than all other attorneys.” Attorneys and firms cannot self-nominate, self-refer, nor pay to be included in the report. The 2019 All-Stars include 336 attorneys from 152 law firms across the United States.

As co-leader of Freeborn’s Complex Litigation Group, O’Hara concentrates his litigation practice in complex commercial matters in federal and state courts, the firm said in a release. He has tried cases involving antitrust, the federal securities laws, breach of fiduciary duty, trade secrets, trademark infringement, breach of contract, contract reformation, unjust enrichment, license agreements, executive employment, the Uniform Commercial Code, fraud, and criminal defense. He also litigates cases involving private shareholder and partnership disputes, legal malpractice, fraudulent transfers, defamation, and other commercial matters. He has represented clients in investigative proceedings before the Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Trade Commission, and Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. He also is experienced in briefing and arguing state and federal appeals.

The firm said Rossman has trial and appellate experience and has tried and argued cases in federal and state courts across the country. In addition, he counsels clients on litigation, tax and regulatory matters, including acting as national counsel for several large eCommerce companies in which he advises and helps direct and implement national strategy. Rossman also has litigation experience involving state and local tax matters, as well as experience in financial services litigation, including securities class and derivative actions, which include cases alleging accounting irregularities, illegal trading and breaches of fiduciary duty.

Lando & Anastasi, LLP recently announced that partner Ann Lamport Hammitte has been recognized for the third consecutive year by World Trademark Review (WTR) as one of the world’s top trademark practitioners, and she is once again highly ranked for trademark enforcement and litigation, as well as for prosecution and strategy.

L&A is one of sixteen Massachusetts firms selected for inclusion in the WTR 1000, their annual listing of the world’s leading trademark professionals. This year marks the 10th year that the firm and its attorneys have been named to this select group, the firm said in a release.

Attorney Benjamin Stewart of Dallas-based litigation boutique Bailey Brauer PLLC has been named for a third time among the top young lawyers in Texas.

Stewart was recognized on the Texas Super Lawyers’ 2019 Rising Stars list for his work in complex commercial and bankruptcy litigation. Only 2.5 percent of lawyers in the state are chosen each year.

“Ben is one of those lawyers who is always exceptionally well-prepared, is a step ahead, and is not going to stop when his client’s business is at stake,” says Bailey Brauer co-founder Alex Brauer.

“In the courtroom, his opponents quickly recognize what they’re up against,” adds co-founder Clayton Bailey.

In a release, the firm said Stewart represents clients in federal and state courts in matters including contractual disputes, breach of fiduciary duty, insurance coverage, officer/director liability, and contested confirmation hearings. He also assists companies with both internal and governmental investigations including responses to civil investigative demands from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. A member of the Federal Bar Association and Texas Bar Foundation, he earned his law degree from Columbia Law School.

“Working alongside Alex and Clayton has undoubtedly helped raise my profile in the legal community, but recognition by Rising Stars is clearly an honor because it involves consideration by our peers,” says Stewart.

Texas Rising Stars recognizes the state’s top attorneys who are 40 years or younger or who have been in practice for 10 years or less. Selection is based on peer nominations, independent research and review by a separate advisory group. The full 2019 listing is published in the Texas edition of Super Lawyers magazine and the April issue of Texas Monthly.

About Bailey Brauer PLLC

Bailey Brauer PLLC is nationally recognized for its trial and appellate work and provides battle-tested, sophisticated courtroom experience in high-stakes litigation matters. Led by veteran trial and appellate lawyers Clayton Bailey and Alex Brauer, the firm focuses on complex commercial litigation, agribusiness, appeals, and class actions. Learn more about the firm at: http://baileybrauer.com/.

Tom Melsheimer, a trial attorney and managing partner of the Dallas office of Winston & Strawn, has been inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America.

In a release, the firm said Melsheimer has tried cases for more than 30 years, first as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas before moving into private practice and becoming nationally renowned for his civil and criminal casework in state and federal courts across the country.

Co-author of the best-selling “On the Jury Trial: Principles and Practice for Effective Advocacy,” he was the youngest trial attorney to be honored as Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Texas chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and the Dallas Bar Association. In addition to his membership in the American College of Trial Lawyers, Melsheimer is a Fellow in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and an Advocate with the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Founded in 1950, the College is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers of diverse backgrounds, who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of 15 years trial experience before they can be considered for Fellowship.

Membership in the College cannot exceed one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province. There are currently approximately 5,800 members in the United States and Canada, including active Fellows, Emeritus Fellows, Judicial Fellows (those who ascended to the bench after their induction), and Honorary Fellows. The College maintains and seeks to improve the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics, and the administration of justice through education and public statements on independence of the judiciary, trial by jury, respect for the rule of law, access to justice, and fair and just representation of all parties to legal proceedings.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP announced that Benchmark Litigation has named the firm its 2019 Mississippi Litigation Firm of the Year. The firm was honored Feb. 28 at the annual awards dinner in New York.

Bradley was one of four finalists for the award, which recognizes litigation firms in each state based on the significance of their representations. The firm also was a finalist for Alabama and Tennessee Litigation Firm of the Year. The state honors are part of the seventh annual Benchmark Litigation U.S. Awards, with nominees chosen based upon research conducted between March and November 2018. Benchmark Litigation determines its annual rankings through peer reviews and case examinations.

“It is a tremendous honor for Bradley to be recognized by Benchmark Litigation as Mississippi’s Litigation Firm of the Year for 2019,” said Bradley Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner Jonathan M. Skeeters. “Our robust litigation teams across all Bradley’s offices are highly regarded for their skills and keen understanding of the law and business when trying cases in courtrooms or negotiating settlements to benefit our clients.”

Bradley Jackson Office Managing Partner Margaret Oertling Cupples said, “We are very proud of the reputations of our firm’s Jackson-based lawyers who are dedicated to providing a full range of litigation and other legal services to our clients. This award is a testament to our work that has earned high praise from our clients over many years.”

It was announced in October 2018 that 49 Bradley partners across all the firm’s offices were recognized in the 2019 edition of Benchmark Litigation, which also listed Bradley as a “highly recommended” firm. A leading guide to litigation firms and attorneys in the United States and Canada and the only publication that exclusively covers the litigation and disputes market in the United States, Benchmark Litigation “highly recommended” Bradley in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, and “recommended” the firm in North Carolina.