Nearly 300 K&L Gates Lawyers Named Among 2022 Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch

Best Lawyers, a peer review guide to the legal profession, has named more than 200 K&L Gates lawyers among the 2022 Best Lawyers in America for outstanding professional excellence, and nearly 100 of the firm’s lawyers as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, a list which recognizes lawyers who are earlier in their careers. For almost 40 years, the Best Lawyers guide highlights top legal talent as selected by their peers through millions of votes each year.

Also among these recognitions are 15 “Lawyer of the Year” recipients for K&L Gates, an accolade received by only one standout lawyer in each practice area and region across the country. Congratulations to the K&L Gates lawyers listed below. 

Lawyers of the Year

Austin

• Jack Erskine - Government Relations Practice

Charleston

• J. Walker Coleman - Litigation - Labor and Employment

Charlotte

• Rick Giovannelli - Corporate Law
• Sean Jones - Securities Regulation
• Margaret Westbrook - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Harrisburg

• David Fine - Appellate Practice

Nashville

• R. Slade Sevier - Construction Law

Pittsburgh

• George Dickos - Trademark Law
• Pierce Richardson - Real Estate Law
• Robert Zinn - Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Raleigh

• Michael King - Real Estate Law

Seattle

• Hugh Bangasser - Litigation - Antitrust
• Stephan Coonrod - Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Brian Knox - Energy Law
• G. William Shaw - Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

Best Lawyers in America 

Austin

• Andrea Cunha - Health Care Law
• Jack Erskine - Government Relations Practice
• Janessa Glenn - Environmental Law
• Brian Graham - Immigration Law
• Stewart Mesher - Litigation - Intellectual Property and Litigation - Patent 

Boston 

• Martin Allen - Tax Law
• John Blessington - Commercial Litigation
• David Byer - Copyright Law; Litigation - Intellectual Property; and Patent Law
• John Cotter - Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Michael DeMarco - Commercial Litigation; Criminal Defense: White Collar; and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• Jeffrey King - Admiralty and Maritime Law
• Jeffrey Patterson - Commercial Litigation
• Stanley Ragalevsky - Banking and Finance Law and Financial Services Regulation Law 
• Christine Vito - Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice

Charleston 

• James Bruce - Corporate Law
• Ernie Cochran - Corporate Law
• J. Walker Coleman - Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Matthew Norton - Real Estate Law
• Jennifer Thiem - Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law 
• Bryan Walpole - Banking and Finance Law and Litigation - Banking and Finance

Charlotte 

• Stacy Ackermann - Banking and Finance Law
• John Allison - Corporate Law; International Trade and Finance Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; and Project Finance Law 
• Bonita Black - Economic Development Law
• Randy Clark - Tax Law
• Brett Durham - Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; and Venture Capital Law
• Rick Giovannelli - Corporate Law; Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law; and Venture Capital Law
• Kenneth Gish - Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental
• Michael Hawley - Corporate Law and Trusts and Estates 
• Sean Jones - Corporate Governance Law; Corporate Law; Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law; and Securities Regulation
• Stephen McCrae - Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law
• Peter McLean - Real Estate Law
• Jared Mobley - Tax Law
• Kevin Stichter - Corporate Law; Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; and Venture Capital Law
• Margaret Westbrook - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Chicago 

• Robert Barrett - Patent Law
• Alan Barry - Patent Law
• Limo Cherian - Health Care Law
• Sana Hakim - Trademark Law
• Sang-yul Lee - Employment Law - Management
• John Rotunno - Commercial Litigation

Dallas 

• Craig Budner - Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance; Litigation - Bankruptcy; and Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions
• John Howell - Information Technology Law and IT Outsourcing Law
• Weston Loegering - Commercial Litigation
• David Luther - Corporate Law
• Sam Megally - Tax Law
• Cynthia Ohlenforst - Tax Law

Fort Worth 

• Jamie Bryan - Oil and Gas Law
• Jeffrey King - Commercial Litigation; Energy Law; and Oil and Gas Law

Harrisburg 

• C. Grainger Bowman - Construction Law
• David Fine - Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation
• Peter Gleason - Government Relations Practice
• David Raphael - Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental
• R. Timothy Weston - Energy Law; Environmental Law; and Water Law
• Craig Wilson - Environmental Law

Los Angeles 

• Daniel Stephenson - Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property
• William Wade - Financial Services Regulation Law

Miami 

• April Boyer - Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Paul Hancock - Banking and Finance Law and Commercial Litigation
• Jeffrey Kucera - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Carol Lumpkin - Employment Law - Management and Labor Law - Management
• Jason Murray - Commercial Litigation and Franchise Law
• Clayton Parker - Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Douglas Stanford - Real Estate Law
• Steven Weinstein - Commercial Litigation

Nashville 

• Jason Callen - Commercial Litigation
• Rob Dodson - Construction Law
• Kim Looney - Administrative / Regulatory Law; Corporate Law; Health Care Law; and Litigation - Health Care
• Charles Malone - Commercial Litigation
• W. Kenneth Marlow - Health Care Law
• R. Gregory Parker - Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Lauren Patten - Commercial Litigation
• Erin Palmer Polly - Commercial Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• R. Slade Sevier - Construction Law and Litigation - Real Estate
• Joseph Welborn - Bet-the-Company Litigation and Commercial Litigation

New York 

• Anthony Nolan - Securitization and Structured Finance Law
• Gerald Novack - Commercial Litigation
• Steven Olenick - Sports Law

Newark 

• Rosemary Alito - Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Vincent Avallone - Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Gail Conenello - Litigation - Environmental
• Daniel Eliades - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Donald Kiel - Insurance Law
• Anthony La Rocco - Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law
• Joseph Lagrotteria - Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental
• John Marmora - Land Use and Zoning Law
• Brian Montag - Administrative / Regulatory Law and Environmental Law
• Frank Politano - Litigation - Intellectual Property and Litigation - Patent
• Charles Rysavy - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
• Michael Waller - Insurance Law

Orange County 

• William Tate - Real Estate Law

Pittsburgh 

• Jeffrey Acre - Corporate Compliance Law
• J. Stephen Barge - Litigation and Controversy - Tax and Tax Law
• Thomas Birsic - Bet-the-Company Litigation and Commercial Litigation
• Carolyn Branthoover - Insurance Law
• George Dickos - Trademark Law
• Mark Feczko - Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Andrew Gespass - Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates
• Charles Harris - Banking and Finance Law; Commercial Finance Law; Project Finance Law; and Securitization and Structured Finance Law
• Adam Kelson - Corporate Law
• David Klaber - Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• David Lehman - Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; and Venture Capital Law
• Michael Lynch - Insurance Law
• Jerry McDevitt - Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; and Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Patrick McElhinny - Litigation - Intellectual Property; Patent Law; and Trademark Law
• David McGonigle - Insurance Law
• Richard Paciaroni - Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; and Litigation - Construction
• Michael Pavlick - Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Andrew Pullman - Tax Law
• Thomas Reiter - Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law
• Pierce Richardson - Real Estate Law
• Mark Rush - Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• James Scheuermann - Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law
• Paul Schwendeman - Trusts and Estates
• James Segerdahl - Insurance Law
• Charles Smith - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• W. Henry Snyder - Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; and Tax Law
• John Sylvester - Insurance Law
• Nicholas Vari - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
• Christopher Verdini - Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Edward Weisgerber - Health Care Law
• Megan Wotherspoon - Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Michael Zanic - Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law
• Robert Zinn - Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Portland 

• William Holmes - Energy Law; Energy Regulatory Law; and Environmental Law
• Jeffrey Joy - Tax Law
• Brenna Legaard - Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Intellectual Property; Litigation - Patent; and Patent Law
• Brendan Gutierrez McDonnell - Corporate Law
• Philip Van Der Weele - Antitrust Law; Commercial Litigation; and Litigation - Antitrust

Raleigh 

• Stanford Baird - Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental
• Lee Hogewood - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Bet-the-Company Litigation; and Commercial Litigation
• Michael King - Real Estate Law
• David Lindsay - Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Alan Peterson - Real Estate Law
• Margaret Rosenfeld - Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; and Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Mikal Shaikh - Corporate Law
• David Wagner - Real Estate Law
• Robert Womble - Corporate Law; Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law; and Venture Capital Law

Research Triangle Park 

• Gina Bertolini - Health Care Law
• Mary Beth Johnston - Health Care Law
• Gary Qualls - Health Care Law

Seattle 

• Theodore Angelis - Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Hugh Bangasser - Antitrust Law and Litigation - Antitrust
• Molly Barker - Environmental Law
• David Bateman - Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property
• John Bjorkman - Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental
• C. Kent Carlson - Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; and Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Stephan Coonrod - Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Elizabeth Crouse - Energy Law and Tax Law
• Carla DewBerry - Health Care Law
• Karrie Johnson Diaz - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Mark Filipini - Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Bart Freedman - Native American Law
• Eric Freedman - Energy Law; Environmental Law; and Utilities Law
• Shannan Frisbie - Technology Law
• Michael Gearin - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Philip Guess - Commercial Litigation
• Teresa Hill - Environmental Law
• Daniel Hurley - Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Margaret Inouye - Corporate Law
• Pam Jacobson - Copyright Law and Patent Law
• Brian Knox - Energy Law
• Gary Kocher - Corporate Law
• Douglas Love - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Patrick Madden - Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Michael McKay - Commercial Litigation; Criminal Defense: White-Collar; and Municipal Law
• Elisabeth Yandell McNeil - Corporate Law
• Robert Mitchell - Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation
• Alyssa Moir - Environmental Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; and Natural Resources Law
• David Neu - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Margaret Niles - Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law
• Stephanie Wright Pickett - Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Charles Purcell - Tax Law
• Mark Roberts - Trusts and Estates
• Charles Royce - Banking and Finance Law and Real Estate Law
• G. William Shaw - Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Shannon Skinner - Real Estate Law
• Robert Starin - Tax Law
• David Tang - Corporate Law and Real Estate Law
• Elizabeth Thomas - Energy Law and Litigation - Environmental
• Craig Trueblood - Environmental Law
• Kari Vander Stoep - Energy Law
• Christopher Voss - Corporate Law
• Pallavi Wahi - Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Cynthia Weed - Public Finance Law
• Mark Wittow - Technology Law

Washington, D.C. 

• Clifford Alexander - Mutual Funds Law
• Diane Ambler - Mutual Funds Law and Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law
• Mark Amorosi - Mutual Funds Law
• Alan Berkeley - Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; and Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Jonathan Cohen - Insurance Law
• J. Barclay Collins - Tax Law
• Arthur Delibert - Mutual Funds Law
• Kimberly Frank - Energy Law
• Stacy Fuller - Mutual Funds Law
• Donald Kaplan - Energy Law
• Rebecca Laird - Financial Services Regulation Law
• Jeffrey Maletta - Litigation - Securities
• R. Charles Miller - Mutual Funds Law and Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Emanuel Rouvelas - Admiralty and Maritime Law and Government Relations Practice
• William Schmidt - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Donald Smith - Mutual Funds Law
• Steven Sparling - Energy Law
• Stephen Topetzes - Litigation - Securities and Securities Regulation
• Robert Wittie - Mutual Funds Law
• David Wochner - Energy Regulatory Law
• Robert Zutz - Mutual Funds Law and Securities Regulation

Wilmington 

• Eric Feldman - Corporate Law
• Nicholas Froio - Corporate Law and Securitization and Structured Finance Law
• Scott Waxman - Corporate Law and Securitization and Structured Finance Law

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch 

Austin 

• Adriana Reyes - Immigration Law

Boston 

• Kathleen Burch - Intellectual Property Law
• Emily Gianetta - Intellectual Property Law
• Edward Mikolinski - Intellectual Property Law
• Michael O'Neill - Energy Law and Oil and Gas Law
• Kathleen Parker - Commercial Litigation
• Stacey Roberts - Corporate Law

Charleston 

• Laura Musselman - Commercial Litigation
• Alexis Riordan - Real Estate Law
• Kitt Ritter - Banking and Finance Law and Project Finance Law
• Tara Sullivan - Commercial Litigation

Charlotte 

• Jonathan Edel - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Ryan Grover - Commercial Litigation
• Matthew Houston - Commercial Litigation
• Michael Hutson - Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Mary Scott Kennedy - Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Barrett Price - Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Coleman Wombwell - Corporate Governance and Compliance Law

Chicago 

• Katherine Allor - Litigation - Patent
• Marvis Barnes - Commercial Litigation and Real Estate Law
• Alexis Crawford Douglas - Intellectual Property Law
• Dennis Majewski - Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Kevin McCormick - Patent Law
• Erinn Rigney - Litigation - Labor and Employment

Dallas 

• Nathan Fish - Health Care Law
• William LeDoux - Litigation and Controversy - Tax

Harrisburg 

• Brigid Landy Khuri - Energy Law and Natural Resources Law
• Tad Macfarlan - Energy Law; Environmental Law; and Land Use and Zoning Law

Houston 

• Rory Hatch - Energy Law

Miami

• Joshua Carpenter - Commercial Litigation and Transportation Law
• Shawn Hogue - Commercial Litigation
• Charles Wolf - Commercial Litigation

Nashville 

• Wells Beckett - Health Care Law
• Beau Creson - Commercial Litigation; Intellectual Property Law; and Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Terrence McKelvey - Commercial Litigation and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
• Emma Wolfe - Commercial Litigation

New York 

• Ifigeneia Xanthopoulou - Transportation Law

Newark 

• Caitlin Conklin - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Nathan Howe - Commercial Litigation
• Travis Powers - Commercial Litigation

Orange County 

• Amy Wong - Commercial Litigation

Pittsburgh 

• Travis Brannon - Energy Law
• Amanda Cashman - Commercial Litigation
• Matthew Chapman - Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Amanda Erlandson - Trusts and Estates
• Daniel Fasanello - Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Katherine Gafner - Energy Law and Oil and Gas Law
• Stefanie Lacy - Commercial Litigation
• Lucas Tanglen - Insurance Law

Portland 

• Caleb Ginsberg - Entertainment and Sports Law

Raleigh 

• Tucker Idol - Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; and Venture Capital Law
• Evelyn Norton - Labor and Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Leann Walsh - Labor and Employment Law - Management

Research Triangle Park 

• Kelsey Jernigan - Health Care Law
• David Peet - Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Steven Pine - Health Care Law
• Leah D'Aurora Richardson - Health Care Law

Seattle 

• Jenna Bruce - Litigation - Patent
• Ryan Groshong - Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Alexander Hurt - Trusts and Estates
• Daniel Kelly-Stallings - Commercial Litigation and Environmental Law
• Bradley Lewis - Construction Law
• Aaron Meyer - Tax Law
• Aaron Millstein - Commercial Litigation
• Erika Shinpaugh - Real Estate Law
• Adam Tabor - Environmental Law and Natural Resources Law
• Raina Wagner - Commercial Litigation
• Elliot Watson - Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Elizabeth Weiskopf - Litigation - Intellectual Property

Wilmington 

• Zachary Sager - Mergers and Acquisitions Law