News

More than 250 Sheppard Mullin attorneys have been recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers in America^© and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

In addition, five Sheppard Mullin attorneys were selected as “Lawyer of the Year”:

Alan H. Martin (Orange County)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Litigation – Bankruptcy

Arthur J. Friedman (San Francisco)
Litigation - Land Use and Zoning

Jeffrey J. Parker (Los Angeles)
Litigation – Environmental

Liisa M. Thomas (Chicago)
Privacy and Data Security Law

Bill Mateja (Dallas)
Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)

The following Sheppard Mullin attorneys were named 2026 Best Lawyers In America:

Century City:

Craig P. Cardon
Privacy and Data Security Law

Shaun C. Clark
Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television

Aytan Dahukey
Health Care Law

Robert A. Darwell
Advertising Law
Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television

Michael Heimbold
Litigation - Intellectual Property

Ronda D. Jamgotchian
Employment Law – Management 

Thomas R. Kaufman
Employment Law - Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Eric A. Klein
Health Care Law

Richard W. Kopenhefer
Employment Law - Individuals
Employment Law - Management
Labor Law – Management

Linda Giunta Michaelson
Corporate Law
Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television

Jennifer Nassiri
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Jill Pietrini
Copyright Law
Litigation - Intellectual Property

Fred R. Puglisi
Commercial Litigation

Kent R. Raygor
Litigation - First Amendment
Media Law

Richard K. Rifenbark
Health Care Law

David A. Schwarz
Litigation - First Amendment
Litigation – Securities

Adam F. Streisand
Litigation - Trusts and Estates

Robert D. Weber
Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)

Chicago:

Kevin M. Cloutier
Employment Law - Management
Labor Law - Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Lawrence C. Eppley
Leisure and Hospitality Law
Real Estate Law

Dave B. Fournier
Patent Law

Linas J. Grikis
Health Care Law

Carolyn V. Metnick
Health Care Law

Laurette N. Petersen
Real Estate Law

Megan R. Rooney
Health Care Law

Douglas B. Swill
Health Care Law

Liisa M. Thomas
Privacy and Data Security Law

Dallas:

Joel Bannister
Banking and Finance Law

Gene R. Besen
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Amanda Cottrell
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Stephen E. Fox
Employment Law - Management
Labor Law - Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Dwight M. Francis
Commercial Litigation

Elisha Kobre
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Bill Mateja
Commercial Litigation
Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
Litigation - Securities

Michelle C Replogle
Litigation - Intellectual Property

Steven G. Schortgen
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Patent Law

Del Mar:

Edwin Astudillo
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Martin Bader
Litigation - Intellectual Property

Elizabeth S. Balfour
Commercial Litigation

Chad R. Ensz
Banking and Finance Law
Corporate Law

Jerry J. Gumpel
Real Estate Law

Matthew W. Holder
Commercial Litigation

Stephen S. Korniczky
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Litigation - Patent
Patent Law

Stephen R. LaSala
Corporate Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

James A. Mercer III
Corporate Law

Marisa B. Miller
Commercial Litigation

John P. Stigi III
Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
Litigation – Securities

John D. Tishler
Corporate Law
Securities / Capital Markets Law

Tony Toranto
Real Estate Law

Michael S. Umansky
Corporate Law

Edward D. Vogel
Commercial Litigation

John A. Yacovelle
Commercial Litigation

Houston:

Angeles Garcia Cassin
Litigation - Labor and Employment

John R. Keville
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Litigation - Patent
Trade Secrets Law

Chad E. Mills
Derivatives and Futures Law

Barclay Nicholson
Insurance Law

Eric S. Schlichter
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Litigation – Patent
Trade Secrets Law

Jeffrey M. Smith
Banking and Finance Law
Real Estate Law

Tammy Ward Woffenden
Health Care Law

Douglas A. Yeager
Corporate Law
Real Estate Law

Los Angeles:

Peter D. Ballance
Real Estate Law

Charles F. Barker
Employment Law - Management

Justin Boose
Energy Law

Lawrence M. Braun
Corporate Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Joseph F. Coyne, Jr.
Antitrust Law
Commercial Litigation

Andre J. Cronthall
Insurance Law

Bryan D. Daly
Criminal Defense: General Practice
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Alan M. Feld
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Hal Hamersmith
Construction Law
Litigation – Construction

Derek Havel
Employment Law – Management

Sascha Henry
Commercial Litigation

Brent E. Horstman
Banking and Finance Law

Nancy Howard
Trusts and Estates

Tracey A. Kennedy
Employment Law - Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Charles L. Kreindler
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Jennifer Lee
Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television

Mark T. Okuma
Real Estate Law

Stephen J. O'Neil
Litigation – Environmental

Jeffrey J. Parker
Environmental Law
Litigation – Environmental

Nancy Baldwin Reimann
Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Trusts and Estates

Timothy J. Reimers
Health Care Law

Whitney Jones Roy
Litigation – Environmental

Jack H. Rubens
Land Use and Zoning Law
Real Estate Law

David H. Sands
Corporate Law

Richard J. Simmons
Employment Law - Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Martin J. Smith
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law

Nicholas J. Van Brunt
Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Trusts and Estates

Pamela L. Westhoff
Real Estate Law

Theona Zhordania
Insurance Law

New York:

Eric L. Altman
Real Estate Law

Steven J. Chananie
Health Care Law

MaryJeanette Dee
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Richard S. Fries
Litigation - Real Estate
Real Estate Law

Jay E. Gerzog
Health Care Law

Michael Gilbert
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Robert Gorzelany
Real Estate Law

Paul Kim
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Commercial Litigation

Stephanie Marcantonio
Health Care Law

Theodore C. Max
Copyright Law

Cesar Pereira
Construction Law
Litigation – Construction

Tamar R. Rosenberg
Health Care Law

Ian Carlton Schaefer
Employment Law – Management

Ira M. Schulman
Construction Law
Litigation – Construction

Gregory R. Smith
Health Care Law

Jodi Stein
Real Estate Law

Jonathan Stoler
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Gail Suchman
Energy Law
Environmental Law

Christine L. Swanick
Native American Law

Edward H. Tillinghast III
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Danielle Vrabie
Health Care Law

Orange County:

Steven W. Cardoza
Commercial Finance Law

Jeffrey S. Crowe
Litigation - Insurance

Brian M. Daucher
Commercial Litigation
Litigation - Health Care
Litigation - Intellectual Property

Aaron J. Malo
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Commercial Litigation
Litigation - Bankruptcy

Alan H. Martin
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Litigation - Bankruptcy

Scott A. Morehouse
Real Estate Law

Sean P. O'Connor
Commercial Litigation
Employment Law - Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Carlo F. Van den Bosch
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Trademark Law

San Diego:

John T. Brooks
Insurance Law

David B. Chidlaw
Employment Law – Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Randal Crispen
Insurance Law

Charles A. Danaher
Commercial Litigation
Insurance Law

Marc J. Feldman
Insurance Law

Jeffrey W. Forrest
Land Use and Zoning Law

Ronald Getchey
Commercial Litigation

Guy N. Halgren
Employment Law - Management
Labor Law – Management

David M. Hymer
Real Estate Law

Peter H. Klee
Insurance Law

Michael R. Leake
Real Estate Law

Robert G. Sbardellati
Corporate Law

Nancy T. Scull
Real Estate Law

San Francisco:

Lisa A. Cottle
Communications Law
Energy Law
Natural Resources Law
Utilities Law

Brendan G. Dolan
Employment Law - Individuals
Employment Law – Management

Geraldine Ann Freeman
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Arthur J. Friedman
Litigation - Land Use and Zoning

Keith Garner
Land Use and Zoning Law
Natural Resources Law

Zach P. Hutton
Employment Law - Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Michelle D. Kahn
Trademark Law

Joseph M. Karp
Energy Law
Utilities Law

Ori Katz
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Litigation – Bankruptcy

Michael M. Lauter
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Raymond C. Marshall
Commercial Litigation
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Neil A. F. Popović
Commercial Litigation

Jennifer G. Redmond
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Jennifer E. Renk
Real Estate Law

Allison Martin Rhodes
Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law

Robert J. Stumpf, Jr.
Appellate Practice

Robert J. Uram
Land Use and Zoning Law
Natural Resources Law
Water Law

Doug Van Gessel
Real Estate Law

Silicon Valley:

Steven P. Braccini
Trusts and Estates

Kendal Fletcher
Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Trusts and Estates

William R. Wyatt
Banking and Finance Law

Washington, DC:

Jonathan S. Aronie
Government Contracts

Martin A. Bruehs
Patent Law

Benjamin G. Chew
Commercial Litigation
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

James G. Gatto
Patent Law

Denise E. Giraudo
Litigation – Labor and Employment

Sheldon M. Kline
Labor Law – Management

Scott Maberry
International Trade and Finance Law

John Marston
Criminal Defense: General Practice

Kourtney Mueller Merrill
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Litigation - Patent
Patent Law

Scarlett Singleton Nokes
Commercial Litigation
Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Health Care Law
Litigation - Health Care
Qui Tam Law

Mark F. Sundback
Energy Law

Dave Thomas
Communications Law

Brian D. Weimer
Communications Law

Paul A. Werner
Commercial Litigation

Daniel N. Yannuzzi
Litigation - Intellectual Property

Sheppard Mullin Attorneys Recognized As 2026 Best Lawyers: Ones To Watch:

Century City:

Alex A. Akhavan
Entertainment and Sports Law

Jordan E. Grushkin
Health Care Law

Lauren Hansson
Entertainment and Sports Law

Tyler J. Johnson
Labor and Employment Law – Management

Kazim A. Naqvi
Commercial Litigation

Ramela Ohanian
Entertainment and Sports Law

Rachel Patta Howard
Labor and Employment Law – Management

John D. Rees III
Trusts and Estates

Patrick D. Rubalcava IV
Commercial Litigation

Bridget Russell
Commercial Litigation

Stephanie I. Awanyai-Ufondu
Construction Law

Jeffrey D. Watkins
Entertainment and Sports Law

Douglas Yang
Labor and Employment Law – Management

Chicago:

Shawn D. Fabian
Labor and Employment Law - Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Kanasha S. Herbert
Corporate Law

Catherine Jun
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Julia K. Kadish
Intellectual Property Law

Megan P. La Tronica
Tax Law

Adam R. Marks
Health Care Law

Katherine H. Oblak
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Kathleen M. O'Neill
Health Care Law

Alexander Schwartz
Corporate Law
Securities / Capital Markets Law

Anthony P. Sensoli
Corporate Law
Project Finance Law

Dallas:

Jeffrey Bingham
Banking and Finance Law

Robert E. Hough II
Intellectual Property Law

Nazia J. Khan
Corporate Law

Phill L. Kim
Health Care Law

Stephen K. Moulton
Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tax Law

Kate A. Rumsey
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Tracey G. Toll
Health Care Law

Courtlyn Ward
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Del Mar:

Dominique E. Combs
Intellectual Property Law

Lyle W. LeBlang
Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law

John V. Mysliwiec
Insurance Law

Joseph C. Peacock
Labor and Employment Law – Management

Andrea T. Ramos
Corporate Law

David M. Solberg
Corporate Law

Houston:

Camilo Godoy
Corporate Law
Energy Law
Real Estate Law

Briana Hopes
Corporate Law
Energy Law
Real Estate Law

Michael C. Krill
Intellectual Property Law
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Litigation - Patent
Patent Law

John A. Montgomery II
Corporate Law
Energy Law

Chante B. Westmoreland
Commercial Litigation
Intellectual Property Law
Litigation - Intellectual Property

Los Angeles:

Richard B. Azada
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Brian C. Egan
Tax Law
Trusts and Estates

Shadi Farzan
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Real Estate Law

Khesraw Karmand
Health Care Law

Andrew S. Kreider
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Blake C.A. Lawless
Banking and Finance Law

Chenxi Li
Real Estate Law

Madalyn A. Macarr
Commercial Litigation

Arthur Moore
Corporate Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Edward W. Musharbash
Real Estate Law

Emily A. Papania
Labor and Employment Law – Management

Heather L. Plocky
Commercial Litigation

Melissa M. Smith
Labor and Employment Law - Management

Benjamin Z. Taylor
Labor and Employment Law - Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Nathan C. Yu
Litigation - Labor and Employment

New York:

Cyrus Abbassi
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Tyler E. Baker
Intellectual Property Law

Nirav Bhatt
Banking and Finance Law

Christopher Bosch
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Darby K. Brown
Real Estate Law

Sophia L. Cahill
Administrative / Regulatory Law
Construction Law
Litigation – Construction

Stephanie Calnan
Commercial Litigation

Richard Hevier
Corporate Law

Keren Baruch-Longo
Corporate Law

Jessica N. Meyers
Commercial Litigation

Allison Wu Troianos
Corporate Governance and Compliance Law
Corporate Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

William Ziegelbauer
Corporate Law

Orange County:

Laura C. D'Iorio
Real Estate Law

Linda Igarashi
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Lisa Mays
Government Relations Practice

Samuel A. Moniz
Commercial Litigation

Gazal Pour-Moezzi
Intellectual Property Law

Corey F. Steady
Trusts and Estates

Honieh Udenka
Commercial Litigation
Litigation – Bankruptcy

Abigail Zeimis
Commercial Litigation

San Diego:

Samuel D. Duimovich
Insurance Law

San Francisco:

Amanda E. Beckwith
Labor and Employment Law - Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Snehal Desai
Intellectual Property Law

Brian S. Fong
Labor and Employment Law - Management

Samuel Z. Hyams-Millard
Commercial Litigation

Patricia M. Jeng
Labor and Employment Law - Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Alexander L. Merritt
Environmental Law

Lowell B. Ritter
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Joy O. Siu
Appellate Practice

Silicon Valley:

Jeffrey Liang
Intellectual Property Law

Washington, D.C.:

Michael J. Baranovic
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Esperance Becton
Health Care Law

Townsend Bourne
Government Relations Practice

Katie A. Calogero
Commercial Litigation

Ariel Debin Collinsworth
Government Relations Practice

Allison M. Glasunow
Intellectual Property Law
Litigation - Patent
Patent Law

Malika Levarlet
Corporate Law

Patrick C. Quine
Corporate Law
Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Ryan Roberts
Government Relations Practice

Abraham J. Shanedling
Commercial Litigation
Communications Law