182 Carlton Fields Attorneys Named to 2026 Best Lawyers Lists Including 7 “Lawyers of the Year”

TAMPA, FL – The Best Lawyers in America© 2026 recognized 182 Carlton Fields attorneys. One hundred and thirty-six attorneys were named to the “Best Lawyers” lists, and forty-six were named to the “Ones to Watch” list.

Additionally, seven Carlton Fields attorneys were named “Lawyer of the Year” for their practice areas in their communities. Only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.” Lawyers receiving this accolade earn some of the highest ratings in the Best Lawyers surveys based on a high level of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity.

The Carlton Fields attorneys named "Lawyers of the Year" are:

Hartford

• Frank Appicelli – Real Estate Law

Miami

• Neal McAliley – Litigation – Environmental

Tallahassee

• Joseph Ullo – Environmental Law

Tampa

• Donald Kirk – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Kathleen McLeroy – Arbitration
• Laurel Lockett – Environmental Law
• Cary Wright – Construction Law

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2025 guide are:

Atlanta

• Justan Bounds – Commercial Litigation
• Christopher Freeman – Insurance Law
• Gregory Null – Real Estate Law
• Marci Schmerler – Real Estate Law
• Robert Shannon – Commercial Litigation
• Susan Spencer – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Michael Tippett – Real Estate Law

Florham Park

• Kenneth Cesta – Corporate Law
• Michael Hensley – Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Michael Margulies – Insurance Law
• Robert Novack – Commercial Litigation

Hartford

• Frank Appicelli – Real Estate Law
• Kate D'Agostino – Real Estate Law
• Scott Miller – Real Estate Law
• John Pitblado – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance
• James Sconzo – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Jonathan Sterling – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – ERISA, Litigation – Labor and Employment

Los Angeles

• Harvey Geller – Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Mark Neubauer – Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Barry Leigh Weissman – Insurance Law, Reinsurance Law

Miami

• Enrique Arana – Commercial Litigation
• Bruce Berman – Commercial Litigation
• Naomi Berry – Commercial Litigation
• Ann Young Black – Insurance Law
• Steven Brodie – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance
• Scott Byers – Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Insurance
• Jeffrey A. Cohen – Appellate Practice
• Jeffrey M. Cohen – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
• Amy Furness – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• David Gay – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Merrick Gross – Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Real Estate
• Alan Grunspan – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation
• Amy Hurwitz – Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Heather Jonczak – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
• David Karp – Appellate Practice
• Bruce King – Litigation – Construction
• Jay Koenigsberg – Real Estate Law
• Robert Macaulay – Corporate Law
• Andrew Markus – Corporate Law, International Mergers and Acquisitions, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Carlos Mas – International Mergers and Acquisitions
• Neal McAliley – Commercial Litigation, Energy Regulatory Law, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Julianna Thomas McCabe – Litigation – Insurance
• Paul Nettleton – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Insurance, Person Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Dennis Olle – Commercial Litigation, International Mergers and Acquisitions
• Edith Osman – Family Law
• Rahul Ranadive – Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• Alan Rosenthal – Commercial Litigation
• Irma Reboso Solares – Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Lee Stapleton – Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Aaron Weiss – Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants

New York

• Ethan Horwitz – Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Trademark Law
• Michael Yaeger – Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Orlando

• Johanna Clark – Commercial Litigation
• Daniel DeCubellis – Real Estate Law
• Daniel Johnson – Commercial Litigation
• Dara Lindquist – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
• Christopher Paolini – Commercial Litigation
• Jason Perkins – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction
• Charlotte Warren – Construction Law

Tallahassee

• Aaron Dunlap – Government Relations Practice, Land Use and Zoning Law
• Thomas Findley – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Robert Pass – Commercial Litigation, Energy Law
• William Sklar – Real Estate Law
• Joseph Ullo – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Peter Webster – Appellate Practice

Tampa

• Matthew Allen – Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants
• Ray Allen – Land Use and Zoning Law
• Jordan August – Corporate Law, Tax Law
• Erin Banks – Litigation – Construction
• Dane Blunt – Litigation – Real Estate
• Cathleen Bell Bremmer – Employment Law - Management
• David Burke – Litigation and Controversy - Tax, Tax Law
• Patricia Calhoun – Health Care Law
• John Clabby – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Securities
• Matthew Conigliaro – Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation
• Richard Denmon – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
• Jonathan “Tre” Dixon – Health Care Law
• Nathaniel Doliner – Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, International Mergers and Acquisitions, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law
• Steven Dupré – Commercial Litigation
• Nancy Faggianelli – Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Scott Feather – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate
• Linda Fleming – Health Care Law
• Robert Freedman – Real Estate Law
• Jaret Fuente – Litigation – Construction, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Jon Gatto – Litigation – Health Care
• Simon Gaugush – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Gregory Gidus – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
• Joel Giles – Litigation - Real Estate, Real Estate Law
• William “Ty” Giltinan – Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Patent Law
• Shannon Gray – Real Estate Law
• Jourdan Haynes – Real Estate Law
• Brett Henson – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
• Lannie Hough – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
• James Kennedy – Health Care Law
• Donald Kirk – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Edward Kuchinski – Litigation – Construction
• John Lamoureux – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Construction Law, Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Joseph Lang – Appellate Practice
• Robin Leavengood – Litigation – Construction
• Edgel Lester – Real Estate Law
• Jin Liu – Real Estate Law
• Laurel Lockett – Energy Law, Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law, Real Estate Law
• Kevin McCoy – Commercial Litigation
• Mac McCoy – Commercial Litigation
• Janet Goldberg McEnery – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• Kathleen McLeroy – Arbitration, Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation
• George Meyer – Construction Law, Real Estate Law
• Edward Page – Criminal Defense: General Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Qui Tam Law
• Scott Pence – Construction law, Real Estate Law
• Luis Prats – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
• Robert Quinn – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Real Estate
• Jason Quintero – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Real Estate
• Heidi Hudson Raschke – Litigation – Insurance
• Gary Sasso – Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants, Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants
• Donald Schmidt – Antitrust Law, Commercial Litigation
• Adam Schwartz – Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Qui Tam Law
• Christopher Smart – Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law
• Kenneth Tinkler – Land Use and Zoning Law
• Paul Ullom – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
• James Walls – Energy Law
• Lowell Walters – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• David Walz – Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Cary Wright – Construction Law, Litigation - Construction
• Ryan Yant – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Eleanor Yost – Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Gwynne Young – Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Real Estate, Litigation - Trusts and Estates

Washington, D.C.

• Richard Choi – Securities Regulation
• Thomas Conner – Mutual Funds Law
• Ann Began Furman – Mutual Funds Law
• Emil Hirsch – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Real Estate

West Palm Beach

• Alexander Del Russo – Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Derek Harris – Commercial Litigation
• John Hart – Commercial Litigation
• Allison Kahn – Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Dean Morande – Appellate Practice
• Garth Yearick – Commercial Litigation

Carlton Fields attorneys named "Ones to Watch" have been practicing 5–9 years. They include:

Atlanta

• Logan Moses Owens – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Nicole Stone – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
• Roben West – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law

Florham Park

• Ryan Allen – Litigation – Labor and Employment, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Professional Malpractice Law
• Andrea Bonvicino – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Professional Malpractice Law
• Siena Carnevale – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – Securities, Professional Malpractice Law
• Julia Duffy – Commercial Litigation

Hartford

• Brendan Gooley – Education Law, Insurance Law, Labor and Employment Law - Employee, Labor and Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Mackenzie Collins –Real Estate Law

Los Angeles

• Pamela Hayati – Professional Malpractice Law
• Austin Jackson – Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White Collar
• Scott Menger – Appellate Practice, Civil Rights Law, Commercial Litigation
• Daniel Simonds – Real Estate Law

 Miami

• Julie Levine Cooperman – Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense, White Collar
• James Czodli – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction
• Katarine Dobsinska – Appellate Practice
• Shane McGlashen – Professional Malpractice Law
• Christopher Norris – Appellate Practice
• Brooke Patterson – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
• Raina Shipman – Commercial Litigation
• Michael Zilber – Commercial Litigation, Real Estate Law

Minneapolis

• Claire Barlow – Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action – Defendants

New York

• Oliver Phillipson – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
• Amrit Singh – Commercial Litigation, Labor and Employment Law – Management, Professional Malpractice Law

Orlando

• Novera Ahmad – Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Jason Bullinger – Litigation – Construction
• Natalie Donis – Product Liability - Defendants
• Aaron Holman – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction
• Shayaan Raja – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Real Estate Law
• Miguel Rodriguez – Insurance Law, Litigation – Real Estate

Tampa

• Brian Allen – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Fiona Foley – Litigation – Construction
• Lauren Gandle – Health Care Law
• Erin Hoyle – Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Education Law, Health Care Law, Litigation – Securities, Technology Law
• Troy Mainzer – Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Real Estate
• Kristen Murphy – Health Care Law
• Charlisa Odom – Commercial Litigation
• Luis Orengo – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Derek Padilla – Health Care Law
• Andre Revaz – Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Julian Velez – Commercial Litigation
• Madison Wahler – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
• David Wright – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Securities
• Catherine Zhang – Corporate Law, Trusts and Estates

West Palm Beach

• Filiz Akkaya – Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Eden Marcu – Privacy and Data Security Law, Technology Law

Best Lawyers conducts surveys in which leading lawyers evaluate their professional peers, highlighting the top 6% of private practice attorneys each year. The “Ones to Watch” list is similarly selective, and honors lawyers who have been practicing for less than 10 years.