Shumaker is proud to have 137 lawyers recognized in the 2027 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America®.
Among the honorees, 104 were selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers, and 33 were included in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in their respective fields. Additionally, four received the “Lawyer of the Year” designation, awarded annually to only one lawyer with the highest peer feedback per practice and geographic region.
The complete list of Shumaker attorneys recognized includes:
Lawyer of the Year
Tampa
- Willard A. Blair: Mergers and Acquisitions
- W. Kent Ihrig: Banking and Finance Law
Toledo
- W. Reed Hauptman: Real Estate Law
- Michael S. McGowan: Tax Law
Best Lawyers in America®
Akron
- Stacy R.C. Berliner: Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance
- P. Wesley Lambert: Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
- Amanda M. Leffler: Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance
Charleston
- G.P. Diminich: Corporate Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
- Katie Hinson Lewis: Real Estate Law
- Felix C. Pelzer: Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
Charlotte
- Lynn F. Chandler: Trusts and Estates
- Philip S. Chubb: Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- David H. Conaway: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Andrew S. Culicerto: Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
- Lucas D. Garber: Commercial Litigation, Product Liability – Defendants
- J. Douglas Grimes: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Patrick B. Horne: Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Patent Law, Trademark Law
- Warren P. Kean: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
- John D. Kocher: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- S. Alex Long, Jr.: Patent Law
- Steven A. Meckler: Commercial Litigation
- Terence S. Reynolds: Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Joseph J. Santaniello: Franchise Law
- Karen H. Stiles: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Frederick M. Thurman, Jr.: Employment Law – Individuals, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Christina Davidson Trimmer: Litigation – Intellectual Property
Columbus
- David F. Axelrod: Corporate Compliance Law
- Michael E. Born: Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
- Michael J. O’Callaghan: Environmental Law
Sarasota
- Steven J. Chase: Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Mediation
- Douglas A. Cherry: Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Patent Law, Trademark Law
- Daniel J. DeLeo: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction
- Cheryl L. Gordon: Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
- Benjamin R. Hanan: Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Hunter G. Norton: Commercial Litigation
- Jan W. Pitchford: Real Estate Law
- Malcolm J. Pitchford: Real Estate Law
- Meghan O. Serrano: Commercial Litigation
- Christa Sullivan: Commercial Litigation, Real Estate Law
- Michael S. Taaffe: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Securities
- Juan C. Villaveces: Real Estate Law
St. Petersburg
- Andrew F. Ford: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law
Tampa
- Jaime Austrich: Commercial Litigation
- Steven M. Berman: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation
- Willard A. Blair: Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- C. Philip Campbell, Jr.: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – First Amendment, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Ronald A. Christaldi: Health Care Law
- Duane A. Daiker: Appellate Law
- Grant P. Dearborn: Health Care Law
- Hugo S. deBeaubien: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Julio C. Esquivel: Corporate Governance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Sarah M. Glaser: Litigation – Health Care
- Michele Leo Hintson: Commercial Litigation
- W. Kent Ihrig: Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law
- Ernest J. Marquart: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation
- Andrew J. Mayts: Banking and Finance Law, Construction Law
- Peter P. Murnaghan: Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
- Matt Newton: Land Use and Zoning Law
- W. Jan Pietruszka: Employment Law – Individuals, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Samuel P. Queirolo: Real Estate Law
- David Ricco: Real Estate Law
- Mindi M. Richter: Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Trademark Law
- Darrell C. Smith: Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
- J. Todd Timmerman: Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, Trademark Law
- Seth P. Traub: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Justin J. Wallace: Tax Law
- Thomas M. Wood: Commercial Litigation
- Gregory C. Yadley: Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
Toledo
- M. Scott Aubry: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- John C. Barron: Commercial Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Thomas C. Blank: Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
- John H. Burson: Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Trusts and Estates
- James R. Carnes: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Railroad Law
- David J. Coyle: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Katherine S. Decker: Commercial Litigation
- Gary R. Diesing: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Thomas P. Dillon: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Antitrust, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Michael E. Dockins: Litigation – Patent
- Robert H. Eddy: Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Sharon M. Fulop: Real Estate Law
- William H. Gosline: Trusts and Estates
- W. Reed Hauptman: Real Estate Law
- Douglas G. Haynam: Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
- Scot A. Hinshaw: Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Regina M. Joseph: Corporate Law
- Peter E. Krebs: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Zachary P. Madden: Corporate Law
- Timothy C. McCarthy: Employment Law – Management
- Michael S. McGowan: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Corporate Law, Tax Law
- Brian N. McMahon: Franchise Law
- J. Douglas Miller: Litigation – Patent
- John K. Nelson: Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions
- Scott D. Newsom: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Litigation – ERISA
- Thomas G. Pletz: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – First Amendment, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- David J. Rectenwald: Trusts and Estates
- Rebecca E. Shope: Litigation – Labor and Employment
- John J. Siciliano: Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
- Peter R. Silverman: Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, Franchise Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Securities, Mediation
- Joseph S. Simpson: Environmental Law
- Bennett H. Speyer: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Tax Law
- Nicholas T. Stack: Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation
- David P. Strup: Commercial Litigation
- Gregory H. Wagoner: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance
- Mark D. Wagoner: Antitrust Law, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Franchise Law
- David F. Waterman: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law
- Martin D. Werner: Banking and Finance Law
- James F. White, Jr.: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
- David W. Wicklund: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Antitrust, Litigation – Intellectual Property
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America®
Charleston
- Hannah Campbell: Trusts and Estates
Charlotte
- Abigail Young Bechtol: Commercial Litigation
- Tom BenGera: Intellectual Property Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, Technology Law
- Rhett N. Butler: Corporate Law, Health Care Law
- Kelley M. Petcavich: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Michael E. Shammas: Commercial Litigation
Columbus
- Katherine H. Crawford: Health Care Law
- Meagan R. Cyrus: Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
- Marcus A. Miller: Commercial Litigation
Sarasota
- Jill Bowen: Real Estate Law
- James E. Fanto: Litigation – Securities
- David B. Heedy: Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
- Hanna M. Lindsay: Insurance Law
- James D. O’Donnell: Commercial Litigation
- Raven K. Peters: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Justin P. Senior: Commercial Litigation
- Charles A. Wood: Commercial Litigation
Tampa
- Jillian Askren: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
- Elizabeth R. Brusa: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Mary B. Catala: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Corporate Law, Nonprofit / Charities Law
- Reinaldo R. Gomez de la Vega: Corporate Law
- Haley D. Kole: Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Mark Lehman: Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Insurance Law
- Christina C. Nethero: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Steven E. Nicholas: Commercial Litigation
- Ashley B. Norus: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law
- Andrew J. Oppenheim: Commercial Litigation
- Samantha R. Peckham: Insurance Law
- Julianne M. Servetas: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Toledo
- Katherine S. Decker: Labor and Employment Law – Management
- Nicholas A. Huckaby: Commercial Litigation, Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Matthew T. Kemp: Commercial Litigation
- Eric L. Simpson: Real Estate Law
For over four decades, Best Lawyers has become regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers honors the professional abilities of the top legal talent based on exhaustive peer-review and analysis.