Ninety-Eight Michael Best Attorneys Earn Recognition in The Best Lawyers in America 2025 List

Michael Best is proud to announce the selection of 98 firm attorneys to The Best Lawyers in America 2025 list, with representation across 49 different areas of legal practice nationwide. Best Lawyers® is one of the most respected peer-reviewed publications in the legal profession and has been published for more than three decades. Best Lawyers' methodology is based on a comprehensive peer-review survey in which thousands of attorneys across the United States evaluate their peers in various legal practice areas.

The firm is also pleased to announce that three attorneys were included in The Best Lawyers in America 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” list, a prestigious designation of a single lawyer in each specific practice area and location. Additionally, a total of 22 firm attorneys have been featured as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

Milwaukee, WI

• Daniel S. Jones: Patent Law
• Kelly R. Rourke: Immigration Law
• Robert A. Schnur: Litigation and Controversy - Tax

Charlotte, NC

• Gwendolyn W. Lewis: Employment Law – Management, Litigation - Health Care, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Nicole A. Murphey: Health Care Law, Employment Law - Management

Chicago, IL

• Jeffrey H. Brown: Advertising Law, Entertainment Law – Music
• Luke W. DeMarte: Entertainment Law – Music
• Daniel A. Kaufman: Employment Law – Management
• Charles A. Laff: Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Trademark Law
• Kerryann Haase Minton: Employment Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Brian P. Paul: Employment Law - Management
• Marshall J. Schmitt: Patent Law
• Martin L. Stern: Patent Law
• Courtney D. Tedrowe: Commercial Litigation

Cottonwood Heights, UT

• Stuart A. Fredman: Corporate Law
• Brad R. Jacobsen: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Steven J. Joffee: Commercial Litigation

Denver, CO

• Scott M. Alter: Patent Law
• Jack (Jay) L. Mankamyer: Real Estate Law
• Jon R. Trembath: Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent

Madison, WI

• Amy O. Bruchs: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Joseph D. Brydges: Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Eric J. Callisto: Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
• Holly E. Courtney: Employment Law - Management
• David A. Crass: Environmental Law
• Michael S. Green: Corporate Law, Real Estate Law
• Jordan J. Hemaidan: Communications Law, Energy Law
• Tod B. Linstroth: Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law
• Gregory J. Lynch: Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Porter J. Martin: Energy Law
• Hamang B. Patel: Tax Law
• Ian A.J. Pitz: Commercial Litigation
• Farrah N.W. Rifelj: Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Tanya M. Salman: Commercial Litigation
• John C. Scheller: Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation - Patent
• Sheila Boothby Stevens: Trusts and Estates
• Melissa M. Turczyn: Corporate Law
• Teresa J. Welch, Ph.D.: Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, Patent Law
• Leah Hurtgen Ziemba: Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental

Manitowoc, WI

• Timothy A. Burkard: Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Transactions / UCC Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Phillip R. Maples: Trusts and Estates

Milwaukee, WI

• Victor J. Allen: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Luis I. Arroyo: Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Christopher B. Austin: Patent Law
• Scott C. Beightol: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Paul E. Benson: Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Peter L. Coffey: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• David W. Croysdale: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• James W. DeCleene: Tax Law
• Michelle Wagner Ebben: Construction Law, Real Estate Law
• Linda C. Emery: Privacy and Data Security Law
• John D. Finerty, Jr.: Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Kelly M. Fortier: Immigration Law
• Alexander P. Fraser: Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Thomas O. Gartner: Project Finance Law, Real Estate Law
• Julie L. Gorens-Winston: Trusts and Estates
• Denise Greathouse: Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Nancy Leary Haggerty: Real Estate Law
• Robert J. Johannes: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Daniel S. Jones: Patent Law
• Bradley J. Kalscheur: Trusts and Estates
• Jerome H. Kringel: Corporate Law, International Trade and Finance Law
• David A. Krutz: Construction Law
• K. Thor Lundgren: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Jonathan H. Margolies: Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, Trademark Law
• Bethany C. McCurdy: Employment Law – Management, Labor and Employment
• Elizabeth A. Odian: Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Joseph L. Olson: Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Todd E. Palmer: Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Kirk A. Pelikan: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Employment Law - Management
• Mitchell W. Quick: Employment Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Bret A. Roge: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Tax Law
• Kelly R. Rourke: Employment Law – Management, Immigration Law
• Eric H. Rumbaugh: Employment Law – Individuals, Employment Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Trade Secrets Law
• Timothy G. Schally: Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
• Robert A. Schnur: Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
• Charles P. Stevens: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Brent A. Stork: Commercial Finance Law
• Kevin J.T. Terry: Employment Law - Management
• Martin P. Tierney: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Tax Law
• Lauren A. Triebenbach: Banking and Finance Law, Construction Law, Litigation – Construction, Real Estate Law
• Daniel J. Vaccaro: Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Roy E. Wagner: Construction Law
• Ted A. Wisnefski: Commercial Litigation
• Adam E. Witkov: Commercial Litigation

Raleigh, NC

• James R. Forrest: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Emily M. Haas: Advertising Law, Trademark Law
• Carrie E. Meigs: Litigation – Health Care, Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Lucas S. Osborn: Litigation – Patent
• Rebecca R. Thornton: Litigation – Insurance

Salt Lake City, UT

• James R. Kruse: Commercial Transactions / UCC Law, Corporate Law
• Melinda A. Morgan: Litigation – Insurance
• Lyndon L. Ricks: Corporate Law, Privacy and Data Security Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Judson D. Stelter: Employment Law – Management
• Evan S. Strassberg: Commercial Litigation
• Kevin C. Timken: Securities Regulation
• Betsy T. Voter: Corporate Law

Waukesha, WI

• Kevin P. Moran: Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
• Thomas E. Obenberger: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• Charles B. Palmer: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Workers' Compensation Law – Employers
• Derek C. Stettner: Patent Law

Austin

• Katie A. Fillmore: Administrative / Regulatory Law, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Government Relations Practice   

Chicago, IL

• Louise Arnott: Intellectual Property Law
• Christine A. Filarski: Intellectual Property Law, Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Michelle E. Kouba: Intellectual Property Law
• Michael K. Sokolowski: Labor and Employment Law - Management

Cottonwood Heights, UT

• Michael C. Barnhill: Commercial Litigation

Denver, CO

• Harsha A. Sekar: Public Finance Law

Madison, WI

• Kurt F. Ellison: Labor and Employment Law – Management
• Emily A. McGovern: Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law

Manitowoc, WI

• Michael C. Yeh: Corporate Law

Milwaukee, WI

• K. Sam Brooks: Patent Law
• Daniel J. Gawronski: Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law
• Gregory T. Helding: Patent Law
• Alexander G. Izzo: Intellectual Property Law
• Molly S. Lawson: Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
• Mark A. Lotito, Ph.D.: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Jonathan T. Luljak: Real Estate Law
• Madeline C. Schmid: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law
• Ashley A. Smith: Corporate Law, Venture Capital Law
• Russell M. Steinbrenner: Patent Law

Raleigh

• Frank Pray III: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Waukesha, WI

• Nicolaas T. Bressers: Litigation – Patent