The annual U.S. News & World Report rankings of Best Law Firms and Best Lawyers were released this month. Here is how the legal profession in the Jacksonville market did. An asterisk denotes Lawyer of the Year. Law firms of the year are listed at the bottom.
Adams and Reese
Best lawyer
• John Rogerson III
Akerman
Tier 1 practice areas
Bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law; litigation: commercial; litigation: banking and finance; litigation: land use and zoning; litigation: real estate; litigation: tax; securitization and structured finance law.
Best lawyers
• Jacob A. Brown
• Peter L. Dame
• Peter O. Larsen
• John B. Macdonald
• Timothy J. McDermott *
• David E. Otero
Alexander DeGance Barnett
Best lawyers
• Mark G. Alexander
• Michelle Bedoya Barnett
• Kelly L. DeGance
Allen, Dyer, Doppelt, Milbrath & Gilchrist
Tier 1 practice areas
Copyright law; litigation: intellectual property
Best lawyer
• Herbert L. Allen *
Allen, Norton & Blue
Best lawyer
• Michael K. Grogan
Ansbacher Law
Best lawyer
• Barry B. Ansbacher
Law Offices of Kenneth G. Anderson
Best lawyer
• Kenneth G. Anderson
Bachara Construction Law Group
Best lawyer
Henry G. Bachara
Balch & Bingham
Tier 1 practice areas
Banking and finance law; real estate law
Best lawyers
• James I. Vance Berry Jr.
• Steven B. Greenhut
• James L. Purcell Jr.
Bedell, Dittmar, DeVault, Pillans & Coxe
Tier 1 practice areas
Commercial litigation; construction law; criminal defense: non-white collar; criminal defense: white collar; legal malpractice law: defendants; litigation: environmental; litigation: intellectual property; litigation: land use and zoning; litigation: real estate; litigation: securities; litigation: trusts and estate; personal injury litigation: defendants
Best lawyers
• David Barksdale
• Allan F. Brooke II
• Patrick P. Coll
• Henry M. Coxe III
• John A. DeVault III *
• R. H. Farnell II
• Courtney K. Grimm
• Charles P. Pillans III *
• C. Warren Tripp Jr.
Birchfield & Humphrey
Best lawyer
• W.O. Birchfield
Bledsoe, Jacobson, Schmidt, Wright & Wilkinson
Tier 1 practice areas
Commercial litigation; personal injury litigation: plaintiffs
Best lawyers
• James A. Bledsoe Jr.
• Samuel S. Jacobson *
• Terrance E. Schmidt
• Kenneth B. Wright *
Boyd & Jenerette
Best lawyers
• Mark K. Eckels
• Kristen M. Van der Linde
Brennan, Manna & Diamond
Best lawyer
• Michael Freed
Brigham Property Rights Law Firm
Tier 1 practice area
Eminent domain and condemnation law
Best lawyer
• Andrew Prince Brigham
The Brown Firm
Best lawyer
• Thomas R. Brown
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
Tier 1 practice areas
Employment law: management; litigation: labor and employment
Best lawyers
• Thomas C. Dearing
• Eric J. Holshouser *
• Robert G. Riegel Jr.
Coker, Schickel, Sorenson & Posgay
Tier 1 practice area
Personal injury litigation: plaintiffs
Best lawyer
• Howard C. Coker
Cole, Scott & Kissane
Tier 1 practice area
Insurance law
Best lawyer
• Joseph T. Kissane
Constangy, Brooks & Smith
Tier 1 practice areas
Employment law: management; labor law: management; litigation: labor and employment
Best lawyers
• John F. Dickinson
• Damon Kitchen
• Heather A. Owen
• J. Ray Poole
• Gary R. Wheeler
• Margaret P. Zabijaka
Hugh Cotney
Tier 1 practice area
Personal injury litigation: defendants
Best lawyer
• Hugh Cotney
Creed & Gowdy
Tier 1 practice area
Appellate practice
Best lawyers
• Rebecca Creed
• Bryan Gowdy *
Cronin & Maxwell
Best lawyer
• Sean B. Cronin
Datz & Datz
Tier 1 practice area
Family law
Best lawyers
• Albert J. Datz
• Lawrence C. Datz
Dean, Mead, Egerton, Bloodworth, Capouano & Bozarth
Tier 1 practice areas
Criminal defense: non-white collar; criminal defense: white collar
The Dearing Law Firm
Tier 1 practice area
Insurance law
Best lawyer
• Katie L. Dearing
William J. Deas
Best lawyer
• William J. Deas
Delegal Law Offices
Tier 1 practice areas
Employment law: individuals; litigation: labor and employment
Best lawyer
• Thomas A. “Tad” Delegal III
Donahoo & McMenamy
Tier 1 practice area
Tax law
Best lawyer
• Thomas M. Donahoo
Donnelly & Gross
Tier 1 practice areas
Employment law: individuals; employment law: management; labor law: union; litigation: labor and employment
Driver, McAfee, Peek & Hawthorne
Best lawyers
• Ray Driver Jr. *
• J. Jacob R. Peek
Eakin & Sneed
Best lawyer
• Jeffrey J. Sneed
Edwards & Ragatz
Tier 1 practice areas
Medical malpractice law: plaintiffs; personal injury litigation: plaintiffs
Best lawyer
• Thomas S. Edwards Jr. *
Finger, Nelson & McGuire
Best lawyer
• William L. Finger
Ellerin Hutchinson
Best lawyer
• Ronald R. Oberdier
Fisher, Tousey, Leas & Ball
Tier 1 practice areas
Employment benefits (ERISA) law; tax law; trusts and estates law
Best lawyers
• Anne Buzby-Walt
• Robert A. Dawkins
• Michael W. Fisher
• John E. Lawlor III
• Michael R. Leas
• Robert N. Miller
• Clay B. Tousey III
• Clay B. Tousey Jr.
Foley & Lardner
Tier 1 practice areas
Banking and finance law; corporate law; employment law: management; labor law: management; litigation: banking and finance; litigation: construction; litigation: labor and employment; litigation: real estate; mergers and acquisitions law; public finance law; real estate law; securities/capital markets law; tax law
Best lawyers
• Adam G. Adams III
• Robert S. Bernstein
• David C. Cook
• Gardner F. Davis *
• Charles V. Hedrick *
• Kevin E. Hyde *
• Michael B. Kirwan
• Chauncey W. Lever Jr.
• Emerson M. Lotzia
• Scott D. Richburg *
• John A. Tucker
FordHarrison
Tier 1 practice areas
Employment law: management; labor law: management
Best lawyers
• Peter Reed Corbin
• John E. Duvall
Gartner, Brock & Simon
Tier 1 practice area
Real estate law
Best lawyer
• Bert C. Simon
Doris Sussman Goldstein
Best lawyer
• Doris S. Goldstein
GrayRobinson
Tier 1 practice areas
Employment law: management, labor law: management; litigation: labor and employment
Best lawyers
• William H. Andrews
• Patrick D. Coleman
• Guy O. Farmer II
• David Garfinkel
• Terry A. Moore
Grimsley Marker and Iseley
Tier 1 practice areas
Litigation: trusts and estates; trusts and estates law
Best lawyer
• John G. Grimsley
Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart
Tier 1 practice areas
Commercial litigation; environmental law; land use and zoning law; litigation: banking and finance; litigation: construction; litigation: real estate; litigation: securities; real estate law
Best lawyers
• Michael Cavendish
• Frank E. Miller
• Lynn Pappas *
• David M. Wells *
Hardesty Tyde Green & Ashton
Tier 1 practice area
Workers’ compensation law: claimants
Best lawyers
• Frank A. Ashton
• Karl T. Green
• Marc Hardesty
• Michael S. Tyde *
Law Office of W.C. Gentry
Tier 1 practice area
Personal injury litigation: plaintiffs
Best lawyer
• W.C. Gentry
Harper Gerlach
Tier 1 practice areas
Employment law: management; labor law: management; litigation: labor and employment
Best lawyer
• Gregg Gerlach
The Law and Mediation Offices of G. Thomas Harper
Best lawyer
• G. Thomas Harper
The Hodak Law Firm
Best lawyer
• Corrine C. Hodak
Holland & Knight
Tier 1 practice areas
Appellate practice; banking and finance law; commercial litigation; corporate law; employment law: management; insurance law; litigation: intellectual property; litigation: real estate; mergers and acquisitions law; product liability litigation: defendants; real estate law; tax law; trusts and estates law
Best lawyers
• Michael A. Abel
• L. Kinder Cannon III
• Ivan A. Colao
• George D. Gabel Jr.
• James S. Groh
• Lawrence J. Hamilton II
• Peter Hargitai
• Fred J. Lotterhos III
• Dominic C. MacKenzie *
• James L. Main
• Stacy Watson May
• Frederick D. Page *
• Michael G. Prendergast
• Paul R. Regensdorf
• Terrence J. Russell
• George E. “Buddy” Schulz Jr.
• Richard L. Stockton *
• Melissa S. Turra
• Alan M. Weiss
• Paul Young
Jackson Lewis
Best lawyer
• Richard N. Margulies
Kelley and Kelley
Best lawyer
Sean W. Kelley
Kirschner & Legler
Tier 1 practice area
Corporate law
Best lawyers
• Kenneth M. Kirschner
• Mitchell W. Legler
Lewis, Longman & Walker
Tier 1 practice area
Environmental law
Best lawyers
• Brenna Malouf Durden
• Wayne E. Flowers
Liles, Gavin & George
Tier 1 practice areas
Commercial litigation; insurance law; personal injury litigation: defendants; personal injury litigation: plaintiffs; product liability litigation: defendants
Best lawyers
• R. Kyle Gavin
• Rutledge R. Liles *
Charles B. Lembcke
Best lawyer
• Charles B. Lembcke
Margol & Margol
Tier 1 practice areas
Medical malpractice law: plaintiffs; personal injury litigation: plaintiffs
Best lawyer
• Rodney S. Margol
Marks Gray
Tier 1 practice areas
Medical malpractice law: defendants; personal injury litigation: defendants; product liability litigation: defendants; real estate law
Best lawyers
• Jeptha F. Barbour *
• Edward L. Birk
• Susan S. Erdelyi
• Frederick H. Kent III
• Gerald W. Weedon
Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin
Tier 1 practice area
Professional malpractice law: Defendants
Best lawyers
• Michael J. DeCandio
• Michael J. Obringer
McGuireWoods
Tier 1 practice areas
• Environmental law, litigation: environmental; real estate law
Best lawyers
• Donald D. Anderson *
• Scott S. Cairns
• Kenneth M. Keefe Jr.
• Halcyon E. Skinner
Milam Howard Nicandri Dees & Gillam
Best lawyers
• W. Braxton Gillam IV
• Paul M. Renner
Moseley, Prichard, Parrish, Knight & Jones
Tier 1 practice areas
Admiralty and maritime law; personal injury litigation: defendants
Best lawyers
• Phillip A. Buhler
• James F. Moseley Jr. *
• James F. Moseley Sr.
• Robert B. Parrish
• Charles M. Trippe Jr.
Murphy & Anderson
Best lawyers
• Niels P. Murphy
• Geddes D. Anderson Jr.
Law Office of D. Mark Natirboff
Tier 1 practice area
Eminent domain and condemnation law
Best lawyer
• D. Mark Natirboff
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Tier 1 practice area
Litigation: Real estate
Best lawyers
• R. Gene Aldridge
• Daniel B. Nunn Jr.
Ossi, Najem & Rosario
Best lawyers
• Lawrence J. Najem
• Michael A. Ossi
Pajcic & Pajcic
Tier 1 practice area
Personal injury litigation: plaintiffs
Best lawyer
• Raymond P. Reid Jr.
C. Rufus Pennington III
Tier 1 practice areas
Medical malpractice law: plaintiffs; personal injury litigation: plaintiffs
Best lawyer
• C. Rufus Pennington III *
Purcell, Flanagan, Hay & Greene
Tier 1 practice areas
Tax law; trusts and estates law
Best lawyer
• Timothy L. Flanagan *
Regan Zebouni
Tier 1 practice area
Construction law
Best lawyer
• Jeffrey C. Regan
RezLegal
Tier 1 practice area
Health care law
Best lawyer
• Rick M. Reznicsek *
Roberts & Reiter
Best lawyer
• James G. Roberts
Rogers Towers
Tier 1 practice areas
Banking and finance law; commercial litigation; employment law: management; land use and zoning law; real estate law; trusts and estates law
Best lawyers
• J. Kirby Chritton
• Kevin B. Cook
• Michael J. Dewberry
• Wyman R. Duggan
• Theodore R. Hainline Jr.
• Christopher C. Hazelip
• Edward L. Kelly
• Edward McCarthy III
• H. Joseph O’Shields
• Cristine M. Russell
• William E. Scheu
• Donald C. Wright
Rywant, Alvarez, Jones, Russo & Guyton
Tier 1 practice area
Personal injury litigation: plaintiffs
Saalfield, Shad, Stokes, Inclan, Stoudemire & Stone
Best lawyers
• Joel Settembrini Jr.
• William T. Stone
David B. Sacks
Best lawyer
• David B. Sacks
Saliwanchik, Lloyd & Eisenschenk
Tier 1 practice area
Patent law
Sheppard, White & Kachergus
Tier 1 practice areas
Appellate practice; criminal defense: non-white collar; criminal defense: white collar; employment law: individuals; First Amendment law
Best lawyers
• Matthew R. Kachergus
• William J. Sheppard
• Betsy White
Shorstein & Lasnetski
Tier 1 practice area
Criminal defense: white collar
Best lawyer
• Harry Shorstein
Sydney S. Simmons II
Tier 1 practice area
Corporate law
Best lawyer
Sydney S. Simmons II
Barry S. Sinoff
Tier 1 practice area
Family law
Best lawyer
• Barry S. Sinoff
Smith, Gambrell & Russell
Tier 1 practice areas
Labor law: management; real estate law
Best lawyers
• Andrew J. Fawbush
• Karl B. Hanson Jr.
• Patricia J. Hill
• James B. Porter
• Jeffrey P. Watson
Smith Hulsey & Busey
Tier 1 practice areas
Bankruptcy and creditor debtor, rights/insolvency and reorganization law; commercial litigation; health care law; litigation: banking and finance; medical malpractice law: defendants; real estate law
Best lawyers
• Stephen D. Busey *
• Earl E. Googe Jr.
• Jeanne E. Helton
• David J. Hull
• G. Preston Keyes
• William E. Kuntz
• Lauren Parsons Langham
• M. Richard Lewis Jr.
• James H. Post
• Bryan L. Putnal
• Lanny Russell *
• Tim E. Sleeth
• Harry M. Wilson III
Southern Legal Counsel
Tier 1 practice area
Employment law: individuals
Spohrer & Dodd
Tier 1 practice areas
Medical malpractice law: plaintiffs; personal injury litigation: plaintiffs
Best lawyer
• Robert F. Spohrer
Stone Lockett
Best lawyer
• Mitchell A. Stone
Tanner Bishop Attorneys
Tier 1 practice areas
Appellate practice; commercial litigation; criminal defense: white collar; personal injury litigation: defendants
Best lawyers
• Thomas E. Bishop *
• Michael G. Tanner
Taylor, Stewart, Houston & Duss
Best lawyers
• Clarence H. Houston Jr.
• Carl M. Stewart
Terrell Hogan
Tier 1 practice area
Personal injury litigation: plaintiffs
Best lawyers
• Wayne Hogan
• Evan J. Yegelwel
Law Office of D. Gray Thomas
Tier 1 practice area
Criminal defense: White collar
Best lawyer
• Daniel Gray Thomas
The Costantino Law Firm
Tier 1 practice area
Medical malpractice law: plaintiffs
Best lawyer
• R. Scott Costantino
Law Office of Archibald J. Thomas III
Tier 1 practice areas
Employment law: individuals; litigation: labor and employment
Best lawyer
• Archibald J. Thomas III *
Turner O’Connor Kozlowski
Tier 1 practice areas
Criminal defense: non-white collar; criminal defense: white collar; employment law: individuals
Upchurch, Bailey & Upchurch
Tier 1 practice area
Environmental law
Best lawyer
• Sidney F. Ansbacher *
Weaver and Weaver
Best lawyer
• Dianne Jay Weaver
Whelan Construction Law
Best lawyer
• Edward M. Whelan
Edward White
Tier 1 practice areas
Admiralty and maritime law; personal injury litigation: plaintiffs
Best lawyer
• Edward A. White
White & Crouch
Tier 1 practice area
Trusts and estates law
Willis, Ferebee & Hutton
Tier 1 practice area
Criminal defense: non-white collar
Best lawyers
• L.E. Hutton
• Robert Stuart Willis
Law Office of Shands M. Wulbern
Best lawyer
• Shands M. Wulbern
Zisser, Brown, Nowlis & Cabrey
Tier 1 practice area
Family law
Best lawyer
• Elliot Zisser
LAW FIRMS OF THE YEAR
Akerman: Litigation-Real Estate law
Holland & Knight: Transportation
McGuireWoods: Banking and finance law
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About the listings: Dozens of Jacksonville firms and lawyers were included in the 2015 U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firms and Best Lawyers rankings.
The list above includes firms from the Jacksonville metro that received Tier 1 rankings in practice areas and best lawyers from the area. Tier 2 and Tier 3 listings were not included.
Best Law Firms were ranked based on criteria such as client feedback, peer review and information provided by the law firms (including demographic and background information on the firm and its attorneys).
Tier designations are awarded based on scoring within a percentage of the highest-scoring firm(s), according to U.S. News & World Report.
One firm in each of the 73 practice areas nationally receives the “Law Firm of the Year” recognition. Candidates for the Best Lawyers list cannot nominate themselves.
The selection process includes peer review, an analysis of the feedback and confirmation the attorneys are in good standing with the local Bar associations.
Attorneys in the current edition of Best Lawyers vote in the following year’s contest.
They cannot vote for themselves or anyone in their firm.
Lawyer of the Year awards are given to one lawyer in each practice in each metro market. They are marked with an asterisk.