Jones Walker LLP is pleased to announce 160 attorneys firmwide have been listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 peer-review attorney rankings. Of these 160 respected attorneys, 15 attorneys received the esteemed The Best Lawyers in America “Lawyer of the Year” designation for 2026. In addition, 17 attorneys are recognized in the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America 2026 list.

Best Lawyers®, established in 1983, is universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers ratings are based on peer-review surveys in which thousands of attorneys cast more than 2 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Corporate Counsel magazine called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”

ATLANTA

David J. Forestner – Insurance Law
William J. Shaughnessy – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
Chad V. Theriot – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
William E. Underwood – Construction Law

BATON ROUGE

F. Gibbons Addison – Commercial Litigation
Brandon Kelly Black – Litigation – Banking and Finance
John C. Blackman, IV – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
Trey Wesley Cloud – Real Estate Law
Jeffry W. Gray – Real Estate Law
Theodore W. Jones – Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
Matthew W. Kern – Public Finance Law
Michael K. Leachman – Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Trademark Law
James C. Percy – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Municipal, Litigation – Real Estate
Dionne M. Rousseau – Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
Robert W. Scheffy, Jr. – Energy Law, Natural Resources Law, Oil and Gas Law, Real Estate Law
Andy St. Romain – Real Estate Law
Raedtha A. Vasquez – Real Estate Law
B. Trevor Wilson – Tax Law 

BIRMINGHAM 

C. Ellis Brazeal, III – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
Steven F. Casey – Land Use and Zoning Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
John W. Gant, Jr. – Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law
Mac B. Greaves – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
John Beaulieu “Beau” Grenier – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
Brandon D. Hughey – Tax Law
Kelly Rushin Lewis – Real Estate Law, Tax Law
J. David Moore – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Insurance
Ralph H. Smith, II – Corporate Law
Robert C. Walthall – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, Tax Law
Michael D. Waters – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law
Paul O. Woodall, Jr. – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)

HOUSTON 

Joseph E. Bain – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
Michael A. Chernekoff – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
Cindy Matherne Muller – Admiralty and Maritime Law
Neal J. Sweeney – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction

JACKSON 

Joseph (JoJo) Lee Adams – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Jeffrey R. Barber – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
Neville H. Boschert – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – Antitrust
Mark T. Davis – Real Estate Law
John F. Fletcher – Tax Law
Blake M. Fulton – Economic Development Law
Chad J. Hammons – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
Kathryn H. Hester – Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
Robert B. House – Administrative / Regulatory Law
Gina M. Jacobs – Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
Kristina M. Johnson – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
Linda Bounds Keng – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Trusts and Estates
Craig N. Landrum – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Dennis W. Miller – Energy Law, Government Relations Practice
Christopher S. Pace – Economic Development Law, Gaming Law, Project Finance Law
L. Keith Parsons – Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Public Finance Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
Kaytie M. Pickett – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation
W. Whitaker Rayner – Copyright Law, Information Technology Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Trademark Law
Thomas B. Shepherd, III – Corporate Law, Gaming Law
Adam Stone – Commercial Litigation
Ann Corso Taylor – Real Estate Law
Aileen S. Thomas – Commercial Finance Law, Commercial Transactions / UCC Law, Corporate Law
Thomas E. Walker, Jr. – Administrative / Regulatory Law, Banking and Finance Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law

LAFAYETTE 

Alex P. Prochaska – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
Robert Waddell – Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property

MIAMI 

Luis E. Llamas – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Commercial Litigation, Transportation Law
Matthew R. Maranges – Construction Law
Myla R. Reizen – Health Care Law
Mark D. Rich – Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
Lauren Rose – Admiralty and Maritime Law
Edward R. Shohat – Criminal Defense: General Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
David S. Weinstein – Criminal Defense: White-Collar

MOBILE 

Robert L. Carothers, Jr. – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law
Ben H. Harris, III – Commercial Litigation
Clay A. Lanham – Real Estate Law
Michel Nicrosi – Commercial Litigation
James Rebarchak – Commercial Finance Law
Ronald A. Snider – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Joseph D. Steadman, Jr. – Banking and Finance Law, Litigation – Banking and Finance
Richard A. Wright – Banking and Finance Law, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Real Estate Law

NEW ORLEANS 

H. Mark Adams – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Jesse R. Adams, III – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
William M. Backstrom, Jr. – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
L. Etienne Balart – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Energy Law, Litigation – Construction, Transportation Law
William C. Baldwin – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Transportation Law
Allison C. Bell – Health Care Law
Edward Hart Bergin – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom,
Energy)
Richard D. Bertram – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Transportation Law
Robert B. Bieck, Jr. – Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Litigation – Securities
Timothy P. Brechtel – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Tax Law
Andre B. Burvant – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
Thomas A. Casey, Jr. – Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
Richard F. Cortizas – Land Use and Zoning Law
Mark A. Cunningham – Administrative / Regulatory Law, Antitrust Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Antitrust, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions
Victoria Gallo Davies – Construction Law
Sarah Y. Dicharry – Energy Law
Remy James Donnelly – Real Estate Law
Michael C. Drew – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law
J. Kelly Duncan – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Gaming Law
David F. Edwards – Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
Luke Falgoust – Banking and Finance Law
Madeleine Fischer – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Valerie E. Fontenot – Health Care Law, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
George J. Fowler, III – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Commercial Litigation
Asher J. Friend – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities Regulation
Christoffer C. Friend – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
Elizabeth J. Futrell – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
Covert J. Geary – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation – ERISA, Litigation – Insurance, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
Alida C. Hainkel – Commercial Litigation
Christopher M. Hannan – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Insurance Law
Pauline F. Hardin – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Curtis R. Hearn – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Venture Capital Law
Jane H. Heidingsfelder – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Miriam Wogan Henry – Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Trusts and Estates
William H. Hines – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Insurance Law, International Trade and Finance Law, Project Finance Law, Real Estate Law
Robert “Bob” E. Holden – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
Thomas P. Hubert – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Grady S. Hurley – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Transportation Law
R. Scott Jenkins – Admiralty and Maritime Law
Jonathan R. Katz – Tax Law
P.J. Kee – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Tracy E. Kern – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Jennifer F. Kogos – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Joseph F. Lavigne – Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Trade Secrets Law
Edward F. LeBreton, III – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Insurance Law
Andrew R. Lee – Commercial Litigation
F. Rivers Lelong, Jr. – Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Real Estate Law
Seth A. Levine – Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Sidney F. Lewis, V – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Joseph J. Lowenthal, Jr. – Commercial Litigation
Michael W. Magner – Corporate Compliance Law, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tyler Marquette – Real Estate Law
Lauren Courtney Mastio – Commercial Litigation, Energy Law
R. Lewis McHenry – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Real Estate Law
Marjorie A. McKeithen – Energy Law
Stanley A. Millan – Environmental Law
Mark A. Mintz – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
Kenneth J. Najder – Corporate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
J. Marshall Page, III – Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Finance Law, Corporate Law, International Trade and Finance Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law
Avery B. Pardee – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Rudolph R. Ramelli – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Tax Law
Tyler Rench – Litigation – Insurance
Carl D. Rosenblum – Oil and Gas Law
Chip Saulsbury – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation, Venture Capital Law
Amy Garrity Scafidel – Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Finance Law
Rachel Scarafia – Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law
Britton H. Seal – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
Rose S. Sher – Elder Law, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Trusts and Estates
Kelly C. Simoneaux – Corporate Law, Securities Regulation
Meghan E. Smith – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
Jefferson R. Tillery – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Transportation Law
Richard J. Tyler – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
Susan M. Tyler – Banking and Finance Law, Equipment Finance Law, Real Estate Law
R. Patrick Vance – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Bankruptcy
Brett S. Venn – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental
Patrick J. Veters – Employment Law – Management
Christopher M. Wappel – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law
Edward Dirk Wegmann – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Real Estate, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Litigation and Controversy – Tax
John D. Werner – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
Benjamin Paul Woodruff – Banking and Finance Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Chris Wootten – Real Estate Law
James E. Wright, III – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Transportation Law
Scott T. Zander – International Trade and Finance Law
Wayne G. Zeringue, Jr. – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Transportation Law

TALLAHASSEE 

Marc W. Dunbar – Administrative / Regulatory Law, Gaming Law

WASHINGTON, DC

James A. Kearns – Admiralty and Maritime Law

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2026 “LAWYER OF THE YEAR” AWARD RECIPIENTS

BATON ROUGE

Matthew W. Kern – Public Finance Law

JACKSON 

Robert B. House – Administrative / Regulatory Law
Christopher S. Pace – Project Finance Law
W. Whitaker Rayner – Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property
Aileen S. Thomas – Commercial Transactions / UCC Law 

NEW ORLEANS 

Timothy P. Brechtel – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Richard F. Cortizas – Land Use and Zoning Law
Mark A. Cunningham –Antitrust Law, Litigation – Antitrust
Miriam Wogan Henry – Trusts and Estates
Sidney F. Lewis, V – Labor Law – Management
Michael W. Magner – Corporate Compliance Law
Kenneth J. Najder – Securities Regulation
J. Marshall Page, III – International Trade and Finance Law
Chip Saulsbury – Venture Capital Law
Susan M. Tyler – Equipment Finance Law

_______________________________________________________________________

2026 “ONES TO WATCH” AWARD RECIPIENTS

ATLANTA 

Bradley E. Sands – Construction Law

BATON ROUGE 

Katherine Herbert – Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law

BIRMINGHAM 

Walt Terry – Tax Law, Trusts and Estates

HOUSTON 

Sean T. Wilson – Alternative Dispute Resolution, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation

JACKSON 

Abbey Adcock Reeves – Commercial Litigation

NEW ORLEANS 

Austin S. Glascoe – Transportation Law
Thomas D. Kimball – Corporate Law
Sara B. Kuebel – Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Transportation Law
Ilsa H. Luther – Transportation Law
Meghan Dupre Montgomery – Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
Zachary Montgomery – Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Samantha Oppenheim – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Bankruptcy
Jacob J. Pritt – Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Timothy P. Scanlan, Jr. – Insurance Law
Abigail Weiland – Transportation Law
Jane Y. White – Corporate Law, Real Estate Law

NEW YORK

Kathleen M. Quinn – Tax Law

About Jones Walker
Jones Walker LLP (joneswalker.com) is among the largest 145 law firms in the United States. With offices in Alabama, Arizona, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, and Texas, we serve local, regional, national, and international business interests. The firm is committed to providing a comprehensive range of legal services to major multinational public and private corporations, Fortune® 500 companies, money center banks, worldwide insurers, and emerging companies doing business in the United States and abroad.