Akerman Senterfitt today announced that 135 of its lawyers across the United States have been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2014 list in 56 areas of law. Additionally, Best Lawyers named seven Akerman shareholders to the 2014 Lawyer of the Year list, an honor given to only one lawyer per practice area in every major market in the United States.

Among this year's Best Lawyers of the Year honorees are Cecelia Bonifay in Orlando for Land Use & Zoning Law; Patrick Christiansen for Banking and Finance Law; Richard Hurt for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; and Virginia Townes for Litigation - Trusts & Estates. In Miami, Richard Sharpstein was named for Criminal Defense: Non White-Collar; and in West Palm Beach, James McCann for Litigation - Intellectual Property. In Tampa, Joseph Rugg was recognized for Health Care Law.

The annual Best Lawyers list and Lawyer of the Year designation are based on peer-review surveys in which more than 36,000 leading attorneys cast nearly 4.4 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas.

Individual Lawyer Rankings

• Silvia M. Alderman for Environmental Law, Litigation - Environmental
• Marcy Levine Aldrich for Insurance Law
• William C. Arnhols for Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law
• Alan H. Aronson for Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
• Kimberly A. Ashby for Appellate Practice, Construction Law, Litigation - Construction
• Jonathan L. Awner for Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
• Michael D. Bailkin for Land Use & Zoning Law
• Stacy Bercun Bohm for Construction Law
• Michael A. Berke for Real Estate Law
• Richard Bezold for Real Estate Law
• Leonard H. Bloom for Corporate Law, Securities Regulation
• Cecelia Bonifay for Environmental Law, Land Use & Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
• James S. Bramnick for Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment
• Jacob A. Brown for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Charles T. Brumback for Banking and Finance Law
• Karen M. Buesing for Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment
• Marshall R. Burack for Health Care Law
• John E. Burke for Biotechnology Law, Patent Law
• Martin G. Burkett for Corporate Law
• Christopher S. Carver for Commercial Litigation
• Robert I. Chaskes for Commercial Litigation
• Michael B. Chavies for Commercial Litigation
• Patrick T. Christiansen for Banking and Finance Law
• Dana Clayton for Litigation - Real Estate
• John Clough for Commercial Litigation
• Jules S. Cohen for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation - Bankruptcy
• J. Thomas Cookson for Corporate Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law
• Gerald B. Cope Jr. for Appellate Practice
• Nancy A. Copperthwaite for Appellate Practice
• L. Frank Cordero for Tax Law
• William C. Crenshaw for Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Joe B. Cox for Trusts and Estates
• Peter L. Dame for Municipal Law, Public Finance Law
• Aileen S. Davis for Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law
• Kirk S. Davis for Health Care Law, Litigation - Health Care, Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants
• Megan Costa DeVault for Litigation - Banking & Finance
• Martin R. Dix for Health Care Law
• David M. Doney for Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
• John C. Dotterrer for Commercial Litigation
• Donald K. Duffy for Tax Law
• Christopher S. Duke for Litigation - Labor & Employment
• Stephen D. Dunegan for Trusts and Estates
• Susan N. Eisenberg for Employment Law - Management
• Daniel P. Faust for Real Estate Law
• Manuel A. Fernandez for Real Estate Law
• Joseph “Ed” Foster for Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Banking & Finance, Litigation - Bankruptcy, Litigation - Real Estate
• Jeffrey M. Gad for Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• Donald G. Gavin for Arbitration, Construction Law, Litigation - Construction, Mediation
• Julie Gallagher for Health Care Law
• Joanne Gelfand for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Michael P. Gennett for Health Care Law
• Katherine Eastmoore Giddings for Appellate Practice
• Jeffrey G. Gilmore for Construction Law, Litigation - Construction
• Andrew Gold for Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Real Estate
• Michael I. Goldberg for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Jonathan E. Gopman for Trusts and Estates
• Steven Grigas for Health Care Law
• Gary J. Guzzi for Insurance Law
• Russell B. Hale for Tax Law
• Andrea S. Hartley for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Steven E. M. Hartz for Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White- Collar Law
• Joseph W. Hatchett for Appellate Practice
• Kathyrn Bessmer Hoeck for Litigation - Real Estate
• Laura M. Holm for Corporate Law
• Bradley D. Houser for Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law
• Stephen B. Hurlbut for Construction Law
• Richard T. Hurt for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• Bernard Jacobson for Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law
• Daniel Jacobson for Health Care Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law
• Leslie E. Joughin III for Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Intellectual Property
• William Kalish for Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• Teddy D. Klinghoffer for Corporate Governance Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Private Funds/Hedge Funds Law, Venture Capital Law
• Karen P. Kondell for Real Estate Law
• Edward L. Kutter for Insurance Law
• Rose M. La Femina for Trusts and Estates
• Burton A. Landy for International Arbitration - Commercial
• Peter O. Larsen for Corporate Law, Litigation & Controversy - Tax, Securitization and Structured Finance Law, Tax Law
• Joan M. Levit for Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Warren L. Lewis for Franchise Law
• John B. Macdonald for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Banking & Finance, Litigation - Bankruptcy, Litigation - Real Estate, Litigation - Trusts & Estates
• D. Brett Marks for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Margaret D. Mathews for Commercial Litigation
• James M. McCann for Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Gregory M. McCoskey for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Timothy J. McDermott for Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Banking & Finance, Litigation - Land Use & Zoning, Litigation - Real Estate, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Theresa M. McLaughlin for Real Estate Law
• Michael P. McMahon for Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Land Use & Zoning, Litigation - Real Estate
• James H. McNeil, Jr. for Land Use & Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
• Carlos E. Mendez-Peñate for Corporate Law, International Trade and Finance Law
• Brian Miller for Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Securities
• James M. Miller for Commercial Litigation
• Richard C. Milstein for Family Law, Litigation - Trusts & Estates, Trusts and Estates
• Elizabeth L. Morgan for Trusts & Estates
• Esther L. Moreno for Securities/Capital Markets Law
• Robyn Neely for Environmental Law
• Jason S. Oletsky for Private Funds/Hedge Funds Law
• David E. Otero for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation - Bankruptcy, Securitization and Structured Finance Law
• T. Todd Pittenger for Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Intellectual Property; Real Estate Law
• Bruce D. Platt for Health Care Law
• Marci K. Poliakoff for Tax Law
• Steven P. Polivy for Real Estate Law
• Henry H. Raattama, Jr. for Non-Profit/Charities Law, Tax Law
• Eric D. Rapkin for Real Estate Law
• Frank J. Rief III for Non-Profit/Charities Law, Trusts and Estates
• Andrew S. Robins for Real Estate Law
• Lawrence P. Rochefort for Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Real Estate
• Stephen K. Roddenberry for Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Private Funds/Hedge Funds Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law
• Carl D. Roston for Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law
• Joseph W. N. Rugg for Health Care Law
• Janice L. Russell for Real Estate Law
• Peter E. Salomon for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Oscar A. Sanchez for Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Real Estate
• Philip B. Schwartz for Corporate Law
• L. Joseph Shaheen, Jr. for Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Banking & Finance, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Real Estate
• Mark S. Shapiro for Insurance Law
• Richard A. Sharpstein for Criminal Defense: Non-White-Collar, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Owen J. Shean for Litigation - Construction
• Lawrence D. Silverman for Antitrust Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Antitrust; Litigation - Banking & Finance
• Scott T. Silverman for Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment
• William P. Sklar for Real Estate Law
• Robert J. Smith for Construction Law
• Andrew M. Smulian for Real Estate Law
• David I. Spector for Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Labor & Employment
• William S. Spencer for Litigation - Land Use & Zoning, Litigation - Real Estate
• Glen A. Stankee for Litigation & Controversy - Tax, Tax Law
• Thomas E. Streit for Real Estate Law
• Wayne Lee Thomas for Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Trusts & Estates
• Virginia B. Townes for Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Financial Services Regulation Law, Litigation - Banking & Finance, Litigation - Trusts & Estates
• A. Rodger Traynor, Jr. for Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Richard D. Tuschman for Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management
• August M. Van Eepoel for Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• Nina S. Whiston for Insurance Law
• Jeffrey P. Wieland for Real Estate Law
• Jennifer T. Williams for Employment Law - Management
• Julie A. S. Williamson for Real Estate Law

About Akerman Senterfitt
Akerman is a leading transactions and trial law firm known for its core strengths in middle market M&A, within the financial services and real estate industries, and for a diverse Latin America practice. With more than 550 lawyers and government affairs professionals and a network of 19 offices, it is ranked among the top 100 law firms in the United States by The National Law Journal NLJ 350 (2013). Akerman also is ranked among the top 100 law firms for diversity by MultiCultural Law magazine (2012) and recognized as the Law Firm of the Year for Diversity – South by Benchmark Litigation (2012). More information can be found at akerman.com or twitter.com/akerman_law.

About The Best Lawyers in America
Produced in cooperation with American Lawyer Media, Best Lawyers is announced annually in September, and a hard copy edition of the rankings is published in December. The list is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which more than 36,000 leading attorneys cast almost 4.4 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. The list also appears in other noted publications such as Corporate Counsel.