Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, today announced that 142 of its lawyers located throughout the U.S. have been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2015 list in 61 areas of law. Additionally, Best Lawyers named 11 Akerman partners to the 2015 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 Michael I. Goldberg in Fort Lauderdale for Litigation- Bankruptcy and Timothy J. McDermott in Jacksonville for Litigation - Banking & Finance. In Miami, Jonathan L. Awner was named for Securities/Capital Markets Law, Teddy D. Klinghoffer for Corporate Compliance Law and Stephen K. Roddenberry for Mergers & Acquisitions. For Orlando, the honorees are: Charles T. Brumback Jr. for Banking and Finance Law; Jules S. Cohen for Bankruptcy & Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency & Reorganization Law; Robyn D. Neely for Environmental Law, and Virginia B. Townes for Litigation - Banking & Finance. In Tallahassee, the 2015 Best Lawyers of the Year include Silvia M. Alderman for Litigation - Environmental and Katherine Eastmoore Giddings for Appellate Practice.

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

Individual Lawyer Rankings

• Silvia M. Alderman for Environmental Law, Litigation - Environmental
• Marcy Levine Aldrich for Insurance Law
• Jacqueline M. Arango for Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
• 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
• Nathan N. Balint for Corporate 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
• 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
• Joe B. Cox for Trusts and Estates
• William C. Crenshaw for Litigation - Bankruptcy
• 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 C. 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
• 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
• Julie Gallagher for Health Care Law
• Donald G. Gavin for Arbitration, Construction Law, Litigation - Construction, Mediation
• Joanne Gelfand for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Michael P. Gennett for Health Care Law
• Katherine E. Giddings for Appellate Practice
• Jeffrey G. Gilmore for Construction Law, Litigation - Construction
• Andrew P. 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
• William P. Heller for Financial Services Regulation Law
• Kathryn Bessmer Hoeck for Litigation - Real Estate
• 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
• Daniel Jacobson for 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
• Neisen O. Kasdin for Land Use and Zoning Law
• Teddy D. Klinghoffer for Corporate Governance Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Private Funds/Hedge Funds Law, Venture Capital Law, Corporate Compliance Law
• Karen P. Kondell for Real Estate Law
• Edward L. Kutter for Insurance Law
• 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
• Robert F. Lewis for Food and Beverage 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
• Scott A. Meyers for Arbitration; Mediation
• 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
• Shelley B. Mixon for Litigation - Patent; Patent Law
• Esther L. Moreno for Securities/Capital Markets Law, Corporate Law
• Elizabeth L. Morgan for Trusts & Estates
• Robyn D. 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
• Robert M. Poppell for Real Estate Law
• Laura E. Prather for Employment Law - Management
• Henry H. Raattama Jr. for Non-Profit/Charities Law, Tax Law
• Eric D. Rapkin for Real Estate Law
• Joseph L. Rebak for Commercial Litigation
• Frank J. Rief III for Non-Profit/Charities Law, Trusts and Estates
• Andrew S. Robins for Real Estate Law, Leisure and Hospitality
• 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
• Francisco A. Rodriguez for International Arbitration - Commercial
• 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
• Richard L. Schanerman for Real Estate Law
• Philip B. Schwartz for Corporate Law
• L. Joseph Shaheen Jr. for Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Banking & Finance, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Real Estate
• Mark S. Shapiro for Insurance Law
• 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
• 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
• William J. Spratt Jr. for Healthcare Law
• Glen A. Stankee for Litigation & Controversy - Tax, Tax Law
• Thomas E. Streit for Real Estate Law, Banking and Finance Law
• Brian Tague 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, Litigation - Labor and Employment
• 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 LLP
Akerman LLP 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 600 lawyers and government affairs professionals and a network of 20 offices, it is ranked among the top 100 law firms in the United States by The National Law Journal NLJ 350 (2014). Akerman also is ranked among the top 50 law firms for diversity in The American Lawyer's Diversity Scorecard (2014).

More information can be found at akerman.com or twitter.com/akerman_law.

About The Best Lawyers in America
Produced in cooperation with U.S. News & World Report, the Best Lawyers list is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, in which more than 36,000 leading lawyers cast almost 4.4 million votes on the legal abilities of other legal professionals in their practice areas.