Akerman is pleased to announce that eight of its partners have been featured among Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Dealmakers in America for 2026, which recognizes lawyers that changed the course of industries, sometimes on a global scale, through their advice on complex dealmaking during the past year.

This is Lawdragon’s sixth guide to the nation’s top dealmakers. The list is created through submissions and original research into the lawyers leading the biggest and most impactful deals of the prior year. They are vetted by an editorial board of their peers. 

The Akerman lawyers recognized by Lawdragon are:

• Jonathan Awner, Co-Chair, Corporate Practice Group
  Ranked by Best Lawyers, Chambers USA, and The Legal 500 as a preeminent corporate lawyer, Jonathan advises clients in transactions in automotive retail, aviation, distribution, hospitality, logistics, manufacturing, services, technology, and other industries.

• David Birke, Co-Chair, Corporate Practice Group
  David's practice focuses on representing private equity funds, family offices, and their portfolio companies in complex acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations, restructurings, growth capital investments, and debt and equity financings. 

• Martin Burkett, Co-Chair, M&A and Private Equity Practice
  For over 30 years, Martin has represented private equity funds, family offices and their portfolio companies as well as  public and private companies  in a variety of transactions, with a particular focus on complex mergers and acquisitions,  leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, growth capital investments and debt and equity financing. His  experience covers several key sectors including, healthcare, franchise, technology, government contracting, education and energy.

• Esther Moreno, Co-Chair, Capital Markets Practice
  With broad-ranging experience advising public and private companies, including real estate investment trusts (REITs), Esther focuses her practice on complex and innovative capital markets transactions, disclosure and corporate governance matters, and public company M&A transactions.

• Paul Quinn, Co-Chair, M&A and Private Equity Practice
  With more than three decades of experience, Paul represents private equity funds and family offices, and their portfolio companies in leveraged acquisitions and dispositions, corporate governance, and restructurings.

• Stephen Roddenberry, Corporate Partner
  Veteran dealmaker Stephen advises clients in corporate compliance and governance issues, public and private securities transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity investments. Described as a “masterful strategist” by Chambers USA, he has built longstanding relationships with many of Akerman’s most noteworthy clients.

• Carl Roston, Co-Chair Emeritus, Corporate Practice Group
  Ranked as top tier by Chambers USA for Corporate/M&A & Private Equity, Carl represents private equity funds, private companies, and large family offices in acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, joint ventures, co-investments, and growth capital investments. 

• Christina Russo, Co-Chair, Capital Markets Practice
  With extensive experience representing public and private companies, Christina routinely advises clients on corporate and securities matters and mergers and acquisitions. She also counsels boards and senior management on a variety of corporate governance matters.

About Akerman
Founded in 1920, Akerman is recognized as one of the country’s premier law firms, with more than 700 lawyers throughout the United States.