Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, today announced that 176 of its lawyers located in New York, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and 14 other major metropolitan markets across the United States have been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2019 list in 73 areas of law. Additionally, Best Lawyers named 11 Akerman Partners to the 2019 Lawyer of the Year list, an honor given to only one lawyer per practice area in every major market in the United States.

Among the Best Lawyers of the Year honorees are David Ackerman for Bet-the-Company Litigation (West Palm Beach), Jonathan Awner for International Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities / Capital Markets Law (Miami), Michael Goldberg for Litigation – Bankruptcy (Fort Lauderdale), Teddy Klinghoffer for Corporate Governance Law and Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law (Miami), John Macdonald for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law (Jacksonville), Timothy McDermott for Litigation – Land Use and Zoning (Jacksonville), Michael McMahon for Litigation – Real Estate (Orlando), Robyn Neely for Environmental Law (Orlando), Stephen Roddenberry for Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Miami), Joseph Shaheen for Litigation – Real Estate (Tampa) and Ben Slater for Transportation Law (New Orleans).

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 Listings

• David Ackerman for Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Securities
• Sergio Acosta for Commercial Litigation
• N. Terry Adams, Jr. for Appellate Practice
• 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
• Jonathan L. Awner for Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, International Mergers and Acquisitions, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
• Michael D. Bailkin for Land Use and Zoning Law
• Susan F. Balaschak for Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Nathan N. Balint for Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Arturo H. Banegas Masiá for Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Colin Barnacle for Employment Law – Management
• Martin D. Beirne for Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law
• Stacy Bercun Bohm for Construction Law
• Eyal Berger for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Mark Bernet for Litigation – Bankruptcy
• William Bernfeld for Real Estate Law
• Mark S. Bernstein for Commercial Litigation
• Joel Bertocchi for Appellate Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Richard Bezold for Real Estate Law
• David F. Birke for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Steven D. Bloom for Real Estate Law
• David C. Blum for Tax Law
• Cecelia Bonifay for Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
• James S. Bramnick for Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Jacob A. Brown for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Bankruptcy, Litigation – Real Estate
• Charles T. Brumback, Jr. for Banking and Finance Law
• Karen M. Buesing for Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• John E. Burke for Biotechnology Law, Patent Law
• Martin G. Burkett for Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Mary V. Carroll for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Christopher S. Carver for Commercial Litigation
• Maria I. Casablanca for Immigration Law
• Ross J. Charap for Copyright Law, Entertainment Law – Music
• Robert I. Chaskes for Commercial Litigation
• Michael B. Chavies for Commercial Litigation
• Janis K. Cheezum for Real Estate Law
• Geoffrey C. Cheney for Corporate Law
• 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
• Gerald B. Cope, Jr. for Appellate Practice
• Nancy A. Copperthwaite for Appellate Practice, Insurance Law
• L. Frank Cordero for Tax Law
• 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 Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance
• Martin R. Dix for FDA Law, Health Care Law
• Amy G. Doehring for Commercial Litigation
• David M. Doney for Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
• Donald K. Duffy for Tax Law
• Christopher S. Duke for Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Daniel P. Faust for Real Estate Law
• Diane Helen Ford for Real Estate Law
• Joseph E. (‘Ed’) Foster for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Bankruptcy, Litigation – Real Estate, Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law
• Irene Bassel Frick for Commercial Litigation
• Joanne Gelfand for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Michael P. Gennett for Health Care Law
• Christian George for Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Litigation
• John J. (‘Jack’) George for Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law
• Katherine E. Giddings for Appellate Practice
• Jeffrey G. Gilmore for Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
• Stephen C. Glazier for Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Andrew P. Gold for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate
• Michael I. Goldberg for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Jonathan E. Gopman for Trusts and Estates
• Eric A. Gordon for Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Darla Graff for Patent Law
• Steven Grigas for Health Care Law
• Gary J. Guzzi for Insurance Law
• Marcy Hahn-Saperstein for Health Care Law
• Russell B. Hale for Tax Law
• Brian R. Harris 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
• Joseph W. Hatchett for Appellate Practice
• William P. Heller for Financial Services Regulation Law
• Elizabeth M. Hernandez for Litigation – Real Estate
• Kathryn Bessmer Hoeck for Litigation – Real Estate
• Jeffrey S. Horton Thomas for Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Stephen B. Hurlbut for Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
• Richard T. Hurt for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• Thomas Ingram for Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
• Daniel Jacobson for Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law
• James E. Joanos for Appellate Practice
• Patrick Johnson, Jr. for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Leslie Joughin III for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Neisen O. Kasdin for Land Use and Zoning Law
• Teddy D. Klinghoffer for Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Private Funds/Hedge Funds Law, Venture Capital Law
• Laurence S. Kurth for Commercial Litigation
• Cindy A. Laquidara for Government Contracts, Government Relations Practice, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
• Peter O. Larsen for Corporate Law, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Securitization and Structured Finance Law, Tax Law
• Robert A. Leapley, Jr. for Real Estate Law
• Richard G. Leland for Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Joan M. Levit for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Warren L. Lewis for Franchise Law
• Jason S. Lichtstein for Environmental Law
• John B. Macdonald for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Bankruptcy, Litigation – Real Estate, Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• D. Brett Marks for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Margaret D. Mathews for Commercial Litigation
• James M. McCann for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Timothy J. McDermott for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Theresa M. McLaughlin for Real Estate Law
• Michael P. McMahon for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate
• James H. McNeil Jr. for Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
• Michael Mena for Litigation – Real Estate
• Carlos E. Méndez-Peñate for International Trade and Finance Law
• Andres G. Mendoza for Real Estate Law
• Carolyn V. Metnick for Health Care Law
• Scott A. Meyers for Arbitration, Mediation
• Brian Miller for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Securities
• Catherine A. Miller for Commercial Litigation
• James M. Miller for Commercial Litigation
• Richard C. Milstein for Family Law, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Trusts and Estates
• John Mitchell for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Michael L. Molinaro for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Esther L. Moreno for Corporate Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law
• John P. (‘Pete’) Morrison for Labor Law – Management
• Marilyn Mullen Healy for Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
• Robyn D. Neely for Environmental Law
• Allison Nelson for Real Estate Law
• Jason S. Oletsky for Commercial Litigation, Private Funds/Hedge Funds Law
• David E. Otero for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Securitization and Structured Finance Law
• Beppy Landrum Owen for Corporate Law
• David W. Parham for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Mark D. Passler for Patent Law
• Thomas Pasternak for Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Luis A. Perez for International Arbitration – Commercial
• Bruce D. Platt for Health Care Law
• David Pluchinsky for Commercial Litigation
• Marci K. Poliakoff for Tax Law
• Steven P. Polivy for Real Estate Law
• Robert M. Poppell for Real Estate Law
• E. Paul Quinn for Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Henry H. Raattama, Jr. for Non-Profit/Charities Law, Tax Law
• Eric D. Rapkin for Real Estate Law
• Joseph L. Rebak for Commercial Litigation
• Edward L. Ristaino for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Andrew S. Robins for Leisure and Hospitality Law, Real Estate Law
• Lawrence P. Rochefort for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Real Estate
• Stephen K. Roddenberry for Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, International Mergers & Acquisitions, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Private Funds/Hedge Funds Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law
• Francisco A. Rodriguez for Arbitration, International Arbitration – Commercial
• Scott W. Rostock for Litigation – Real Estate
• Carl D. Roston for Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law
• Janice L. Russell for Real Estate Law
• Christina Russo for Corporate Law
• Peter E. Salomon for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Philip Schwartz for Corporate Law
• L. Joseph Shaheen, Jr. for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Real Estate
• Mark S. Shapiro for Insurance Law
• Owen J. Shean for Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
• Lawrence D. Silverman for Antitrust Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Antitrust, Litigation – Banking and Finance
• Scott T. Silverman for Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Ben Slater III for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Railroad Law, Transportation Law
• Robert J. Smith for Construction Law
• Andrew M. Smulian for Real Estate Law
• David I. Spector for Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
• William S. Spencer for Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate
• William J. Spratt, Jr. for Health Care Law
• Glen A. Stankee for Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
• Matthew A. Steinberg for Employment Law – Management
• Brian Tague for Real Estate Law
• A. Rodger Traynor, Jr. for Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Gus Van Eepoel for Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• William A. Van Nortwick, Jr. for Appellate Practice
• George Volsky for International Arbitration
• Bryan T. West for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Securities
• Nina S. Whiston for Insurance Law
• Gary Whitlock for Commercial Finance Law, Commercial Transactions/UCC Law, Real Estate Law
• Jeffrey P. Wieland for Real Estate Law
• Gerard Wimberly for Commercial Litigation
• Susanne Zabloudil for Real Estate Law

About Akerman LLP
Akerman LLP is a top 100 U.S. law firm recognized by Financial Times as among the most forward thinking firms in the industry. Its more than 700 lawyers and business professionals collaborate with the world’s most successful enterprises and entrepreneurs to navigate change, seize opportunities, and help drive innovation and growth. Akerman is known for its results in middle market M&A and complex disputes, and for helping clients achieve their most important business objectives in the financial services, real estate, and other dynamic sectors across the United States and Latin America.