Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, today announced that 178 of its lawyers located in Chicago, New York, Miami, Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles and 13 other major metropolitan markets across the United States have been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2020 list in 74 areas of law. Additionally, Best Lawyers named 12 Akerman Partners to the 2020 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 Jonathan Awner for Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law (Miami), Cecelia Bonifay for Environmental Law (Orlando), Jacob Brown for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law (Jacksonville), Andrew Gold for Litigation – Real Estate (Fort Lauderdale), Michael Goldberg for Bet-the-Company Litigation (Fort Lauderdale), Teddy Klinghoffer for Corporate Compliance Law (Miami), Cindy Laquidara for Government Relations Practice (Jacksonville), John Macdonald for Litigation – Trusts and Estates (Jacksonville), Edward Ristaino for Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Andrew Robins for Real Estate Law (Fort Lauderdale), Stephen Roddenberry for Private Funds/Hedge Funds Law (Miami) and Lawrence Silverman for Antitrust Law (Miami).

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 P. Ackerman for Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Securities
• Sergio E. Acosta for Commercial Litigation
• 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 Bailkin for Land Use and Zoning Law
• Nathan N. Balint for Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Arturo H. Banegas Masiá for Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Colin L. 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 J. Bernet for Litigation – Bankruptcy
• William J. Bernfeld for Real Estate Law
• Joshua D. Bernstein for Litigation – Real Estate
• Mark S. Bernstein for Commercial Litigation
• Joel D. Bertocchi for Appellate Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Richard Bezold for Real Estate Law
• David F. Birke for Mergers and Acquisitions 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
• Karen M. Buesing for Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• John E. Burke for Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, 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. Cheezem 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, Bet-the-Company Litigation
• Nancy A. Copperthwaite for Appellate Practice, Insurance Law
• Joe B. Cox for Trusts and Estates
• Peter L. Dame for Municipal Law, Public Finance Law
• Aileen Davis for Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law
• J. Riley Davis for Administrative/Regulatory 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, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity 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
• William D. Ellis for Real Estate Law
• Mary Katherine Fackler for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Daniel P. Faust for Real Estate Law
• Joseph E. (‘Ed’) Foster for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Bankruptcy, Litigation – Real Estate, Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law
• Jed Freeland for Corporate Law
• Irene Bassel Frick for Commercial Litigation
• Joanne Gelfand for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Christian P. 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
• Steven Grigas for Health Care Law, Litigation – Health Care
• Gary J. Guzzi for Insurance Law
• Marcy Hahn-Saperstein for Health Care Law
• Russell B. Hale for Tax Law
• Brian R. Harris for Litigation and Controversy – Tax, 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
• Elizabeth F. Hodge for Health Care Law
• Kathryn Bessmer Hoeck for Litigation – Real Estate
• Jeffrey S. Horton Thomas for Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Stephen B. Hurlbut for Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
• 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 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
• Scott D. Marrs for Commercial Litigation
• Erica V. Mason for Litigation – Labor and Employment
• 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
• 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 P. 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 E. 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
• Martin L. Monaco, Jr. for Health Care 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 Evan 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 G. Pasternak for Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Luis A. Perez for International Arbitration – Commercial
• Bruce D. Platt for Health Care Law
• David A. Pluchinsky for Commercial Litigation
• Marci K. Poliakoff for Tax Law
• Steven P. Polivy for Real Estate Law
• Robert M. Poppell for Real Estate Law
• James J. Porter 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
• Thomas L. Raleigh, III for International Mergers and Acquisitions
• Eric D. Rapkin for Real Estate Law
• Joseph L. Rebak for Commercial Litigation
• Edward 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
• Christopher P. Roper for Land Use and Zoning Law
• Scott W. Rostock for Litigation – Real Estate
• Carl D. Roston for Corporate Law, International Mergers and Acquisitions, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law
• Janice L. Russell for Real Estate Law
• Christina C. 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
• Peter R. Spanos for Labor Law – Management
• 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
• Allison Stocker for Commercial Litigation
• Brian Tague for Real Estate Law
• George W. (‘Trey’) Tate III for Construction Law
• Gus Van Eepoel for Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• George Volsky for International Arbitration
• Scott Wasserman for Corporate Law
• Sidney S. Welch for Health Care Law
• Bryan T. West for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Securities
• Nina S. Whiston for Insurance Law
• Gary A. Whitlock for Commercial Finance Law, Commercial Transactions/UCC Law, Real Estate Law
• Jeffrey P. Wieland for Real Estate Law
• Gerard Wimberly for Commercial Litigation
• Carrie Ann Wozniak for Appellate Practice
• Sue Zabloudil for Real Estate Law

About Akerman LLP
Akerman LLP is a top 100 U.S. law firm recognized among the most forward thinking firms in the industry by Financial Times. 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.