News

08.16.2024

More than 250 Sheppard Mullin attorneys have been recognized in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers in America^© and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. 

In addition, five Sheppard Mullin attorneys were selected as “Lawyer of the Year”:

Lisa Cottle (San Francisco)
Natural Resources Law
Energy Law

Hal Hamersmith (Los Angeles)
Litigation - Construction

Joseph M. Karp (San Francisco)
Utilities Law

Ori Katz (San Francisco)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Aaron J. Malo (Orange County)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Litigation – Bankruptcy

Sheppard Mullin attorneys named 2025 Best Lawyers In America:

Eric L. Altman (New York) 
Real Estate Law 

Edwin Astudillo (Del Mar)
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Martin R. Bader (Del Mar)  
Litigation – Intellectual Property

Elizabeth S. Balfour (Del Mar)
Commercial Litigation

Peter Ballance (Los Angeles)
Real Estate Law

Charles F. Barker (Los Angeles)   
Employment Law – Management

Steven P. Braccini (Silicon Valley)
Trusts and Estates

Lawrence M. Braun (Los Angeles) 
Corporate Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

John T. Brooks (San Diego) 
Insurance Law

Martin A. Bruehs (Washington, DC)
Patent Law

Richard W. Brunette, Jr. (Los Angeles) 
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Litigation – Bankruptcy 

Craig P. Cardon (Century City)
Privacy and Data Security Law

Peter H. Carson (San Francisco)   
Banking and Finance Law
Securitization and Structured Finance Law 

Angeles Garcia Cassin (Houston)
Litigation – Labor and Employment

Steven J. Chananie (New York)      
Health Care Law

David B. Chidlaw (San Diego)       
Employment Law – Management
Litigation – Labor and Employment 

Shaun C. Clark (Century City)       
Entertainment Law – Motion Pictures and Television

Kevin M. Cloutier (Chicago)
Labor Law – Management
Litigation – Labor and Employment

Lisa A. Cottle (San Francisco)
Communications Law
Energy Law
Natural Resources Law
Utilities Law

Amanda Cottrell (Dallas)
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Joseph F. Coyne, Jr. (Los Angeles) 
Antitrust Law
Commercial Litigation

Randal Crispen (San Diego) 
Insurance Law

Andre J. Cronthall (Los Angeles)
Insurance Law 

Jeffrey S. Crowe (Orange County)   
Litigation – Insurance

Aytan Dahukey (Century City)       
Health Care Law

Bryan D. Daly (Los Angeles)           
Criminal Defense: General Practice
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Charles A. Danaher (San Diego)   
Commercial Litigation
Insurance Law 

Robert A. Darwell (Los Angeles)   
Advertising Law
Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television

Brian M. Daucher (Orange County)   
Commercial Litigation
Litigation - Health Care
Litigation - Intellectual Property

MaryJeanette Dee (New York)       
Criminal Defense: White-Collar 

Gemma L. Descoteaux (Dallas)
Corporate Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Brendan Dolan (San Francisco)
Employment Law - Individuals
Employment Law - Management

Domenic C. Drago (Del Mar)   
Real Estate Law 

Chad R. Ensz (Del Mar)
Banking and Finance Law
Corporate Law

Lawrence C. Eppley (Chicago)
Leisure and Hospitality
Real Estate Law 

Alan M. Feld (Los Angeles)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and

Marc J. Feldman (San Diego)          
Insurance Law

Kendal Fletcher (Silicon Valley)
Litigation – Trusts and Estates
Trusts and Estates

Jeffrey W. Forrest (San Diego)
Land Use and Zoning Law

Stephen E. Fox (Dallas)
Employment Law - Management
Labor Law - Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Dwight M. Francis (Dallas)  
Commercial Litigation

Darren M. Franklin (Los Angeles)  
Litigation – Intellectual Property

Geraldine Ann Freeman (San Francisco)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Arthur J. Friedman (San Francisco)        
Land Use and Zoning Law
Litigation - Land Use and Zoning

Richard S. Fries (New York)
Litigation – Real Estate
Real Estate Law

Keith Garner (San Francisco)
Land Use and Zoning Law
Natural Resources Law

James G. Gatto (Washington, D.C.)
Patent Law

Jay E. Gerzog (New York)   
Health Care Law 

Doug Van Gessel (San Francisco)
Real Estate Law

Ronald D. Getchey (San Diego)
Commercial Litigation

Robert Gorzelany (New York)
Real Estate Law

Jerry J. Gumpel (Del Mar)  
Real Estate Law

Guy N. Halgren (San Diego)           
Employment Law - Management
Labor Law – Management

Hal Hamersmith (Los Angeles)       
Construction Law
Litigation – Construction

Derek Havel (Los Angeles)
Employment Law – Management

Michael R. Heimbold (Century City)
Litigation – Intellectual Property

Sascha Henry (Los Angeles) 
Commercial Litigation  

Elliot Hinds (Century City)
Energy Law

Matthew W. Holder (Del Mar)
Commercial Litigation

Brent E. Horstman (Los Angeles)
Banking and Finance Law

Nancy E. Howard (Los Angeles)
Trusts and Estates

David M. Hymer (San Diego)  
Real Estate Law

Ronda D. Jamgotchian (Century City)
Employment Law – Management

Michelle Kahn (San Francisco)
Trademark Law

Joseph M. Karp (San Francisco)
Energy Law
Utilities Law

Martin D. Katz (Century City)
Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television 

Ori Katz (San Francisco)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law 
Litigation - Bankruptcy

Thomas R. Kaufman (Century City)
Employment Law - Management
Litigation – Labor and Employment

Tracey A. Kennedy (Los Angeles)
Employment Law – Management
Litigation – Labor and Employment

John Keville (Houston)
Litigation – Intellectual Property
Litigation – Patent
Trade Secrets Law

Peter H. Klee (San Diego)   
Insurance Law 

Eric A. Klein (Century City)
Health Care Law

Sheldon M. Kline (Washington, D.C.)
Labor Law – Management

Richard W. Kopenhefer (Los Angeles)       
Employment Law – Individuals
Employment Law – Management
Labor Law - Management

Stephen S. Korniczky (Del Mar)   
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Litigation - Patent
Patent Law

Charles L. Kreindler (Los Angeles)
Criminal Defense: White-Collar 

Stephen R. LaSala (Del Mar)           
Corporate Law 
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Michael M. Lauter (San Francisco)           
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Michael R. Leake (San Diego)
Corporate Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Scott Maberry (Washington, D.C.) 
International Trade and Finance Law

Aaron J. Malo (Orange County)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Commercial Litigation
Litigation – Bankruptcy

Stephanie Marcantonio (New York)
Health Care Law

Raymond C. Marshall (San Francisco)      
Commercial Litigation
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Alan H. Martin (Orange County)       
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Litigation – Bankruptcy

Barrett Marum (San Diego) 
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Commercial Litigation

William B. Mateja (Dallas)  
Commercial Litigation
Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
Litigation – Securities

Kyle J. Mathews (Los Angeles)       
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Candace Matson (Los Angeles)
Construction Law

Theodore C. Max (New York)
Copyright Law

James L. McGinnis (San Francisco)           
Antitrust Law

James A. Mercer III (Del Mar)
Corporate Law

Carolyn V. Metnick (Chicago)
Health Care Law

Linda Michaelson (Century City)   
Corporate Law
Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television

Marisa Miller (Del Mar)
Commercial Litigation

Chad E. Mills (Houston)
Derivatives and Future Law

Scott A. Morehouse (Orange County) 
Real Estate Law

Jennifer L. Nassiri (Century City)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Barclay R. Nicholson (Houston)
Insurance Law

Sean P. O'Connor (Orange County)   
Commercial Litigation
Employment Law - Management

Mark T. Okuma (Los Angeles)       
Real Estate Law

Stephen J. O’Neil (Los Angeles)
Litigation – Environmental 

Jeffrey J. Parker (Los Angeles)       
Environmental Law
Litigation – Environmental

Cesar Pereira (New York)
Construction Law
Litigation - Construction

Laurette N. Petersen (Chicago)
Real Estate Law

Jill M. Pietrini (Los Angeles)           
Copyright Law
Litigation – Intellectual Property

Neil A.F. Popović (San Francisco)
Commercial Litigation

Fred R. Puglisi (Los Angeles)          
Commercial Litigation

Kent R. Raygor (Los Angeles)
Litigation – First Amendment       
Media Law

Jennifer Redmond (San Francisco)
Litigation – Labor and Employment

Nancy Baldwin Reimann (Los Angeles)   
Litigation – Trusts and Estates
Trusts and Estates

Timothy J. Reimers (Los Angeles)
Health Care Law

Jennifer E. Renk (San Francisco)   
Real Estate Law

Michelle Replogle (Houston)
Litigation – Intellectual Property

Allison Martin Rhodes (San Francisco)
Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law

Richard K. Rifenbark (Century City)
Health Care Law

Megan Rooney (Chicago)
Health Care Law

Tamar R. Rosenberg (New York)
Health Care Law

Whitney Jones Roy (Los Angeles)
Litigation – Environmental

Jack Rubens (Los Angeles)
Land Use and Zoning Law
Real Estate Law 

David H. Sands (Los Angeles)       
Corporate Law

Robert G. Sbardellati (San Diego)  
Corporate Law

Ian Carleton Schaefer (New York)
Employment Law - Management

Eric S. Schlichter (Houston)
Litigation – Intellectual Property
Litigation – Patent
Trade Secrets Law

Steven G. Schortgen (Dallas)           
Litigation – Intellectual Property
Patent Law

Ira M. Schulman (New York)
Construction Law
Litigation – Construction

David A. Schwarz (Century City)
Litigation – First Amendment
Litigation – Securities

Nancy T. Scull (San Diego)  
Real Estate Law

Richard J. Simmons (Los Angeles) 
Employment Law - Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Gregory R. Smith (New York)
Health Care Law

Jeffrey M. Smith (Houston)
Banking and Finance Law
Real Estate Law

Martin J. Smith (Los Angeles)       
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law

Jodi Stein (New York)
Real Estate Law

John P. Stigi (Century City)
Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement
Litigation – Securities

Jonathan Stoler (New York)
Litigation – Labor and Employment

Adam F. Streisand (Los Angeles)   
Litigation - Trusts and Estates

Robert J. Stumpf, Jr. (San Francisco)       
Appellate Practice

Gail Suchman (New York)
Energy Law
Environmental Law 

Mark F. Sundback (Washington, D.C.)   
Energy Law

Christine L. Swanick (New York)
Native American Law

Douglas Swill (Chicago)
Health Care Law

Dave Thomas (Washington, D.C.)  
Communications Law

Liisa M. Thomas (Chicago)
Privacy and Data Security Law

Edward H. Tillinghast, III (New York)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

John D. Tishler (Del Mar)
Corporate Law
Securities / Capital Markets Law

David C. Ulich (Los Angeles)           
Tax Law

Michael S. Umansky (Del Mar)
Corporate Law

Robert J. Uram (San Francisco)      
Land Use and Zoning Law
Natural Resources Law
Water Law

Nicholas J. Van Brunt (Los Angeles)          
Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Trusts and Estates

Carlo Van den Bosch (Orange County)
Litigation – Intellectual Property
Trademark Law

Doug Van Gessel (San Francisco)
Real Estate Law 

Edward D. Vogel (San Diego)          
Commercial Litigation

Karin Dougan Vogel (San Diego)   
Appellate Practice

Wilda Wahpepah (Washington, D.C.)       
Native American Law

Robert D. Weber (Century City)
Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)

Brian D. Weimer (Washington, D.C.)       
Communications Law

Paul A. Werner (Washington, D.C.)
Commercial Litigation

Pamela L. Westhoff (Los Angeles)  
Real Estate Law

William R. Wyatt (Silicon Valley)
Banking and Finance Law

John A. Yacovelle (Del Mar)           
Commercial Litigation

Daniel N. Yannuzzi (Del Mar)       
Litigation - Intellectual Property

Douglas A. Yeager (Houston)
Corporate Law
Real Estate Law

Theona Zhordania (Los Angeles)
Insurance Law

Sheppard Mullin Attorneys Recognized As 2025 Best Lawyers: Ones To Watch:

Cyrus Abbassi (New York)
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Amanda S. Ackerman (New York)
Corporate Law

Nadia D. Adams (Del Mar)
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants

Benjamin Aigboboh (Los Angeles)
Commercial Litigation

Alex A. Akhavan (Century City)
Entertainment and Sports Law

Emily D. Anderson (New York)
Construction Law
Litigation Construction

Eric Angel (Orange County)
Labor and Employment Law –Management

Joseph Antel (Washington, D.C.)
Antitrust Law

Luis Arias (San Francisco)
Labor and Employment Law – Management

Stephanie I. Awanyai-Ufondu (Century City)
Construction Law

Jennifer Klein Ayers (Dallas)
Litigation – Intellectual Property
Patent Law

Richard B. Azada (Los Angeles)
Litigation – Labor and Employment

Alexandra M. Banis (San Francisco)
Litigation – Trusts and Estates

Karen Baruch (New York)
Corporate Law

Amanda E. Beckwith (San Francisco)
Labor and Employment Law – Management

Esperance Becton (Washington, D.C.)
Health Care Law

Daniel Belzer (Los Angeles)
Corporate Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Sarah A. K. Blitz (Los Angeles)
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants

Darby K. Brown (New York)
Real Estate Law

Jack Burns (San Diego)
Commercial Litigation

Sophia L. Cahill (New York)
Administrative / Regulatory Law
Construction Law

Michael T. Campbell (Century City)
Litigation – Labor and Employment

Kevin K. Chang (Del Mar)
Commercial Litigation

Lauren K. Chang (Los Angeles)
Real Estate Law

Paul Chang (Del Mar)
Intellectual Property Law

Jonathan E. Clark (Dallas)
Commercial Litigation
Labor and Employment Law – Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Lindsey Olson Collins (Washington, D.C.)
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

John G. Crisp (Orange County)
Real Estate Law

Anne-Marie Dao (Del Mar)
Commercial Litigation

Daniel De La Cruz (San Diego)
Labor and Employment Law – Management

Snehal Desai (San Francisco)
Intellectual Property Law

Laura C. D’lorio (Orange County)
Real Estate Law

Brian C. Egan (Los Angeles)
Trusts and Estates

John Ellis (San Francisco)
Labor and Employment Law – Management
Litigation – Labor and Employment

Patrick R. Emerson (Los Angeles)
Insurance Law

Shawn D. Fabian (Chicago)
Labor and Employment Law – Management

Andrea Feathers (Los Angeles)
Commercial Litigation

Shadi Farzan (Los Angeles)
Real Estate Law

Alyssa K. Fiedler (Washington, D.C.)
Corporate Law

AJ Gatesman (Del Mar)
Real Estate Law 

Nioura Ghazni (San Francisco)
Corporate Law

Eric K. Gill (Del Mar)
Intellectual Property Law

Helene Gogadze (Washington, D.C.)
Alternative Dispute Resolution

Matthew J. Goldman (Century City)
Corporate Law

Adam J. Goldstein (Del Mar)
Real Estate Law

Keith A. Goodwin (San Diego)
Labor and Employment Law – Management
Litigation – Labor and Employment

Robert L. Green (Houston)
Civil Rights Law
Commercial Litigation
Intellectual Property Law
Litigation – Intellectual Property
Litigation – Patent
Patent Law

Hilary A. Habib (Los Angeles)
Labor and Employment Law – Management

Shin Y. Hahn (New York)
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Melanie M. Hamilton (Orange County)
Labor and Employment Law - Management
Litigation - Labor and Employment

Sami Hasan (San Francisco)
Labor and Employment Law – Management
Litigation – Labor and Employment

Michael K. Heins (Del Mar)
Immigration Law

Francis M.K. Hernandez (Orange County)
Labor and Employment Law - Management

Jason C. Hoggan (Dallas)
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Kristin P. Housh (Del Mar)
Criminal Defense – White Collar

Chi L. Huynh (Los Angeles)
Health Care Law

Patricia M. Jeng (San Francisco)
Labor and Employment Law – Management
Litigation – Labor and Employment

Tyler J. Johnson (Los Angeles)
Labor and Employment Law - Management

Julia K. Kadish (Chicago)
Intellectual Property Law

Paul Kim (New York)
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Commercial Litigation

Phillip L. Kim (Dallas)
Health Care Law

Jennifer L. Kozun (San Diego)
Real Estate Law

Erica J. Kraus (Washington, D.C.)
Health Care Law

Andrew S. Kreider (Los Angeles)
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Michael C. Krill (Houston)
Intellectual Property Law
Litigation – Intellectual Property
Litigation – Patent

Kendra E. Leghart (Los Angeles)
Construction Law
Real Estate Law

Katarzyna Levecke (Chicago)
Energy Law

Malika Levarlet (Washington, D.C.)
Corporate Law

Yvette J. Mabbun (Dallas)
Real Estate Law

Justin J. Mahramas (Los Angeles)
Real Estate Law

Jonathan Marina (Del Mar)
Intellectual Property Law

Daniel S. Maroon (San Francisco)
Real Estate Law
Environmental Law

Robert McLellarn (Chicago)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Abby Meyer (Orange County)
Construction Law

Samuel A. Moniz (Orange County)
Commercial Litigation

John A. Montgomery II (Houston)
Corporate Law

Arthur Moore (Los Angeles)
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Rachel J. Moroski (San Francisco)
Labor and Employment Law – Management

Adam Marks (Chicago)
Health Care Law

Edward W. Musharbash (Los Angeles)
Real Estate Law

John V. Mysliwiec (Del Mar)
Insurance Law

Kazim A. Naqvi (Century City)
Commercial Litigation

Kathleen M. O’Neill (Chicago)
Health Care Law

Joy Nemirow (Silicon Valley)
Intellectual Property Law

Katherine H. Oblak (Chicago)
Litigation – Labor and Employment

Ramela Ohanian (Century City)
Entertainment and Sports Law

Matthew Owens (Del Mar)
Litigation – Trusts and Estates

Nika B. Palama (Chicago)
Corporate Law

Peter D. Park (Los Angeles)
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Yasamin Parsafar (San Francisco)
Intellectual Property Law

Genevieve Perez (New York)
Entertainment and Sports Law

David M. Poell (Chicago)
Commercial Litigation

Cedric A. Powell (Washington, D.C.)
Corporate Law
Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity

Patrick C. Quine (Dallas)
Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Jay Ramsey (Century City)
Commercial Litigation

J.D. Rees (Century City)
Trusts and Estates

Lowell B. Ritter (San Francisco)
Litigation – Labor and Employment

Kate Rumsey (Dallas)
Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Joshua Schlenger (New York)
Appellate Practice

Anthony P. Sensoli (Chicago)
Corporate Law
Project Finance Law

Abraham J. Shanedling (Washington, D.C.)
Commercial Litigation
Communications Law

Matthew B. Silverstein (New York)
Corporate Law

Aerin A. Snow (Century City)
Corporate Law

Corey F. Steady (Orange County)
Trusts and Estates

Joy O. Siu (San Francisco)
Appellate Practice

Douglas A. “Drew” Svor (Washington, D.C.)
Communications Law
Corporate Law

Benjamin Z. Taylor (Los Angeles)
Labor and Employment Law - Management

Emily S. Theriault (Washington, D.C.)
Commercial Litigation

Matthew A. Tobias (Los Angeles)
Labor and Employment Law – Management

Shane M. Trawick (Dallas)
Real Estate Law

Allison Wu Troianos (New York)
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Katherine Jones Turke (Century City)
Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Camille M. Vasquez (Orange County)
Commercial Litigation

Kelly M. Vazhappilly (Dallas)
Public Finance Law
Real Estate Law

Jared A. Wachtler (New York)
Real Estate Law

Jennifer S. Warheit (New York)
Real Estate Law

Jeffrey D. Watkins (Century City)
Entertainment and Sports Law

Chante Westmoreland (Houston)
Commercial Litigation
Intellectual Property Law
Litigation – Intellectual Property

Bryan M. Wittlin (Century City)
Trusts and Estates

Douglas Yang (Los Angeles)
Labor and Employment Law – Management

Golnaz Yazdchi (Century City)
Litigation - Trusts and Estates

William Ziegelbauer (New York)
Corporate Law