(August 21, 2025) – Today, 100 Lathrop GPM attorneys were named to The Best Lawyers in America© list, seven of whom were selected “Lawyer of the Year” in their practice area. Twenty additional attorneys were chosen for the “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” for 2026.
Lawyer of the Year 2026
For the prestigious “Lawyer of the Year” ranking, only one attorney receives the annual award per practice area in each Best Lawyers® market. Following are the Lathrop GPM recipients and the areas in which they are being recognized.
Denver, CO
- David J. Katalinas (Franchise Law)
Kansas City, MO
- William F. Ford (Litigation – Environmental)
- Brian M. Holland (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law)
- Thomas J. McMahon (Tax Law)
- Rebecca S. Yocum (Litigation – Real Estate)
San Jose, CA
- Jay M. Ross (Litigation – Real Estate)
- Steven Ellenberg (Litigation – Trusts and Estates)
Best Lawyers in America
Best Lawyers recognizes legal excellence. First published in 1983, The Best Lawyers in America© list utilizes a national survey of lawyers created to capture the professional abilities from peers and colleagues. Lathrop GPM attorneys are chosen regularly for this highly respected and published ranking.
Following are the Lathrop GPM attorneys named to the overall Best Lawyers list for 2026 and the areas in which they are recognized:
Boston, MA
- James H. Velema (Patent Law)
Chicago, IL
- Catherine E. Goldhaber (Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
Clayton, MO
- Michael J. Adrian (Corporate Law)
- Robert D. Cantwell (Corporate Law, Gaming Law)
- Scott H. Malin (Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law; Trusts and Estates)
- Matthew J. Rossiter (Litigation – Trusts and Estates)
Denver, CO
- William F. Jones (Commercial Litigation; Franchise Law; Litigation – Real Estate; Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
- David J. Katalinas (Franchise Law; Real Estate Law)
- Craig J. Knobbe (Corporate Law; Franchise Law)
- Thomas A. Rodriguez (Litigation – Trusts and Estates)
- Alison E. Zinn (Elder Law; Trusts and Estates)
Kansas City, MO
- Michael J. Abrams (Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation – Insurance; Litigation – Real Estate; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Trade Secrets Law)
- Robyn L. Anderson (Commercial Litigation)
- William G. Beck (Commercial Litigation; Environmental Law; Insurance Law; Litigation – Environmental; Litigation – Insurance)
- James B. Betterman (Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates)
- Richard N. Bien (Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation – ERISA; Litigation – Real Estate)
- Mark A. Bluhm (Corporate Governance Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
- Jean Paul Bradshaw II (Commercial Litigation; Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Government Relations Practice; Health Care Law; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
- Mara H. Cohara (Commercial Litigation)
- Jay Felton (Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
- William F. Ford (Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental; Water Law)
- Brian C. Fries (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Banking and Finance)
- David R. Frye (Commercial Litigation; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants)
- Cameron Garrison (Litigation – Intellectual Property)
- Gretchen M. Gold (Trusts and Estates)
- Jennifer S. Griffin (Administrative / Regulatory Law; Commercial Litigation)
- Brian M. Holland (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy)
- Tedrick A. Housh III (Employment Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment)
- Larry B. Huebner (Land Use and Zoning Law; Real Estate Law)
- W. Terrence Kilroy (Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment)
- Gregory B. Kuhn (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
- Thomas J. McMahon (Tax Law)
- Rosalee M. McNamara (Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management)
- Stephen G. Mitchell (Real Estate Law)
- James L. Moeller (Litigation – Environmental)
- James Moloney (Banking and Finance Law)
- Bernard J. Rhodes (First Amendment Law; Litigation – First Amendment)
- Jerry D. Riffel (Gaming Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; Real Estate Law)
- Bridget B. Romero (Litigation – Labor and Employment)
- Jack D. Rowe (Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment)
- Benjamin C. Struby (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy; Litigation – Real Estate)
- Michel A. Thompson (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
- Kim K. Winter (Insurance Law)
- Brian N. Woolley (Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management)
- Issaku Yamaashi (Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Real Estate Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law)
- Rebecca S. Yocum (Employment Law – Individuals; Employment Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment; Litigation – Real Estate)
Los Angeles, CA
- Nancy Sher Cohen (Insurance Law; Litigation – Insurance)
Minneapolis, MN
- Jeffrey C. Anderson (Commercial Finance Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
- Megan L. Anderson (Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment)
- Wade T. Anderson (Real Estate Law)
- Jesse A. Berg (Health Care Law; Litigation – Health Care)
- Jennifer Reedstrom Bishop (Nonprofit / Charities Law)
- Sandra Bodeau (Franchise Law)
- Barry F. Clegg (Tax Law)
- Michael R. Cohen (Litigation – Intellectual Property)
- Michael R. Cunningham (Commercial Litigation)
- Brian Dillon (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Trusts and Estates)
- Liz Dillon (Franchise Law)
- Michael R. Gray (Commercial Litigation; Franchise Law)
- Loren L. Hansen (Litigation – Intellectual Property)
- William D. Klein (Tax Law)
- Gaylen L. Knack (Franchise Law)
- James D. Lamm (Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates)
- Charles K. Maier (Litigation – Banking and Finance)
- Mark S. Mathison (Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment)
- Beth T. Morrison (Elder Law; Trusts and Estates)
- Sheryl G. Morrison (Nonprofit / Charities Law; Trusts and Estates)
- John M. Nichols (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
- Ryan Palmer (Franchise Law)
- Marya P. Robben (Trusts and Estates)
- Virginia S. Schubert (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
- Matthew Shea (Trusts and Estates)
- Daniel R. Tenenbaum (Commercial Finance Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
- James A. Wahl (Franchise Law)
- Mark D. Williamson (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
Overland Park, KS
- Peter W. Brown (Trusts and Estates)
- Joseph D. Growney (Nonprofit / Charities Law)
- Robert J. Lambrechts (Environmental Law)
- Lyle D. Pishny (Corporate Law; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates)
- Randal L. Schultz (Health Care Law)
- Curtis L. Tideman (Commercial Litigation; Education Law)
- Harry E. Wigner, Jr. (Corporate Law; Real Estate Law)
Redwood Shores, CA
- Alma Soongi Beck (Trusts and Estates)
- Darin Donovan (Trusts and Estates)
- John Golden (Trusts and Estates)
- Laurie-Ann D. Look (Trusts and Estates)
- Lisa H. Stalteri (Real Estate Law)
San Jose, CA
- Steven Ellenberg (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Trusts and Estates)
- Jeffrey E. Essner (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Real Estate)
- Erika Gasaway (Litigation – Trusts and Estates)
- Stephen J. Kottmeier (Commercial Litigation)
- Ellen McKissock (Elder Law; Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Trusts and Estates)
- Charles H. Packer (Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Trusts and Estates)
- Jay M. Ross (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Banking and Finance; Litigation – Real Estate)
St. Cloud, MN
- Christopher W. Harmoning (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Real Estate)
Washington, D.C.
- Mark Kirsch (Franchise Law)
- Justin Sallis (Franchise Law)
- Michael L. Sturm (Franchise Law)
- Eric L. Yaffe (Franchise Law)
- Robert Zisk (Franchise Law)
Ones to Watch
The “Ones to Watch” list recognizes attorneys, who are earlier in their careers, for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. Following are the 20 Lathrop GPM attorneys being honored for their early career achievements and the practice areas in which they are recognized:
Chicago, IL
- Matthew Walker (Environmental Law)
Clayton, MO
- Rosalie Swingle (Commercial Litigation)
Denver, CO
- Blaine Bengtson (Commercial Litigation; Environmental Law; Litigation – Labor and Employment; Securities / Capital Markets Law)
- Casey C. Breese (Commercial Litigation; Elder Law; Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Real Estate Law)
- Joseph W. Mark (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Real Estate)
Kansas City, MO
- Elizabeth A. Haden (Banking and Finance Law)
- Kristen Koerber (Public Finance Law; Real Estate Law)
- Brody Sabor (Appellate Practice)
- James T. Schmidt, Jr. (Banking and Finance Law)
- Jane C. Trueper (Banking and Finance Law)
Minneapolis, MN
- Jason A. Kuchar, Ph.D. (Intellectual Property Law; Patent Law)
- Julia C. Reiland (Health Care Law)
- Daniel Remington (Banking and Finance Law; Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Commercial Litigation)
- James R. Thomson (Trusts and Estates)
Redwood Shores, CA
- Marie Gribble (Real Estate Law)
San Jose, CA
- Clare Capaccioli Velasquez (Litigation – Trusts and Estates)
- Lucas Coe (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Construction)
- Sara Hire (Trusts and Estates)
- H. Shinny Liu (Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Trusts and Estates)
- Michael W.M. Manoukian (Labor and Employment Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment)