(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

Kansas City, MO

San Jose, CA

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

Chicago, IL

  • Catherine E. Goldhaber (Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)

Clayton, MO

Denver, CO

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

Minneapolis, MN

Overland Park, KS

Redwood Shores, CA

San Jose, CA

St. Cloud, MN

Washington, D.C.

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

Clayton, MO

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

Minneapolis, MN

Redwood Shores, CA

San Jose, CA