(August 19, 2021) — 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. Thirteen additional attorneys were chosen for the inaugural “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” for 2022.

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.

Lawyer of the Year 2022

Boulder, CO

  • Curtis A. Vock (Patent Law)

Kansas City, KS

  • David Waters (Real Estate Law)

Kansas City, MO

  • Gregory Kuhn (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)

Minneapolis, MN

  • Phillip W. Bohl (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law)

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 2022 and the areas in which they are recognized:

Best Lawyers in America:

Boston, MA

  • Giulio A. DeConti (Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice; Patent Law; Trademark Law)

Boulder, CO

  • Curtis A. Vock (Patent Law)

Chicago, IL

  • Steven Graham (Banking and Finance Law; Real Estate Law)

Clayton, MO

  • Wendi Alper-Pressman (Banking and Finance Law; Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law)
  • Bennett S. Keller (Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Corporate Law; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates)
  • Scott H. Malin (Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Trusts and Estates)
  • Jared Minkoff (Real Estate Law; Tax Law)
  • Christopher T. Pierce (Real Estate Law)
  • Colleen McNitt Ruiz (Real Estate Law)

Dallas, TX

  • Robert Thackston (Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants)

Denver, CO

Jefferson City, MO

  • David A. Shorr (Environmental Law; Natural Resources Law)

Kansas City, MO

  • Michael J. Abrams (Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation – Insurance; Litigation – Real Estate; Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants; Trade Secrets Law)
  • William G. Beck (Commercial Litigation; Environmental Law; Insurance Law; Litigation – Environmental)
  • Richard N. Bien (Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation – Banking and Finance; Litigation – ERISA)
  • 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)
  • John C. Craft (Government Relations Practice; Real Estate Law)
  • Peter F. Daniel (Commercial Litigation; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants)
  • William F. Ford (Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental; Water Law)
  • Brian C. Fries (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Banking and Finance)
  • Robert J. Haupt (Litigation – Bankruptcy; Litigation – Land Use and Zoning)
  • Russell Headrick (Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation – ERISA; Litigation – First Amendment; Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants)
  • Brian M. Holland (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy)
  • Maurice J. O’Sullivan, Jr. (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Trusts and Estates)
  • Richard D. Rhyne (Construction Law; Litigation – Construction)
  • Jack D. Rowe (Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment)
  • Kent Sellers (Appellate Practice)
  • Thomas H. Stahl (Banking and Finance Law; Financial Services Regulation Law)
  • Carl W. Struby (Corporate Compliance Law; Corporate Law; Securities/Capital Markets Law)
  • Joel B. Voran (Trusts and Estates)
  • Brian Woolley (Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management)
  • Rebecca S. Yocum (Employment Law – Individuals; Employment Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment; Litigation – Real Estate)

Los Angeles, CA

Minneapolis, MN

  • Megan L. Anderson (Employment Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment)
  • Phillip W. Bohl (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law)
  • Christopher A. Carlisle (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
  • Jennifer Debrow (Trademark Law)
  • Dean Eyler (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Intellectual Property)
  • Marnie E. Fearon (Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Litigation – Real Estate)
  • John W. Fitzgerald (Franchise Law)
  • James D. Lamm (Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates)
  • Dean A. LeDoux (Litigation – Labor and Employment)
  • Mark Mathison (Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment)
  • Michael P. Sullivan, Jr. (Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law)

Overland Park, KS

  • Scott Beeler (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Construction; Litigation – Land Use and Zoning; Litigation – Real Estate)
  • David E. Waters (Construction Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; Municipal Law; Real Estate Law)

Washington, D.C.

  • Eric L. Yaffe (Franchise Law)
  • Carl E. Zwisler III (Franchise Law)

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 13 Lathrop GPM attorneys being honored for their early career achievements and the practice areas in which they are recognized.

Ones to Watch:

Clayton, MO

  • Emilie W. Eschbacher (Health Care Law)
  • Alicia M. Goedde (Commercial Litigation)
  • Abbi H. Kirchner (Trusts and Estates)

Dallas, TX

Denver, CO

Kansas City, MO

  • Sarah E. Lintecum (Environmental Law)
  • Elizabeth Duff Mendoza (Labor and Employment Law – Management)

Minneapolis, MN

  • Benjamin Bonestroo (Trusts and Estates)

Overland Park, KS

  • Christopher B. Nelson (Commercial Litigation)

St. Cloud, MN

  • Edward J. Fleming (Corporate Law)