Best Lawyers in America Recognizes 133 Balch & Bingham Attorneys in 2026 Guide

Balch & Bingham LLP is pleased to announce that 133 of the firm's attorneys were selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^®.

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has been regarded as one of the oldest and most respected ranking publications in the legal industry. Recognized attorneys undergo a rigorous peer-reviewed selection process that assesses and evaluates the attorney's professional abilities and expertise.

BALCH ATTORNEYS RECOGNIZED AS "LAWYER OF THE YEAR”

• Ben Brewton – Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants (Augusta, Ga.)
• Curt Gwathney – Public Finance Law (Birmingham, Ala.)
• Patrick Krechowski – Administrative / Regulatory Law (Jacksonville, Fla.)
• Lyle Larson – Energy Law (Birmingham, Ala.)
• Robin Laurie – Litigation – Environmental (Montgomery, Ala.)
• Dan Martin – Corporate Compliance Law (Birmingham, Ala.)
• Riley Roby – Litigation – Trusts and Estates (Montgomery, Ala.)
• Lucien Smith – Government Relations Practice (Jackson, Miss.)
• April Wise – Trusts and Estates (Montgomery, Ala.)

BALCH ATTORNEYS RECOGNIZED IN THE BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA^®

Balch attorneys recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^® are listed below by office. Attorneys making their first appearance in the 2026 edition include Ben Bryant, Elizabeth Flachsbart, Philip Gunn, Ryan Hodinka, Jonathan Hoffmann, Sarah Hoffmann, Adam Israel, Lee Johnsey, Katie Kimbrell, Jake Lambert, Joe Leavens, and Dan Ruth.

We would like to congratulate the following lawyers named to 2026 The Best Lawyers in America^® list:

ATLANTA

• Matt Ames – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Intellectual Property; Trademark Law
• Josh Archer – Commercial Litigation; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• Mike Childers – Energy Law
• Jim Hollis – Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Walt Jones – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Anne Kaufold-Wiggins – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• Dart Meadows – Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• Tom Penland – Energy Law
• Hugh Peterson – Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• Tashwanda Pinchback Dixon – Litigation - Labor and Employment; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

AUGUSTA

• Ben Brewton – Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

BIRMINGHAM

• Amy Adams – Litigation - Trusts and Estates; Trusts and Estates
• Bert Amason – Banking and Finance Law
• Conrad Anderson IV – Commercial Litigation; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
• Stan Blanton – Energy Law; Government Relations Practice
• David Bowsher – Banking and Finance Law; Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Commercial Transactions / UCC Law; Corporate Law; Government Contracts; Government Relations Practice; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• James Bradford – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Real Estate; Real Estate Law
• Chuck Burkhart – Construction Law; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Steven Burns – Environmental Law
• Greg Butrus – Energy Law; Government Relations Practice
• Russ Campbell – Commercial Litigation
• Thomas Casey – Environmental Law; Litigation - Environmental
• Marcus Chatterton – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Intellectual Property; Litigation - Real Estate
• Foster Clark – Public Finance Law
• Tom DeLawrence – Environmental Law
• Allen Estes – Commercial Litigation
• Elizabeth Flachsbart – Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Stephen Gidiere – Environmental Law; Litigation - Environmental
• Scott Grover – Energy Law; Energy Regulatory Law
• Kelly Gwathney – Corporate Law
• Curt Gwathney – Public Finance Law
• Ed Haden – Appellate Practice; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Energy Law
• K.C. Hairston – Energy Law; Municipal Law
• Jim Hancock – Water Law
• Ryan Hodinka – Commercial Litigation
• Jonathan Hoffmann – Banking and Finance Law; Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Sarah Hoffmann – Corporate Law
• Adam Israel – Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation
• Lee Johnsey – Banking and Finance Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; Real Estate Law
• Doug Kauffman – Employment Law - Individuals; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Chris Kimble – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Health Care Law; Insurance Law
• Katie Kimbrell – Corporate Law
• Lyle Larson – Energy Law; Energy Regulatory Law
• Joe Leavens – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Construction
• Peter LeJeune – Administrative / Regulatory Law
• Debra Lewis – Banking and Finance Law
• Frank Long  – Public Finance Law
• Dan Martin – Appellate Practice; Corporate Compliance Law; Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Health Care Law; Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Dan McCrary – Energy Law
• Grady Moore – Environmental Law
• Sloane Phillips – Litigation - Construction
• John Pickering – Banking and Finance Law; Real Estate Law
• Chad Pilcher – Government Relations Practice
• Jeremy Retherford – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Alan Rogers – Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law
• Dan Ruth – Corporate Law; Tax Law
• Mary Samuels – Environmental Law; Natural Resources Law
• Monica Sargent – Corporate Law
• Bill Satterfield – Environmental Law
• Tim Segers – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Tax Law; Venture Capital Law
• Sean Shirley – Commercial Litigation
• Pam P. Smith – Trade Secrets Law; Trademark Law
• Jeff Starling – Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Chris Still – Energy Law
• Stephen Still – Corporate Law; Government Relations Practice; Insurance Law
• Corbitt Tate – Real Estate Law
• Martha Thompson – Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
• Jason Tompkins – Appellate Practice
• Tim Tracy – Corporate Compliance Law; Corporate Governance Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Andy Tunnell – Energy Law
• Chris Yeilding – Insurance Law; Litigation - Environmental; Litigation - ERISA; Litigation - Health Care; Litigation - Insurance; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• Lee Zell – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance; Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy); Litigation – Securities
  
  

GULFPORT

• Mark Alexander – Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law; Litigation - Real Estate; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants; Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
• Ricky Cox – Energy Law
• Paul Delcambre – Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• David Duhé  – Corporate Law
• Jonathan Dyal – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
• K.C. Hightower – Litigation - Real Estate
• Jake Lambert – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
• Leo Manuel – Energy Law
• Brant Pettis – Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Litigation - Construction; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• John Rice – Banking and Finance Law; Real Estate Law
• Jennifer Signs – Project Finance Law; Real Estate Law
• Ben Stone – Energy Law; Gaming Law
• Rodger Wilder – Energy Law
  
  

JACKSON

• Scott Andress – Corporate Law; Gaming Law
• Walter Boone – Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation - Real Estate; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Ben Bryant – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Phil Buffington – Banking and Finance Law; Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Commercial Finance Law; Corporate Law; Financial Services Regulation Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Ashley Eley Cannady – Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Pepper Crutcher – Copyright Law; Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Tara Ellis – Gaming Law
• Philip Gunn – Government Relations Practice
• Armin Moeller – Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management
• Jennifer Jones Skipper – Insurance Law; Litigation - Insurance; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Bill Smith – Commercial Litigation; Environmental Law; Litigation - Real Estate
• Lucien Smith – Government Relations Practice
• Bea Tolsdorf – Health Care Law
• Chris Waddell – Public Finance Law
• Christy Crockett White – Litigation - Labor and Employment; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
  
  

JACKSONVILLE

• Geremy Gregory – Banking and Finance Law; Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance; Real Estate Law
• Patrick Krechowski – Administrative / Regulatory Law; Environmental Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; Litigation - Environmental; Litigation - Real Estate; Real Estate Law
• Lauren Weisman Stein– Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Corporate Law

MONTGOMERY

• Dave Boyd – Appellate Practice; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Education Law
• Jim Byram – Commercial Litigation; Environmental Law; Insurance Law; Litigation - Environmental; Litigation - Real Estate
• Louis Calligas – Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• Pete Cobb – Product Liability Litigation - Defendants; Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
• Jim Edwards – Real Estate Law
• Lane Knight – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Real Estate
• Robin Laurie – Commercial Litigation; Government Relations Practice; Litigation - Environmental
• Joe McCorkle – Appellate Practice; Banking and Finance Law; Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law
• Walter McKay – Banking and Finance Law; Real Estate Law
• Riley Roby – Litigation - Trusts and Estates; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates
• John Smith – Litigation - Labor and Employment; Litigation - Municipal; Litigation - Trusts and Estates
• April Wise – Elder Law; Trusts and Estates
  
  

WASHINGTON, DC

• Lewis Csedrik – Energy Law

BALCH ATTORNEYS RECOGNIZED AS "ONES TO WATCH”

This year, 17 Balch attorneys were also selected as Best Lawyers: “Ones to Watch," a recognition honoring associates and other lawyers who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. Those selected for this honor are organized by geographic region and practice areas and reviewed by their peers on the basis of professional expertise.

We would like to congratulate the following lawyers recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America:

ATLANTA

• Meghan Pieler – Commercial Litigation; Energy Law; Litigation - Construction; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Caroline Suydam – Commercial Litigation; Corporate Law; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Andie Swartzberg – Energy Law; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• Brittany Fuss – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

AUGUSTA

• Jena Lombard – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Real Estate; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

AUSTIN

• Chris Kirby – Administrative / Regulatory Law; Corporate Law

BIRMINGHAM

• Robert Baxley – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance
  
• Drew Cicero – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  
• Abby Fox – Energy Law
  
• Connor Herfurth – Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants; Transportation Law
  
• Benton Hughes – Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Real Estate Law
  
• Christy Boardman Kuklinski – Banking and Finance Law; Elder Law
  
• Rylee Zalanka – Administrative / Regulatory Law; Communications Law; Energy Law

GULFPORT

• Stephen Broadus – Corporate Law; Energy Law; Tax Law

JACKSON

• Russell Dumas – Labor and Employment Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment
  
• Claire Williams – Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Labor and Employment

JACKSONVILLE

• Alina Fernandez – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Construction; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants