Florida Super Lawyers Honors Balch Attorneys for Excellence

Balch & Bingham is proud to announce that Patrick Krechowski, Lauren Weisman Stein, and Alina Fernandez, attorneys in the Jacksonville office, have been recognized for excellence by Super Lawyers in its 2026 Florida Super Lawyers edition. 

Patrick Krechowski, a partner in the Real Estate Practice, has been named a "Super Lawyer," while Lauren Weisman Stein, a partner in the Corporate & Commercial Practice, and Alina Fernandez, an attorney in the Litigation Practice, have each been designated as a "Rising Star."

Super Lawyers recognizes leading attorneys nationwide, annually, utilizing a multiphase selection process which relies on both peer nominations and evaluations combined with independent research. Candidates are assessed across 12 key indicators of peer recognition and professional accomplishment. Designations are highly selective, including no more than five percent of lawyers in each state.  
The Super Lawyers’ Rising Star award honors emerging lawyers who are 40 years old or younger or have practiced law for 10 years or less. This distinction is exclusively granted to the top 2.5 percent of attorneys in each state. 

Patrick has more than 25 years of experience in real estate, land use, environmental, governmental, administrative litigation, appeals, and title insurance law. He is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in City, County and Local Government Law. His practice focuses on all aspects of zoning and land use law, real estate due diligence, environmental permitting (including sovereign submerged lands and riparian rights), environmental remediation, water use permitting and planning, beach nourishment projects, coastal construction and due diligence before local governments and federal/state agencies, including associated administrative and civil litigation. 

Lauren specializes in corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private placement fundraising, and complex commercial contracting. Lauren also has extensive experience serving clients as outsourced general counsel. As an extension of their management teams, clients seek Lauren’s advice on sales and contracting strategy, investor relations, workforce onboarding and maintenance, fundraising and strategic growth goals, regulatory compliance, and dispute management. With a unique view into their businesses, Lauren provides bespoke counsel to clients. Lauren deeply values clients’ trust and long-term relationships.

Alina concentrates her practice on complex commercial disputes, guiding clients through every phase of litigation, from pre-suit investigations and motion practice to trial and appeals. She represents corporations, executives, and entrepreneurs in matters involving breach of contract, business torts, trade secrets, and other commercial claims.