73 Brooks Pierce Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 Guide

The 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^® recognized 73 Brooks Pierce attorneys. Included in that total are eight attorneys recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective practice areas and another 10 attorneys included by The Best Lawyers in America^® in its annual edition of “Ones to Watch.”

The Best Lawyers in America^® list is divided by geographic region and practice areas. Attorneys are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing.

The Best Lawyers in America^® employs a survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. More information on The Best Lawyers in America^® methodology can be found here.

The eight Brooks Pierce attorneys recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” for their respective practice areas are:

• Arty Bolick for Construction Law in the Triad region
• John Cross for Mergers and Acquisitions Law in the Triad region
• Eric David for Corporate Governance Law in Raleigh
• Kearns Davis for Bet-the-Company Litigation in the Triad region
• Bob King for Environmental Law in the Triad region
• Jim Phillips for Litigation – Securities in the Triad region

• Jennifer Van Zant for Litigation – Antitrust in the Triad region
• Melissa Weaver for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law in the Triad region

The 63 Brooks Pierce attorneys listed in The Best Lawyers in America^® 2026 are:

• Daniel Adams for Commercial Litigation
• Jimmy Adams for Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Labor and Employment, and Litigation – Securities
• David Allen for Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Julia Ambrose for Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, and Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
• Charles Baldwin for International Trade and Finance Law
• Tony Barwick for Corporate Law, Leisure and Hospitality Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and Real Estate Law
• Marc Bishop for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Commercial Finance Law, Commercial Transactions / UCC Law, Corporate Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Arty Bolick for Construction Law and Litigation - Construction
• Libby Brewington for Commercial Finance Law, Corporate Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Forrest Campbell for Health Care Law
• Bill Cary for Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Ben Chesson for Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Charles Coble for Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation
• John Cross for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Eric David for Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Governance Law, Litigation - First Amendment, and Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Mark Davidson for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, and Tax Law
• Ben Davis for Banking and Finance Law
• Kearns Davis for Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Shana Fulton for Commercial Litigation
• Tricia Goodson for Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• David Green for Real Estate Law
• George House for Environmental Law, Litigation - Environmental, Mining Law, Natural Resources Law, and Water Law
• Jonathan Jenkins for Corporate Law
• Patrick Johnson for Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Bob King for Commercial Litigation and Environmental Law
• David Kushner for Media Law
• Beth Langley for Commercial Litigation, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Employment Law - Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Iain MacSween for Banking and Finance Law
• Brian McMillan for Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law and Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
• Bill McNairy for Tax Law and Trusts and Estates
• Clint Morse for Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Ben Norman for Commercial Litigation
• D.J. O'Brien for Employment Law - Management
• Jeff Oleynik for Antitrust Law and Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Gary Parsons for Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• Jim Phillips for Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Intellectual Property, and Litigation - Securities
• Reid Phillips for Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Banking and Finance, and Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Clint Pinyan for Administrative / Regulatory Law and Commercial Litigation
• Joey Ponzi for Commercial Litigation
• Mark Prak for First Amendment Law, Litigation - First Amendment, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Will Quick for Commercial Litigation
• Coe Ramsey for Advertising Law, Copyright Law, Entertainment Law - Music, Litigation - Intellectual Property, and Media Law
• Bo Rodenbough for Commercial Litigation and Real Estate Law
• David Sar for Advertising Law, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Patent, Patent Law, Trade Secrets Law, and Trademark Law
• Bob Saunders for Litigation and Controversy - Tax, Nonprofit / Charities Law, and Tax Law
• Bob Singer for Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• John Small for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, and Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Dan Smith for Commercial Litigation, Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental
• Elizabeth Spainhour for Administrative / Regulatory Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Bryan Starrett for Commercial Litigation, Employment Law - Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Adam Tarleton for Litigation and Controversy- Tax, Tax Law and Trusts and Estates
• Jessi Thaller-Moran for Commercial Litigation, Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Marcus Trathen for First Amendment Law, Media Law, and Utilities Law
• Ed Turlington for Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, and Government Relations Practice
• Randy Underwood for Financial Services Regulation Law and Real Estate Law
• Jennifer Van Zant for Antitrust Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Antitrust, Litigation - Banking and Finance, and Litigation - Securities
• Thomas Varnum for Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television and Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Sara Vizithum for Tax Law and Trusts and Estates
• Melissa Weaver for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Ed West for Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, and Litigation and Controversy - Tax
• Howard Williams for Litigation and Controversy - Tax and Tax Law
• Jill Wilson for Education Law and Employment Law - Management
• Ed Winslow for Banking and Finance Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, and Litigation - Banking and Finance

The 10 Brooks Pierce attorneys recognized as “Ones to Watch” for their respective practice areas are:

• Melissa Bailey for Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and Real Estate Law
• Patrick Cross for Administrative / Regulatory Law, Appellate Practice, Communications Law, and Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Anna Majestro for Commercial Litigation
• Kim Marston for Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Legal Malpractice Law, and Municipal Law
• Claire O’Brien for Health Care Law
• Collins Saint for Education Law and Labor and Employment Law – Management
• Sarah Nudelman Schiavone for Commercial Litigation
• Anna Tison for Real Estate Law
• Elizabeth Troutman for Commercial Litigation, Education Law, Labor and Employment Law - Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Katie Wong for Intellectual Property Law