Phelps Earns Broad Recognition in 2027 Edition of Best Lawyers
NEW ORLEANS — Aug. 20, 2026 — The Best Lawyers in America recognized 205 Phelps attorneys in its 2027 edition. Lawyers from 90 practice areas and 17 offices made the list. Among them, 18 lawyers were named "Lawyer of the Year."
Since 1981, Best Lawyers has been hailed as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Each year, it ranks lawyers by practice areas and locations. The 2027 edition is based on more than 13 million evaluations of lawyers by their peers, and recognizes more than 168,000 lawyers in 151 practice areas and 76 countries worldwide.
“Lawyer of the Year” Awards
The 2027 guide named 18 Phelps attorneys as “Lawyer of the Year,” an award reserved for one attorney in each legal field and location. Our winners are:
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Shelton Dennis Blunt – Litigation - Health Care, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Paul F. Guarisco – Energy Regulatory Law
- Trevor J. Haynes – Banking and Finance Law
- W. Bradley Kline – Commercial Transactions/UCC Law
- Katherine Cicardo Mannino – Health Care Law
- Patrick Ragan Richard – Real Estate Law
- Michael B. Victorian – Litigation - Labor and Employment
Gulfport, Mississippi
- Heather Murphy – Insurance Law
Jackson, Mississippi
- G. Todd Butler – Employment Law - Management
- Mike Hurst – Criminal Defense: White Collar
Mobile, Alabama
- Richard Johnson – Construction Law
New Orleans, Louisiana
- Lee R. Adler – Securitization and Structured Finance Law
- William R. Bishop – Venture Capital Law
- David D. Haynes – Health Care Law
- Katie Myers – Insurance Law
- William J. Riviere – Admiralty and Maritime Law
Tallahassee, Florida
- Russell Van Sickle – Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tampa, Florida
- John Phillips – Labor Law - Management
Best Lawyers Honorees
The Phelps lawyers ranked by The Best Lawyers in America are:
Austin, Texas
- Fletcher H. Brown – Administrative/Regulatory Law, Health Care Law
- David Garcia – Corporate Law, Health Care Law
- Frederick D. Junkin – Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
- Kristina Weber Silcocks – Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Government Relations Practice
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Jeffrey M. Barbin – Gaming Law
- Jonathan C. Benda – Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law
- Shelton Dennis Blunt – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Health Care, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Brad Boudreaux – Litigation - Construction
- Warner J. Delaune – Patent Law, Technology Law, Trademark Law
- Virginia Y. Dodd – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance
- Kelsey Funes – Litigation – Construction
- Susan W. Furr – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Karleen Green – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Walt Green – Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Paul F. Guarisco – Energy Regulatory Law, Utilities Law
- J. Alan Harrell – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
- Trevor J. Haynes – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Real Estate Law
- Michael D. Hunt – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction
- H. Alston Johnson III – Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
- Thomas H. Kiggans – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Errol J. King, Jr. – Health Care Law, Insurance Law, Litigation – Health Care
- W. Bradley Kline – Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Transactions / UCC Law, Corporate Law
- Steven J. Levine – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Railroad Law
- Katherine Cicardo Mannino – Health Care Law
- Richard E. Matheny – Tax Law
- Molly McDiarmid – Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Ryan Q. Moon – Tax Law
- Drew Patty – Copyright Law, Patent Law, Trademark Law
- Erik Piazza - Real Estate Law
- Patrick Ragan Richard – Banking and Finance Law, Franchise Law, Real Estate Law
- Randy P. Roussel – Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law
- John O. Shirley – Energy Law, Government Relations Practice
- Gregory Thomas Stevens – Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Construction
- Jeffrey E. Tomlinson – Real Estate Law
- Michael B. Victorian - Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Kevin Welsh – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
Birmingham, Alabama
- Gerald Burnett – Corporate Law, Real Estate Law, Tax Law, Timber Law
- Christopher P. Couch – Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Finance Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, FinTech Practice
- Roy J. Crawford – Corporate Law, Health Care Law, Tax Law
- Carolyn L. Duncan – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation
- Sydney F. Frazier, Jr. – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Workers' Compensation Law – Employers
- John M. Graham – Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Railroad Law, Transportation Law
- James F. Henry – Health Care Law, Litigation – Health Care
- Diane Maughan – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate, Railroad Law
- Crawford S. McGivaren, Jr. – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Antitrust, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Securities, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants, Railroad Law
- George L. Morris IV – Litigation – Health Care
- Michael B. Odom – Banking and Finance Law, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate
- Carlton Smyly – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
- Thomas Sullivan – Corporate Law, Health Care Law, Insurance Law
- Steve A. Tucker – Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Railroad Law
- Michael E. Turner – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
- Herbert H. West, Jr. – Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Dallas, Texas
- P. Blaine Grant – Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law
- Kenneth C. Johnston – Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Bankruptcy
Fort Worth, Texas
- Mark Daniel – Commercial Litigation
- Claudine G. Jackson – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Regina Vasquez – Commercial Litigation
Gulfport, Mississippi
- Scott T. Ellzey – Insurance Law
- Adam B. Harris – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law
- Drury Holland – Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Lauren McCrory – Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Kyle S. Moran – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Heather Murphy – Insurance Law, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
- James G. Wyly III – Mediation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants, Transportation Law
Houston, Texas
- Peri H. Alkas – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance
- Jeffrey B. Andrews – Technology Law
- Amy Cazes Greene – Litigation – Insurance
- Lisa M. Kaufmann – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Railroad Law, Transportation Law
- Marcus G. Matthews – Admiralty and Maritime Law
- George S. McCall – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
- Andy R. Nash – Commercial Litigation
- Michael A. Orlando, Jr. – Admiralty and Maritime Law
- Ivan M. Rodriguez – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Insurance Law
- Marcus R. Tucker – Admiralty and Maritime Law
- Clinton Wolbert – Litigation – Insurance
Jackson, Mississippi
- Suzanna Baker – Real Estate Law
- Todd Butler – Appellate Practice, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- H. David Clark III – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Chad A. Davidson – Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
- A.M. Edwards III – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
- Mike Hurst – Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- LaToya C. Merritt – Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Nicholas F. Morisani – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Union, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- James L. Pettis – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law
- John T. Rouse – Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
- Bridgforth R. Rutledge – Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law
- W. Thomas Siler, Jr. – Employment Law - Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Calvin Wells - Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Finance Law, Corporate Law
- Sarah Beth Wilson – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
Memphis, Tennessee
- Stephen L. Anderson – Commercial Litigation, Real Estate Law, Trusts and Estates
- Richard D. Bennett – Construction Law, Employment Law – Individuals, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Mark E. Beutelschies – Economic Development Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Real Estate Law
- John A. Bobango – Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Transactions / UCC Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Tax Law, Venture Capital Law
- Homer B. Branan III – Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
- Jay A. Ebelhar – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Litigation – Real Estate, Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law
- Anita I. Lotz – Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Transactions / UCC Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Real Estate Law
- Robert A. McLean – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Real Estate, Litigation – Securities
- Robert F. Miller – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- Marye Helen Owen - Commercial Transactions / UCC Law, Corporate Law, Health Care Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
Mobile, Alabama
- Britten L. Britt – Corporate Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
- Katharine R. Colletta – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Oil and Gas Law, Railroad Law
- Todd L. Denison - Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
- William J. Gamble, Jr. – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Insurance Law
- Thomas F. Garth – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Nonprofit / Charities Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
- Allen E. Graham – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law
- Richard B. Johnson – Construction Law
- Jonathan R. Maples – Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Sumpter M. McGowin II – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law
- Joseph J. Minus, Jr. – Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Individuals, Employment Law – Management, Municipal Law
- William E. Shreve, Jr. – Appellate Practice, Insurance Law
- A. Grady Williams IV – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Litigation – Insurance
- Breanne Stanley Zarzour – Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
Nashville, Tennessee
- Keith Dennen – Litigation - Health Care
- John M. Farris – Government Relations Practice
- Jennifer Lacey – Government Relations Practice
- Wes Scott – Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law
New Orleans, Louisiana
- Lee R. Adler – Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law, Securitization and Structured Finance Law
- Nan Alessandra – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Mediation
- Barbara L. Arras – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
- Bart C. Bacigalupi – Banking and Finance Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Commercial Transactions/UCC Law, Real Estate Law
- William R. Bishop – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Venture Capital Law
- Kim M. Boyle – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Francis H. Brown – Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
- Michael M. Butterworth – Admiralty and Maritime Law
- Christopher Bynog – Insurance Law
- Colin Cambre – Admiralty and Maritime Law
- Philip deV. Claverie, Jr. – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Real Estate Law
- Miles P. Clements – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental
- Brandon Davis – Employment Law – Management, Immigration Law, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Richard N. Dicharry – Insurance Law
- Mark C. Dodart – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Mark Fijman – Employment Law – Management
- Mark A. Fullmer – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation, Venture Capital Law
- Harrison Golden – Banking and Finance Law
- Pablo Gonzalez – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance, Reinsurance Law
- Jeremy T. Grabill – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Commercial Litigation
- Stephen P. Hall – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance
- David D. Haynes – Health Care Law
- Ashley J. Heilprin – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – First Amendment
- Michael F. Held – Admiralty and Maritime Law
- Gary A. Hemphill - Admiralty and Maritime Law
- Nathan G. Huntwork – Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Utilities Law
- Katherine Karam – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance
- David M. Korn – Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Kevin J. LaVie – Admiralty and Maritime Law
- Daniel Lund III – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
- Evans Martin McLeod - Admiralty and Maritime Law
- Pamela G. Michiels – Insurance Law
- Allen C. Miller – Commercial Litigation
- Thomas Kent Morrison - Admiralty and Maritime Law
- Katie Myers – Insurance Law
- Daniel T. Pancamo - Banking and Finance Law, Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, Energy Regulatory Law, Utilities Law
- David L. Patrón – Antitrust Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Oil and Gas Law
- Marshall M. Redmon – Insurance Law, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants, Reinsurance Law
- Stephen W. Rider – Commercial Litigation
- William J. Riviere – Admiralty and Maritime Law
- Harry Rosenberg – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: General Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Mary Ellen Roy – Advertising Law, Litigation – First Amendment, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Media Law, Trademark Law
- Jay Russell Sever – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance
- Rebecca Sha – Commercial Litigation
- David J. Topping – Environmental Law
- Michael S. Williams – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Litigation – Labor and Employment
Pensacola, Florida
- Douglas A. Bates – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation - Bankruptcy
- J. Nixon Daniel III – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs
- Thomas F. Gonzalez – Aviation Law, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
- Steven R. Griffin – Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Utilities Law
- David L. McGee – Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Russell F. Van Sickle – Employment Law – Management, Energy Regulatory Law, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Charles T. Wiggins – Criminal Defense: General Practice, Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs
- John R. Zoesch III – Commercial Litigation
Raleigh, North Carolina
- Anna Pulliam Cathcart – Insurance Law
- Thomas M. Contois – Insurance Law
- Jonathan E. Hall – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
- Robert Mills Kennedy, Jr. – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance
- Patrick M. Meacham – Litigation – Health Care, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Kevin M. O’Brien – Insurance Law
Southlake, Texas
- Blake Bailey – Litigation – Antitrust
- Paige C. Jones – Insurance Law
- Kasi G. Schuelke – Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance
- C. Matthew Terrell – Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
Tampa, Florida
- A. Brian Albritton – Antitrust Law, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White Collar, Litigation - Health Care, Qui Tam Law
- Karl J. Brandes – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Mediation
- Aileen S. Davis – Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law
- Bret M. Feldman – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
- Robert H. Gidel, Jr. – Real Estate Law
- Michael S. Hooker – Commercial Litigation
- Raquel R. Jefferson – Commercial Litigation, Employment Law - Management
- Matthew L. Litsky – Insurance Law
- Erin L. Malone – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Dennis M. McClelland – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Labor Law – Union, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Michael A. McGriskin – Insurance Law
- Patricia A. McLean – Insurance Law
- Catriana N. Messina – Insurance Law
- John D. Mullen - Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Rhett C. Parker – Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- John E. Phillips – Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Jason A. Pill – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Privacy and Data Security Law
- Erin M. Raschke – Insurance Law
- Reed L. Russell – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Seth M. Schimmel - Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
- Mallory H. Thomas – Insurance Law
- William J. Tinsley – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
Tupelo, Mississippi
- Mark N. Halbert – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Jeffrey S. Moore – Health Care Law
- Gregory D. Pirkle – Tax Law, Trusts and Estates