Phelps Expands Chambers Rankings to 33 Practices and 88 Lawyers in 2026 Guide
NEW ORLEANS — June 4, 2026 — Chambers USA ranked Phelps as a leading law firm in 33 practice areas, recognizing five new practices in the 2026 edition. The latest guide, which features top lawyers and law firms from across the country, added 10 lawyers to the firm’s rankings and honored 88 Phelps lawyers.
Phelps earned Band 1 recognition in 14 practice areas:
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- Construction – Louisiana
- Energy and Natural Resources – Florida
- Energy and Natural Resources: Utilities – Louisiana
- Gaming and Licensing – Louisiana
- Insurance – Louisiana
- Insurance – North Carolina
- Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer – Florida
- Intellectual Property – Louisiana
- Labor and Employment – Louisiana
- Labor and Employment – Mississippi
- Labor and Employment – Florida
- Real Estate – Louisiana
- Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use – Texas
- Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Litigation (outside New York) – Nationwide
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Five new practice teams joined the 2026 rankings, including:
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- Bankruptcy/Restructuring – Mississippi
- Corporate/M&A – Tennessee
- Litigation: Appellate – Louisiana
- Litigation: General Commercial – Texas: Dallas, Fort Worth & Surrounds
- Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded – Florida
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Additionally, Chambers awarded top-tier rankings to 16 other Phelps practices:
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- Banking and Finance – Louisiana
- Bankruptcy/Restructuring – Mississippi
- Construction – Alabama
- Construction – Florida
- Corporate/Commercial – Alabama
- Corporate/M&A – Louisiana
- Corporate/M&A – Tennessee
- Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation – Louisiana
- Environment – Louisiana
- Health Care – Alabama
- Health Care – Louisiana
- Insurance – Texas
- Litigation: Appellate – Louisiana
- Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded – Florida
- Litigation: General Commercial – Louisiana
- Litigation: General Commercial – Mississippi
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Phelps also earned nationwide rankings for its construction and insurance: dispute resolution: insurer practices and recognition for its litigation: general commercial practice in Dallas, Fort Worth and the surrounding areas.
In early 2026, Phelps welcomed three new Chambers-ranked partners to the firm: technology dealmaker Jeff Andrews in Houston, Texas, veteran bankruptcy lawyer Douglas Bates in Pensacola, Florida, and financial services litigator Kenneth Johnston in Dallas, Texas.
Johnston also leads the team in Phelps’ new Dallas office, which earned Chambers’ recognition for their commercial litigation work. The group advises banks, lenders and financial services companies across the full life cycle of complex litigation. They’re also known for resolving complex disputes for clients in the energy, health care, technology and transportation sectors.
The firm earned a 12% increase in ranked lawyers from last year’s guide. Chambers recognized 88 Phelps lawyers in 2026, including eight lawyers ranked by Chambers for the first time:
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- Peri Alkas – Insurance – Texas
- Anna Cathcart – Insurance – North Carolina
- Brandon Davis – Labor and Employment – Louisiana
- Ashley Heilprin – Intellectual Property – Louisiana
- Christy Maple – Insurance – North Carolina
- George Morris – Litigation: Medical Malpractice Defense – Alabama
- Matthew Terrell – Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use – Texas
- Clinton Wolbert – Insurance – Texas
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All ranked Phelps lawyers include:
Alabama
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- Christopher P. Couch – Banking and Finance: Mainly Regulatory
- James F. Henry – Health Care
- Danielle Mashburn-Myrick – Bankruptcy/Restructuring
- Crawford S. McGivaren Jr. – Litigation: General Commercial
- George Morris – Litigation: Medical Malpractice Defense
- R. Carlton Smyly – Construction
- G. Thomas Sullivan – Health Care
- Hal H. West Jr. – Corporate/Commercial
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Florida
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- A. Brian Albritton – Litigation: White-Collar Crime and Government Investigations
- Bret Feldman – Construction
- Steven R. Griffin – Energy and Natural Resources
- G. Edison Holland Jr. – Energy and Natural Resources
- Michael S. Hooker – Litigation: General Commercial
- Matthew L. Litsky – Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer
- Dennis McClelland – Labor and Employment
- Michael McGriskin – Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer
- Patricia McLean – Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer
- John Phillips – Labor and Employment
- Jason Pill – Labor and Employment
- Payton Pope – Construction
- Reed L. Russell – Labor and Employment
- Seth M. Schimmel – Construction
- William J. Tinsley Jr. – Construction
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Florida: North and Central
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- Douglas Bates – Bankruptcy/Restructuring
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Louisiana
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- Lee Adler – Marine Finance
- M. Nan Alessandra – Labor and Employment
- Bart C. Bacigalupi – Banking and Finance, Marine Finance
- Jeffrey M. Barbin – Gaming and Licensing
- William Bishop – Corporate/M&A
- Shelton Dennis Blunt – Litigation: General Commercial
- Kim M. Boyle – Labor and Employment
- Lindsay Calhoun – Intellectual Property
- Philip deV. Claverie Sr. – Real Estate
- Philip deV. Claverie Jr. – Banking and Finance, Real Estate
- Brandon Davis – Labor and Employment
- Virginia Dodd – Insurance
- Warner Delaune – Intellectual Property
- Mark A. Fullmer – Corporate/M&A
- Kelsey Funes – Construction
- Susan W. Furr – Labor and Employment
- Pablo Gonzalez – Insurance
- Jeremy Grabill – Litigation: Appellate
- Karleen J. Green – Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation
- Walt Green – Litigation: White-Collar Crime and Government Investigations
- J. Alan Harrell – Environment: Litigation
- David D. "Beau" Haynes – Health Care
- Ashley Heilprin – Intellectual Property
- Nathan Huntwork – Energy and Natural Resources: Utilities
- Thomas H. Kiggans – Labor and Employment
- Errol King Jr. – Health Care
- David M. Korn – Labor and Employment
- Steve J. Levine – Environment, Environment: Litigation
- Daniel Lund III – Construction
- Daniel Pancamo – Energy and Natural Resources: Utilities
- David Patrón – Litigation: General Commercial
- Drew Patty – Intellectual Property
- Erik Piazza – Real Estate: Zoning and Land Use
- P. Ragan Richard – Real Estate
- Harry Rosenberg – Litigation: General Commercial, Litigation: White-Collar Crime and Government Investigations
- Randy P. Roussel – Real Estate
- Mary Ellen Roy – Intellectual Property
- John O. Shirley – Energy and Natural Resources: Utilities
- James A. Stuckey – Banking and Finance, Real Estate
- David Topping – Environment
- Michael Williams – Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation
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Mississippi
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- G. Todd Butler – Appellate, Labor and Employment
- Nash Gilmore – Litigation: General Commercial
- Mike Hurst – Litigation: General Commercial
- Danielle Mashburn-Myrick – Bankruptcy/Restructuring
- LaToya Merritt – Labor and Employment
- W. Thomas Siler Jr. – Labor and Employment
- Sarah Beth Wilson – Bankruptcy/Restructuring
- James G. Wyly III – Litigation: General Commercial
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North Carolina
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- Anna Cathcart – Insurance
- Thomas M. Contois – Insurance
- Christy Maple – Insurance
- Kevin M. O’Brien – Insurance
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Texas
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- Peri Alkas – Insurance
- Jeffrey B. Andrews – Technology: Outsourcing
- Fletcher Brown – Health Care
- Frederick Junkin – Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use
- George S. McCall – Insurance
- Sondra S. Sylva – Insurance
- Matthew Terrell – Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use
- Clinton Wolbert – Insurance
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Texas: Dallas, Fort Worth & Surrounds
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- Blake A. Bailey – Litigation: General Commercial
- Kenneth Johnston – Litigation: General Commercial
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USA - Nationwide
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- Jeffrey B. Andrews – Outsourcing
- Jeffrey M. Barbin – Gaming and Licensing
- Kevin LaVie – Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Litigation (outside New York)
- Ivan M. Rodriguez – Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Litigation (outside New York)
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Chambers USA relies on an independent team of researchers and editors, who conduct extensive reviews and compile lawyer rankings. Peer endorsements, client feedback and detailed submissions all play a crucial role in rankings. The Chambers USA team ranks lawyers on technical legal ability, client service, professionalism and diligence.
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Phelps is an AmLaw-ranked firm whose collaborative strategies help clients thrive. We deliver practical, business-minded solutions to clients with interests in admiralty, business, health care, insurance, labor and employment, and litigation. Our more than 450 lawyers work in tandem to share forward-thinking approaches for businesses in the global economy. Phelps’ reputation is rooted in 150 years of legal excellence, and we reimagine it every day from our 18 locations across the Gulf South, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and the London Market. Learn more at phelps.com.