The Legal 500 has recognized 80 Ballard Spahr lawyers and 19 firm practices for national excellence in the 2025 edition of its annual guide.
This highly regarded guide to the U.S. legal industry recognizes Ballard Spahr lawyers and practices across a range of legal disciplines and industries, demonstrating the firm’s exceptional capabilities spanning regulatory, transactional, and litigation practices.
Of note this year, eight Ballard Spahr attorneys were named as “Leading Partners” and three were named as “Leading Associates,” based on recognition from their peers. Five firm attorneys were newly ranked in the Securities Litigation: Defense practice area, with another four achieving new rankings in Real Estate Finance.
Leading Partners
- Brian D. Doerner – M&A: Middle-Market (Sub-$500m)
- Douglas M. Fox – Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
- Matthew N. McClure – Real Estate: Land Use/Zoning
- Steve T. Park – Project Finance: Energy and Power; Project Finance: Infrastructure and PPP
- Brian M. Pinheiro – Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation, and Retirement Plans: Design
- William C. Rhodes – Restructuring (including bankruptcy): Municipal
- Gregory L. Seltzer – M&A: Middle-Market (Sub-$500m)
- John P. Smolen – Project Finance: Energy and Power; Project Finance: Infrastructure and PPP
Leading Associates
- J. Thomas Bashore II – Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
- Casey G. Watkins – Product liability, Mass Tort and Class Action – Automotive/Transport: Defense
- John C. Wheatley – Project Finance: Energy and Power; Project Finance: Infrastructure and PPP
In addition, the firm’s Consumer Financial Services Group was ranked nationally in Tier 1, the highest ranking possible, for the practice area of Financial Services Regulation.
The Legal 500’s methodology encompasses both qualitative and quantitative research and analysis. Listings are based on feedback from 300,000 legal and business professionals worldwide, law firm submissions, lawyer interviews, and analysis by experienced legal market researchers. The listings are not approved or endorsed by any judicial body.
Ballard Spahr Practice Areas Recognized by The Legal 500 for 2025
Antitrust – Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense
Corporate Investigations and White Collar Criminal Defense
Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation, and Retirement Plans: Design
Energy: Renewable/Alternative Power
Financial Services Litigation: Consumer Finance
Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance
Fintech
Labor and Employment: Labor-Management Relations
M&A/Corporate and Commercial – M&A: Middle-Market (sub-$500m)
Media and Entertainment: Litigation
Product Liability, Mass Tort, and Class Action – Automotive/Transport: Defense
Project Finance: Energy and Power
Project Finance: Infrastructure and PPP
Real Estate
Real Estate Finance
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
Real Estate: Land Use/Zoning
Restructuring (including bankruptcy): Municipal
Securities Litigation: Defense
Ballard Spahr Attorneys Recognized by The Legal 500 for 2025
Antitrust – Civil Litigation/Class Action: Defense
Stephen J. Kastenberg
Jason A. Leckerman
Emilia McKee Vassallo
James A. Mitchell
Marcel S. Pratt
Edward D. Rogers
Corporate Investigations and White Collar Criminal Defense
David L. Axelrod
Celia Cohen
Henry E. Hockeimer, Jr.
James A. Mitchell
Marjorie J. Peerce
Michael P. Robotti
Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation, and Retirement Plans – Design
Edward I. Leeds
Brian M. Pinheiro
D. Finn Pressly
Energy: Renewable/Alternative Power
Patrick R. Gillard
Bruce F. Johnson
Steve T. Park
John P. Smolen
Randall J. Towers
Financial Services Litigation: Consumer Finance
Thomas Burke
Mike Kilgarriff
Daniel JT McKenna
Jenny N. Perkins
John D. Socknat
Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance
Daniel JT McKenna
Joseph J. Schuster – Next Generation Partner
John D. Socknat
Fintech
Peter Jaslow
Marjorie J. Peerce
John D. Socknat
Ronald K. Vaske
Labor and Employment: Labor – Management Relations
Shannon D. Farmer
Denise M. Keyser
Brian D. Pedrow
M&A/Corporate and Commercial – M&A: Middle-Market (sub-$500m)
Brian D. Doerner
Michael R. Kuhn
Karen C. McConnell
Barbara Lano Rummel
Nathan E. Seiler
Gregory L. Seltzer
Maggie M. Tatton
Media and Entertainment: Litigation
Seth D. Berlin
Michael Berry
Jay Ward Brown
Chad R. Bowman
Charles D. Tobin
Product Liability, Mass Tort, and Class Action – Automotive/Transport: Defense
Steven A. Burkhart
Neal Walters
Casey G. Watkins
Project Finance
Donna Brady
Patrick R. Gillard
Bruce F. Johnson
Katie Leesman
Steve T. Park
Lea A. Phillips
John P. Smolen
Randall J. Towers
Matthew J. Vantusko
John C. Wheatley
Real Estate
Molly R. Bryson
Dominic J. De Simone
Mary Jo George
Amy M. McClain
Katherine M. Noonan
Christopher W. Payne
Real Estate Finance
Chrissey L. Barba
Dominic J. De Simone
Thomas A. Hauser
Amy M. McClain
Siobhan M. O’Donnell
Jennifer Santangelo
Maulin Vidwans
Joseph W. Weill
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
J. Thomas Bashore II
Douglas M. Fox
Charles R. Moran
Real Estate: Land Use/Zoning
Jon M. Laria
Amy M. McClain
Matthew N. McClure
Steven P. Mehr
Joanne Phillips
Eileen B. Quigley
Restructuring (Including Bankruptcy): Municipal
Tobey M. Daluz
William C. Rhodes
Laurel D. Roglen – Next Generation Partner
Matthew G. Summers
William P. Wassweiler
Securities Litigation: Defense
David L. Axelrod
Keisha O. Coleman
Lauren Engelmyer
M. Norman Goldberger
Laura E. Krabill
David J. Margules
Elizabeth A. Sloan