Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP is pleased to announce that 68 Calfee lawyers have been included in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, and 28 Calfee lawyers have been recognized as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. In addition, five lawyers have been recognized as "Lawyers of the Year" by Best Lawyers in their respective practice areas.
5 Calfee Partners Recognized as 2026 Best Lawyers "Lawyers of the Year" in Ohio
- David T. Bules, Litigation Partner, is recognized by Best Lawyers as the 2026 "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation - Banking and Finance Law (Cincinnati).
- Arthur C. Hall III, Firm Administrative Partner and Cleveland Office Partner-in-Charge, is recognized by Best Lawyers as the 2026 "Lawyer of the Year" for Securities Regulation (Cleveland).
- James F. Lang, Partner and Co-Chair of the Energy and Utilities practice group, is recognized by Best Lawyers as the 2026 "Lawyer of the Year" for Energy Law (Cleveland).
- Joseph M. Mentrek, Partner and Chair of the Estate and Succession Planning and Administration practice group, is recognized by Best Lawyers as the 2026 "Lawyer of the Year" for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law (Cleveland).
- Karla M. Rogers, Partner and Chair of the Real Estate practice group, is recognized by Best Lawyers as the 2026 "Lawyer of the Year" for Commercial Finance Law, (Cleveland).
Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the "Lawyer of the Year," making this a significant and coveted accolade. These lawyers are selected based on particularly impressive voting averages received during the peer review assessments. Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity.
68 Calfee Lawyers Named to 2026 Best Lawyers
Calfee congratulates the following lawyers named to the 2026 The Best Lawyers in America list:
- Brent D. Ballard – Corporate Law; Real Estate Law (Cleveland)
- Blake C. Beachler – Public Finance Law (Cleveland)
- Fritz E. Berckmueller – Commercial Litigation; Criminal Defense: White-Collar (Cleveland)
- Karl S. Beus – Banking and Finance Law; Commercial Finance Law (Cleveland)
- Mitchell G. Blair – Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy) (Cleveland)
- Jason J. (Jake) Blake – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Construction (Columbus)
- Chet J. Bonner – Patent Law (Cleveland)
- David T. Bules – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance; Litigation - ERISA; Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions; Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy); Litigation - Securities (Cincinnati)
- John R. Cernelich – Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management (Cleveland)
- Matthew A. Chiricosta – Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law (Cleveland)
- John S. Cipolla – Litigation - Intellectual Property; Patent Law; Trade Secrets Law (Cleveland)
- Maryellen K. Corbett – Government Relations Practice (Columbus)
- Anthony J. Cox – Corporate Law (Cleveland)
- Mara E. Cushwa – Real Estate Law (Cleveland)
- Terrence F. (Terry) Doyle – Corporate Law; Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law (Cleveland)
- Gary L. Ellsworth – Real Estate Law (Cleveland)
- Michael K. French – Corporate Law (Cleveland)
- Amy K. Friedmann – Trusts and Estates (Cleveland)
- Michael K. Gall – Tax Law (Cleveland)
- Stephanie M. Glavinos – Trusts and Estates (Cleveland)
- Elizabeth Zoller Golish – Real Estate Law (Cleveland)
- Arthur C. Hall III – Corporate Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law; Securities Regulation (Cleveland)
- Gregory S. Harvey – Corporate Law (Cleveland)
- Patrick D. Hayes – Corporate Compliance Law; Financial Services Regulation Law; Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law; Securities Regulation (Cincinnati)
- Gwen Gillespie Herman – Corporate Law (Cleveland)
- James C. Holsclaw – Energy Law (Indianapolis)
- Justin T. Howell – Insurance Law (Cleveland)
- Maura L. Hughes – Antitrust Law; Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Antitrust (Cleveland)
- Michael B. Hurley – Corporate Law; Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Cincinnati)
- Christopher Jones – Environmental Law (Columbus)
- Steven C. Karzmer – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Columbus)
- James F. Lang – Commercial Litigation; Energy Law; Energy Regulatory Law; Litigation - Municipal (Cleveland)
- Albert J. Lucas – Commercial Litigation (Columbus)
- Mark W. McDougall – Patent Law (Cleveland)
- John J. McGuire – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Cleveland)
- Brian A. McMahon – Banking and Finance Law (Cleveland)
- Ronald M. McMillan – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Construction (Cleveland)
- Daniel J. McMullen – Copyright Law; Information Technology Law (Cleveland)
- Matthew M. Mendoza – Construction Law; Litigation - Construction; Litigation - Insurance (Cleveland)
- Joseph M. Mentrek – Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Litigation - Trusts and Estates; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates (Cleveland)
- Thomas I. Michals – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants (Cleveland)
- Robert A. Miller – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (Cleveland)
- John A. Mongelluzzo – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Cincinnati)
- Cynthia A. Neal – Litigation - Intellectual Property; Patent Law (Cincinnati)
- Douglas A. Neary – Corporate Compliance Law; Corporate Governance Law; Corporate Law; International Mergers and Acquisitions; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law (Cleveland)
- Colleen M. O'Neil – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Trusts and Estates (Cleveland)
- Todd F. Palmer – Employment Law - Management (Cleveland)
- Leah Pappas Porner – Government Relations Practice (Columbus)
- Brent M. Pietrafese – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Cleveland)
- Billy C. Raulerson – Patent Law (Columbus)
- Daniel Reinhard – Energy Law; Government Relations Practice (Columbus)
- Karla M. Rogers – Commercial Finance Law; Corporate Law; Real Estate Law (Cleveland)
- Jason A. Rothman – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (Cleveland)
- Joshua R. Sanders – Government Relations Practice (Columbus)
- Ann Z. Seger – Banking and Finance Law; Commercial Finance Law (Cleveland)
- Anthony F. Stringer – Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation - Insurance (Cleveland)
- James Sullivan – Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation - Insurance (Cleveland)
- Raymond M. Tarasuck – Workers' Compensation Law - Employers (Cleveland)
- Jerry J. Thomas – Commercial Finance Law; Corporate Law (Cleveland)
- Salvatore J. (Sam) Totino – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Tax Law (Cleveland)
- Michael G. VanBuren – Health Care Law (Cleveland)
- Jaclyn M. Vary – Litigation - Trusts and Estates; Nonprofit / Charities Law; Trusts and Estates (Cleveland)
- Jennifer L. Vergilii – Corporate Law; International Mergers and Acquisitions; Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Cleveland)
- Jennifer Walwyn Colvin – Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment (Cincinnati)
- Christopher M. Ward – Environmental Law; Litigation - Environmental (Columbus)
- Robert J. Ward – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Columbus)
- Thomas M. Welsh – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Cleveland)
- Christopher S. Williams – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - ERISA (Cleveland)
Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They 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. For more than four decades, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify lawyers to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Lawyers are not required nor allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, recognition by Best Lawyers is considered a singular distinction.
28 Calfee Lawyers Named to 2026 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
Calfee congratulates the following lawyers recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America:
- Margaret T. (Maggie) Ahern – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Cleveland)
- Tae Andrews – Insurance Law (Washington, D.C.)
- Kelsey L. Baughman – Commercial Litigation (Cleveland)
- Alexandria Beto – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Columbus)
- Nicholas A. Bonaminio – Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation - Antitrust (Cleveland)
- Taylor M. Carpenter – Energy Law (Indianapolis)
- Stephen Carpinello – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Cleveland)
- Nicolette T.E. Cregan – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Tax Law (Cleveland)
- Ryland A. Doerr – Commercial Litigation (Columbus)
- Lauren K. Garretson – Commercial Litigation (Cleveland)
- Andrew Griesser – Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law (Cincinnati)
- Nicholas M. Hudnell – Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law (Cleveland)
- Tianshu (Allie) Ji – Corporate Governance and Compliance Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Cleveland)
- Piljung (Kevin) Kang – Tax Law (Washington, D.C.)
- Terrence J. (TJ) Killeen, Jr. – Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law (Cleveland)
- Brittany L. Kulwicki – Intellectual Property Law; Patent Law (Cleveland)
- Dustin D. Likens – Intellectual Property Law; Litigation - Intellectual Property; Litigation – Patent; Patent Law (Cleveland)
- Meredith A. Miller – Intellectual Property Law; Patent Law (Cincinnati)
- Maureen T. Pavicic – Trusts and Estates (Cleveland)
- Hunter D. Poindexter – Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Cincinnati)
- John L. Reulbach III – Intellectual Property Law; Litigation - Intellectual Property; Litigation - Patent; Patent Law (Cleveland)
- Madeline H. Shanahan – Labor and Employment Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment (Cincinnati)
- Rachel E. Shonebarger – Commercial Litigation (Columbus)
- Zachary J. Stackhouse – Litigation - Trusts and Estates; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates (Cleveland)
- Emma M. Tomsick – Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Labor and Employment (Cleveland)
- Sage Xin Wen – Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law (Cleveland)
- Gretchen L. Whaling – Commercial Litigation (Columbus)
- Tianyue Zhang – Intellectual Property Law; Patent Law (Cleveland)
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America recognizes associates and other lawyers who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. Lawyers recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America are divided by geographic region and practice areas. Lawyers are not required nor allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, recognition by Best Lawyers is considered a singular distinction.
About Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP
Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP is a full-service corporate law firm with 160 attorneys and professionals and five offices in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Washington, D.C. Calfee serves clients in the Midwest, nationally and globally in the areas of Corporate and Finance, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, Energy and Utilities, Estate and Succession Planning and Administration, Government Relations and Legislation, Intellectual Property, Investment Management Law, Labor and Employment, Litigation, and Real Estate Law. Calfee has been recognized as a leading law firm by Chambers USA 2025 in Antitrust, Banking & Finance, Construction, Corporate/M&A, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation, Energy & Natural Resources, Environment, Government Relations, Insurance, Intellectual Property, Investment Funds: Regulatory & Compliance, Labor & Employment, Litigation: General Commercial, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations, and Real Estate, and by Chambers HNW 2025 in Private Wealth Law. A founding member of Lex Mundi, Calfee offers international representation through a network of independent law firms with access to 22,000 attorneys located in more than 125 countries. Additional information is available at Calfee.com.
About Best Lawyers
Best Lawyers is one of the oldest and most respected peer-review publication companies in the legal profession. Recognition by Best Lawyers is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor, conferred on a lawyer by their peers. Their lists of outstanding lawyers are compiled by conducting exhaustive peer review surveys in which tens of thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. If the votes for a lawyer are positive enough for recognition by Best Lawyers, that lawyer must maintain those votes in subsequent polls to remain in each edition. Lawyers are not permitted to pay any fee to participate in or be recognized by Best Lawyers.