Taft is pleased to announce that 145 attorneys were recognized in the sixth edition of Best Lawyers® "Ones to Watch" 2026. This recognition is given to attorneys who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice. Best Lawyers® "Ones to Watch" honorees typically have been in practice for five to nine years.
Following is the list of Taft attorneys selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers® "Ones to Watch."
Chicago, Illinois
- Keanen Armour*, Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law
- Liz L. Butler, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
- Carly Chocron, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Bianca E. Ciarroni, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Paul J. Coogan, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation
- Stephen M. Cramarosso, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Adam W. Decker, Commercial Litigation
- John Kenny, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law
- Nicollette L. Khuans, Commercial Litigation, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Samyoul Kim*, Banking and Finance
- Anne Kremer, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Tax Law
- Adam M. Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Real Estate Law
- John C. McDonnell, Real Estate Law
- Benjamin S. Morrell, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Andrew S. Murphy*, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Jaimin H. Shah, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
- Akshita Singh, Administrative / Regulatory Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Caroline E. Thee, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Thibault Vieilledent*, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Abe K. Wehbi, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law
- Elizabeth Winkowski, Commercial Litigation
Cincinnati, Ohio
- Spencer S. Cowan, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation
- Michael T. Lasonczyk*, Immigration Law
- Trevor M. Nichols, Criminal Defense: General Practice, Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Christopher T. Tassone, Corporate Law, Tax Law
- Kevin M. Waklatsi, Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Cleveland, Ohio
- Mira Aftim, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Ina Avalon, Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Law, Environmental Law
- Joshua Bass*, Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law
- Michael D. De Matteis, Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law
- David J. Haba, Real Estate Law
- Kelsey Hughes-Blaum, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Commercial Litigation
- Javier Lopez*, Banking and Finance Law
- Jack Maib, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Securities
Colorado Springs, Colorado
- John Melcon, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Nonprofit / Charities Law
- Elaine Nolen, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- William R. Reed, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
Columbus, Ohio
- Benjamin Adkins, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law
- Joseph P. Guenther, Construction Law
- Lauren A. Kemp, Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Workers' Compensation Law – Employers
- Rachel A. Smoot, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent
- Lauren A. Stenger*, Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Law
- Abigail M. Thederahn, Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Anthony Tomusko*, Patent Law
- Amanda Wager*, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- David Washbush*, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
Covington, Kentucky
- Kenneth A. Foisy, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Kevin Imhof*, Insurance Law, Litigation – Trusts and Estates
Dayton, Ohio
- Zachary Eddy*, Corporate Governance and Compliance Law
- Kristin H. Hardy, Intellectual Property Law
- JP Jarecki*, Commercial Litigation
- Jordan Jennings*, Labor and Employment Law – Management, Privacy and Data Security Law
- Matt Hauer, Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation, Labor and Employment, Workers' Compensation Law – Employer
- Shawna M. Sorrell, Labor and Employment Law – Management
- Christopher M. Wolcott, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Commercial Litigation
Denver, Colorado
- Harshwinder Badhesha, Administrative / Regulatory Law, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Government Relations Practice, Litigation – Construction
- Curtis J. Bankers, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
- Allison R. Burke, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Allison Derschang, Family Law
- Kathryn DeVries, Family Law, Family Law: Arbitration and Mediation
- Joanie Donahue, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
- Eliz Espinoza, Family Law
- Ashlyn Ficus, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
- Erick Franz Hughes, Corporate Law
- Christopher M. Haws, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
- Casey K. Lekahal, Public Finance Law, Tax Law
- Bob Neel, Commercial Litigation
- Leah Nelson, Trusts and Estates
- Chelsea Reinhard, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Real Estate
- Lilian Rigby, Commercial Litigation
- Morgan Ryan, Trusts and Estates
- Ryan T. Shaffer, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Commercial Litigation, Communications Law
- Morgan Steele, Commercial Litigation
- Allison Takacs, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation – Construction Law
- William Vietti, Public Finance Law, Tax Law
Detroit, Michigan
- Aaron S. Boey*, Family Law
- Ian Evans, Banking and Finance Law
- Benjamin M. Low*, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction
- Nicole H. MacWilliams*, Trusts and Estates
- Ryan M. Mardini*, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Michael Pomeranz, Commercial Litigation
- Milan G. Reside*, Commercial Litigation
- Christopher Richards*, Environmental Law
- Vincent C. Sallan*, Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Jacob J. Simon, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law
- Bridget V. Tignanelli, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Josh Unice*, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Indianapolis, Indiana
- Henry D. Alderfer, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law
- Thomas Bemenderfer, Commercial Litigation
- Kelsie L. Breit, Banking and Finance Law
- Jacqueline Caserio*, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Kyle Chambers, Real Estate Law
- Devin P. Claerbout, Intellectual Property Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Kira A. Crowley, Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Mike Etienne, Intellectual Property Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
- Kristine Gordon, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental
- Vivek R. Hadley, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Environmental Law
- Lauren E. Hicks*, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law
- John Huldin, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
- Garrett Hutchinson, Entertainment and Sports Law, Intellectual Property Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Adam Mills, Commercial Litigation
- Lorenzo R. Murillo, Real Estate Law
- Abaigeal F. Musser, Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law
- Jeffrey W. Parker Jr., Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Neil Peluchette, Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property Law
- Jessamine Pilcher, Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law
- Mark M. Riffle, Real Estate Law
- Hayley A. Sears, Commercial Litigation, Municipal Law
- Tommy B. Sokolowski, Environmental Law
- William Sweet, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
- Mitch Tanner, Commercial Litigation
- Amelia Trefz, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Megan A. Van Pelt*, Corporate Law, Insurance Law, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Workers' Compensation Law – Employers
- Christine A. Walsh, Commercial Litigation
- Brittni C. Wassmer, Commercial Litigation
- Brett Wilson, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Benjamin A. Wolowski, Commercial Litigation, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Daniel Andersen, Public Finance Law, Tax Law
- Schaan P. Barth, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Chelsey C. Buck, Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Thomas M. Caturia, Land Use and Zoning Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Real Estate Law
- Adam Chandler, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Litigation – Real Estate
- Andrew S. Dosdall, Commercial Litigation, land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
- Jamie L. Erickson, Banking and Finance Law, Project Finance Law, Real Estate Law
- Dion Farganis, Commercial Litigation, Labor and Employment Law – Management
- Blair A. Harrington, Commercial Litigation, Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- Andrew T. Howard, Trusts and Estates
- Benjamin Kajer, Banking and Finance Law
- Jorgen Lervick, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Leah Leyendecker*, Corporate Law, Intellectual Property Law
- Leanna Longley, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Hannah Lutz*, Intellectual Property Law
- Brieanna Maershbecker, Real Estate Law
- Maren Magill*, Public Finance Law
- B. Tyler Philippi, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Yuka Shiotani, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation – Real Estate
- Brayanna J. Smith, Commercial Litigation
- Bethany J. Venegoni*, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Labor and Employment Law – Management
- Blake T. Vettel, Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Jordan L. Weber, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Real Estate, Litigation – Securities
- Thomas S. Welty, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Matthew Wolf, Energy Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
- Alina M. Yasis*, Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Health Care Law, Insurance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
Phoenix, Arizona
- Carli Simkin, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Bankruptcy, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
(*) Lawyers who are listed for the first time in Best Lawyers®: "Ones to Watch."
About Best Lawyers®
Best Lawyers® is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. The Best Lawyers® lists of attorneys 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 an attorney are positive enough for inclusion in Best Lawyers®, that attorney must maintain those votes in subsequent polls to remain on the list for each edition. Lawyers are not permitted to pay any fee to participate in or be included on the lists.