Peer Recognition Earns 107 Lawyers Recognition in 2026 Edition of Best Lawyers® 

This year’s Best Lawyers® results mark a milestone for Smith Anderson, with 84 lawyers recognized in The Best Lawyers in America©, the highest number in the firm’s history.

In total, 107 Smith Anderson lawyers are honored in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers®, a recognition based entirely on peer review. Among them, 11 lawyers earned the distinguished “Lawyer of the Year” title in Raleigh, reserved for attorneys who receive the strongest peer feedback in their practice areas. Additionally, 23 lawyers are included in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, which highlights exceptional attorneys who have been in practice for fewer than 10 years.

Smith Anderson’s 2026 “Lawyers of the Year” for Raleigh are:

1. Byron B. Kirkland (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
2. Caryn Coppedge McNeill (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
3. Christopher B. Capel (Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation)
4. Clifton L. Brinson (Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions)
5. Curtis C. Brewer IV (Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law)
6. James K. Dorsett III (Bet-the-Company Litigation)
7. Kerry A. Shad (Litigation - Labor and Employment)
8. Kimberly J. Korando (Employment Law - Management)
9. Kimberly Quarles Swintosky (Tax Law)
10. Martin H. Brinkley (Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships))
11. Robert Joseph Morris (Litigation - Patent)

The Best Lawyers in America^©

The following Smith Anderson lawyers have been recognized by Best Lawyers® in their identified areas of distinction.

1. Geoffrey W. Adams (Banking & Finance Law)
2. Zebulon D. Anderson (Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Trade Secrets Law)
3. Mitchell Armbruster (Commercial Litigation)
4. Heyward D. Armstrong (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation)
5. Andrew P. Atkins (Construction Law, Real Estate Law)
6. Amy Meyers Batten (Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation)
7. David W. Berry (Environmental Law, Energy Law)
8. Julian D. Bobbitt, Jr. (Health Care Law)
9. Curtis C. Brewer IV (Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Private Funds/Hedge Funds Law, Venture Capital Law)
10. Martin H. Brinkley (Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
11. Clifton L. Brinson (Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Mergers & Acquisitions, Litigation – Securities)
12. Joshua D. Bryant (Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Tax Law)
13. Christopher B. Capel (Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation, Venture Capital Law)
14. Kevin M. Ceglowski (Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
15. Ansley Chapman Cella (Tax Law, Trusts and Estates, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law)
16. Toby R. Coleman (Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Real Estate Law)
17. Bradley J. Daves (Real Estate Law)
18. Joshua M. Diver (Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law)
19. James K. Dorsett III (Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation)
20. Robert E. Duggins (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
21. Jordan L. Fieldstein (Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Tax Law)
22. Blake Simpson Fricks (Litigation – Intellectual Property)
23. Darrell A. Fruth (Litigation – Intellectual Property, Trademark Law, Trade Secrets Law)
24. V. Lori Fuller (Government Relations Practice)
25. Timothy S. Goettel (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
26. W. Mark Griffith (Energy Law, Government Relations Practice)
27. Jamison H. Hinkle (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
28. J. Travis Hockaday (Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
29. Davis Horne, Jr. (Administrative/Regulatory Law, Government Relations Practice)
30. John L. Jernigan (Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law)
31. John H. Jo (Commercial Litigation)
32. Benji T. Jones (Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation)
33. Charles Kabugo-Musoke (Banking and Finance Law)
34. Rosemary G. Kenyon (Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
35. Christopher R. Kiger (Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
36. Lee M. Kirby, Jr. (Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law)
37. Byron B. Kirkland (Corporate Law, Leverages Buy Outs & Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Venture Capital Law, Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law)
38. Kimberly J. Korando (Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management)
39. Geoffrey R. Krouse (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
40. Timothy P. Lehan (Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants)
41. Isaac A. Linnartz (Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
42. John D. Madden (Litigation – Insurance, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants)
43. Wayne K. Maiorano (Construction Law, Litigation – Construction)
44. Peter J. Marino (Construction Law, Litigation – Construction)
45. Jason L. Martinez (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law)
46. C. Steven Mason (Real Estate Law)
47. Merrill M. Mason (Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Venture Capital Law)
48. Caryn Coppedge McNeill (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
49. Brian D. Meacham (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
50. Miranda R. Miller (Securities/Capital Markets Law, Venture Capital Law)
51. Scott A. Miskimon (Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate)
52. Michael W. Mitchell (Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Real Estate Law)
53. Jackson W. Moore (Commercial Litigation)
54. Robert Joseph Morris (Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Advertising Law)
55. William H. Moss (Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants)
56. William W. Nelson (Tax Law)
57. Bart A. Norman (Banking and Finance Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law)
58. Stephen T. Parascandola (Environmental Law)
59. Susan Milner Parrott (Employment Law – Management)
60. Carl N. Patterson, Jr. (Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation – Securities)
61. Armand A. Perry (Banking and Finance Law)
62. Matthew D. Rhoad (Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law)
63. Addie K. S. Ries (Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
64. Davis F. Roach (Real Estate Law)
65. Gerald F. Roach (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation, Venture Capital Law)
66. Edward F. Roche (Litigation – Labor and Employment)
67. Philip W. Romohr (Banking and Finance Law)
68. Michael P. Saber (Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Venture Capital Law)
69. David A. Senter, Jr. (Health Care Law)
70. Kerry A. Shad (Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
71. Robert W. Shaw (Administrative/Regulatory Law)
72. Dana E. Simpson (Administrative/Regulatory Law, Government Relations Practice)
73. Christopher G. Smith (Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental)
74. Richard Y. Stevens (Government Relations Practice)
75. Kimberly Quarles Swintosky (Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates)
76. John R. Therien (Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, Copyright Law, Trademark Law)
77. Michael R. Thornton (Real Estate Law)
78. Justin G. Truesdale (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
79. Donald H. Tucker, Jr. (Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation – Securities)
80. Kirk G. Warner (Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
81. Jessica B. West (Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law)
82. Sharita M. Whitaker (Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Real Estate Law)
83. James C. Wrenn, Jr. (Health Care Law)
84. C. Allen York (Real Estate Law)

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America

The full list of Smith Anderson lawyers recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch^® in America and their areas of recognition is below.

1. Hunter Bruton (Appellate Practice)
2. Tyler J. Cook (Securities / Capital Markets Law, Securities Regulation)
3. Amy C. Crout (Construction Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law)
4. Taylor M. Dewberry (Labor and Employment Law – Management)
5. T.G. R. Falcon (Technology Law)
6. Joseph C. Fields (Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
7. Davis J. Fussell (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
8. Hope C. Garber (Commercial Litigation)
9. John W. Gibson (Administrative / Regulatory Law, Health Care Law)
10. Grace A. Gregson (Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Construction)
11. John E. Harris (Commercial Litigation)
12. Robert L. Hash (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
13. Samuel A. Hipps (Banking and Finance Law)
14. Josiah S. Irvin (Health Care Law)
15. Nelson A. McKown (Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Natural Resources Law)
16. Elizabeth “Liza” Nye (Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law)
17. Chase Parker (Commercial Litigation)
18. David A. Pasley (Commercial Litigation)
19. William M. Pugh (Venture Capital Law)
20. Melissa A. Schluter (Banking and Finance Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law)
21. Amelia L. Serrat (Commercial Litigation, Real Estate Law)
22. James R. Todd (Real Estate Law)
23. Kendra L. White (Banking and Finance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)

Best Lawyers and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch is based on a peer-review survey in which leading attorneys cast more than 5.5 million detailed evaluations of the legal abilities of other lawyers.