Smith Anderson Sets New Firm High in 2027 Best Lawyers®

Smith Anderson has reached a new firm high in the 2027 edition of Best Lawyers®, with 85 lawyers recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®. In addition, 21 lawyers are recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, which highlights outstanding attorneys who have been in practice for fewer than 10 years. In total, 106 Smith Anderson lawyers are included in this year’s results across 46 practice areas.

Five lawyers also earned the distinguished “Lawyer of the Year” title in Raleigh, an honor awarded to attorneys who receive the strongest peer feedback in their respective practice areas.

Smith Anderson’s 2027 Raleigh “Lawyers of the Year” are:

1. Amy Meyers Batten — Corporate Law
2. Benji T. Jones — Securities Regulation
3. Byron B. Kirkland — Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
4. Miranda R. Miller — Venture Capital Law
5. Bart A. Norman — Banking and Finance Law 

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

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America

The following Smith Anderson lawyers are recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America:

1. H. 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 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. John E. Harris — Commercial Litigation
11. Robert L. Hash — Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
12. Samuel A. Hipps — Banking and Finance Law
13. Josiah S. Irvin — Health Care Law
14. Chase Parker — Commercial Litigation
15. David A. Pasley — Commercial Litigation
16. William M. Pugh — Venture Capital Law
17. Melissa Schluter — Banking and Finance Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law
18. Amelia L. Serrat — Commercial Litigation; Real Estate Law
19. Elizabeth Thompson — Banking and Finance Law; Real Estate Law
20. James R. Todd — Real Estate Law
21. Kendra L. White — Banking and Finance Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law 

Best Lawyers recognition is based entirely on peer review, with leading attorneys evaluating the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographic region and legal practice area. Learn more about the Best Lawyers methodology.