119 Lawyers from Dykema Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2020

18 Attorneys Earn “Lawyer of the Year” Honors

Press Releases

8.15.19

Dykema, a leading national law firm, announced today that 119 of its attorneys, in multiple practice areas and markets, have been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2020 guide. Additionally, 18 of the firm’s practitioners have been named Best Lawyers 2020 “Lawyer of the Year,” a special distinction conferred upon a single lawyer within a practice area and metropolitan market.

The Best Lawyers in America® is the pre-eminent national listing of outstanding attorneys. This annual guide is derived from exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers.

The Dykema attorneys named Best Lawyers 2020 “Lawyers of the Year,” the practice area(s) for which they are being recognized and office location are:

  • Richard J. Aaron - Energy Law
  • Kerry T. Benedict - Real Estate Law
  • J. Michael Bernard - Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Bowden V. Brown - Public Finance Law
  • Marie R. Deveney - Trusts and Estates
  • James P. Feeney - Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
  • Ann D. Fillingham - Corporate Law
  • Todd Grant Gattoni - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
  • Alan M. Greene - Litigation - Real Estate
  • Dennis M. Haffey - Litigation - Banking and Finance
  • Kathryn J. Humphrey - Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Howard B. Iwrey - Litigation – Antitrust
  • Peter M. Kellett - Litigation – Securities
  • Lori McAllister - Insurance Law
  • D. Richard McDonald - Securities Regulation
  • Cameron H. Piggott - Real Estate Law
  • Phylis J. Speedlin - Mediation
  • James M. Truss - Oil and Gas Law

The Dykema attorneys listed in the 2020 Best Lawyers in America guide, identified by office location and the practice areas for which they have been recognized, are:

Ann Arbor, Michigan

  • Phyllis G. Adams – Health Care Law
  • Marie R. Deveney – Trusts and Estates
  • Kathrin E. Kudner – Health Care Law
  • Melvin J. Muskovitz – Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Ronald J. Santo – Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management
  • Robert P. Tiplady – Litigation - Trusts and Estates; Trusts and Estates
  • Jill M. Wheaton – Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation

Austin, Texas

  • Michael P. Adams – Litigation - Intellectual Property; Litigation - Patent; Patent Law; Trademark Law
  • Michael Klein – Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law
  • Keith A. Shuley – Environmental Law; Water Law
  • Phillip M. Slinkard – Corporate Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

  • Brian R. Balow – Corporate Law
  • Michael Blalock – Commercial Litigation
  • Brendan J. Cahill – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Amy M. Christen – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • Michael G. Cumming – Trusts and Estates
  • Stephen R. Estey – Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; Litigation - Real Estate; Real Estate Law
  • James P. Feeney – Arbitration; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Corporate Law; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Adam M. Fishkind – Real Estate Law
  • Fred J. Fresard – Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Alan M. Greene – Land Use and Zoning Law; Litigation - Land Use and Zoning; Litigation - Real Estate
  • Clay Guise – Commercial Litigation
  • Dennis M. Haffey – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance; Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions; Litigation - Securities; Litigation - Trusts and Estates
  • Kyle R. Hauberg – Project Finance Law; Real Estate Law
  • Joseph H. Hickey – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance
  • Margaret Adams Hunter – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • Howard B. Iwrey – Antitrust Law; Litigation - Antitrust
  • Gerald T. Lievois – Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law
  • Bonnie Mayfield – Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Richard McDonald – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law; Securities Regulation
  • Brian M. Moore – Commercial Litigation
  • Paul Nystrom – Commercial Litigation; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • James D. Obermanns – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • John W. Rees – Patent Law
  • Kenneth J. Sachs – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • Brian Smith – Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Sheryl L. Toby – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation - Bankruptcy

Chicago, Illinois

  • Michael C. Borders – Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • C. Elizabeth Darke – Real Estate Law
  • Michael S. Kurtzon – Real Estate Law
  • Robert C. Linton – Real Estate Law
  • Andrew P. Scott – Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Ian M. Sherman – Insurance Law
  • Rosa M. Tumialián – Litigation - Insurance
  • Daniel Zollner – Insurance Law

Dallas, Texas

  • Thomas B. Alleman – Insurance Law
  • Mark E. Andrews – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Alison Ashmore – Commercial Litigation
  • M. David Bryant, Jr. – Commercial Litigation
  • Bob H. Feroze – Real Estate Law
  • Jeffrey R. Fine – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • William B. Finkelstein – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Brian R. Forbes – Real Estate Law
  • Jane Gerber – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • R. Chris Harvey – Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
  • Aaron M. Kaufman – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Christopher D. Kratovil – Appellate Practice
  • Arlene Switzer Steinfield – Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Edwin J. Tomko – Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Detroit, Michigan

  • J. Michael Bernard – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Robert A. Boonin – Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Lisa A. Brown – Commercial Litigation
  • James R. Case – Construction Law
  • Michael P. Cooney – Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Sherrie L. Farrell – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Commercial Litigation
  • Todd G. Gattoni – Commercial Litigation; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Grant P. Gilezan – Environmental Law; Litigation - Environmental
  • James F. Hermon – Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Kathryn J. Humphrey – Aviation Law; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Mark D. Jacobs – Environmental Law
  • Peter M. Kellett – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Antitrust; Litigation - Securities; Mediation; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Joel D. Kellman – Litigation - Real Estate; Real Estate Law
  • Jin-Kyu Koh – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law
  • Rochelle Lento – Real Estate Law
  • Cameron H. Piggott – Litigation - Real Estate; Real Estate Law
  • Harold D. Pope – Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Carl Rashid, Jr. – Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law; Litigation - Real Estate; Litigation and Controversy – Tax; Real Estate Law; Tax Law
  • Daniel J. Schairbaum – Real Estate Law
  • Thomas M. Schehr – Commercial Litigation
  • Thomas S. Vaughn – Corporate Law; Mergers & Acquisitions Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law

Grand Rapids, Michigan

  • John A. Ferroli – Environmental Law; Litigation - Environmental
  • Stephen S. Muhich – Employment Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment

Lansing, Michigan

  • Richard J. Aaron – Administrative / Regulatory Law; Energy Law
  • Lance Boldrey – Gaming Law; Native American Law
  • Sandra M. Cotter – Administrative / Regulatory Law
  • Ann D. Fillingham – Corporate Law; Public Finance Law
  • Gary P. Gordon – Administrative / Regulatory Law; First Amendment Law; Government Relations Practice
  • Jason Hanselman – Energy Law; Energy Regulatory Law; Government Relations Practice
  • James P. Kiefer – Corporate Law; Public Finance Law
  • Lori McAllister – Arbitration; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Litigation - Banking and Finance; Litigation - Insurance
  • W. Alan Wilk – Administrative / Regulatory Law; Corporate Compliance Law; Corporate Governance Law
  • Leonard C. Wolfe – Administrative / Regulatory Law; Gaming Law; Government Relations Practice

Los Angeles, California

  • James S. Azadian – Litigation - Intellectual Property
  • Brian J. Page – Corporate Law; Litigation - Real Estate; Real Estate Law

McAllen, Texas

  • Diann M. Bartek – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation - Bankruptcy

Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Reed R. Heimbecher – Patent Law

San Antonio, Texas

  • Kerry T. Benedict – Banking and Finance Law; Real Estate Law
  • Michael D. Bernard – Commercial Litigation
  • Ramon D. Bissmeyer – Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Jane Bockus – Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Raymond A. Cowley – Employment Law - Management
  • Daniel Harkins – Copyright Law; Litigation - Intellectual Property; Litigation - Patent; Patent Law; Trademark Law
  • Patrick L. Huffstickler – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • C. David Kinder – Commercial Litigation
  • Wilhelm E. Liebmann – Corporate Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law
  • Donna K. McElroy – Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management
  • Robert W. Nelson – Tax Law
  • Patrick Ryan – Corporate Law
  • Thomas E. Sanders – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - ERISA
  • Brett W. Schouest – Commercial Litigation
  • Andrew Sherwood – Real Estate Law
  • James B. Smith, Jr. –  Corporate Law
  • Phylis J. Speedlin – Appellate Practice; Arbitration; Mediation
  • Daniel R. Stern – Employment Law - Individuals; Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Labor Law - Union; Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • John B. Stewart – Real Estate Law
  • James M. Truss – Commercial Litigation; Energy Law; Litigation - Environmental; Litigation - Real Estate; Oil and Gas Law
  • Dan G. Webster III – Corporate Law
  • David B. West – Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance; Litigation - Trusts and Estates
  • Deborah D. Williamson – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

About Best Lawyers

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer review evaluation. More than 83,000 leading attorneys globally are eligible to vote, and we have received more than 13 million votes to date on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.