News & Insights
3 Lightfoot Attorneys Named Birmingham “Lawyers of the Year” and 47 Recognized Overall in 2025 Edition of Best Lawyers®
August 15, 2024
Three Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC attorneys have been named “Lawyers of the Year” for Birmingham in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© published by Woodward/White, Inc. This year’s guide included 39 lawyers from the firm’s Birmingham and Houston offices. Eight Lightfoot attorneys were listed as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America.
“Lawyers of the Year” are selected based on exceptional peer feedback in their practice area and geographic region. Only one attorney is recognized as the "Lawyer of the Year" for each practice and location. The Lightfoot attorneys honored are:
- Melody H. Eagan
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Michael L. Bell
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- W. Larkin Radney IV
- Environmental Law
The 39 Lightfoot lawyers listed in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers® are:
Birmingham
- J. Chandler Bailey
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Michael L. Bell
- Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
- William H. Brooks
- Appellate Practice
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Sports Law
- Reid C. Carpenter
- Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Kevin E. Clark
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Haley A. Cox
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Jeffrey P. Doss
- Appellate Practice
- Commercial Litigation
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
- Melody H. Eagan
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Brandon K. Essig
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Sara Anne Ford
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Banking and Finance
- Litigation – Environmental
- Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions
- Litigation – Real Estate
- Litigation – Securities
- Samuel H. Franklin
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Antitrust
- Litigation – Banking and Finance
- Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions
- Litigation – Securities
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- James W. Gibson
- Commercial Litigation
- Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Wesley B. Gilchrist
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions
- Litigation – Securities
- Enrique (Henry) J. Gimenez
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Sports Law
- Lee M. Hollis
- Commercial Litigation
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Elizabeth Huntley
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- John M. (Johnny) Johnson
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Environmental
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Brian P. Kappel
- Commercial Litigation
- M. Christian King
- Appellate Practice
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Environmental
- Litigation – Securities
- Rachel M. Lary
- Commercial Litigation
- Corporate Compliance Law
- Litigation – Trusts & Estates
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation –Defendants
- Jonathan R. Little
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Terrence W. (Terry) McCarthy
- Appellate Practice
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Insurance
- William H. Morrow
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Lana A. Olson
- Litigation – Environmental
- R. Ashby Pate
- Appellate Practice
- Commercial Litigation
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Adam K. Peck
- Litigation – Environmental
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Laura H. Peck
- Health Care Law
- Litigation – Health Care
- Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- J. Bradley Powell
- Commercial Litigation
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Harlan I. Prater, IV
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Environmental
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- David R. Pruet III
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Construction
- Litigation – Real Estate
- W. Larkin Radney IV
- Environmental Law
- Litigation – Environmental
- J. Banks Sewell, III
- Aviation Law
- Litigation – First Amendment
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Jack Sharman
- Corporate Compliance Law
- Corporate Governance Law
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Electronic Discovery and Information Management Law
- Clinton T. Speegle
- Commercial Litigation
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- John G. (JT) Thompson, Jr.
- Commercial Litigation
- Communications Law
- First Amendment Law
- Litigation – First Amendment
- Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- E. Glenn Waldrop, Jr.
- Construction Law
- Litigation - Construction
- Christopher C. Yearout
- Commercial Litigation
- Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Houston
- Sanford G. (Sandy) Hooper
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Jared I. Levinthal
- Commercial Litigation
In addition, eight lawyers received the publication's 2025 “Ones to Watch” recognition, given to attorneys on the rise:
Birmingham
- Meghan S. Cole
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Environmental
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- W. McKinley Dunn
- Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Amaobi J. Enyinnia
- Commercial Litigation
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Benjamin P. Harmon
- Commercial Litigation
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Rachelle E. Sanchez
- Commercial Litigation
- Health Care Law
- Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Amie A. Vague
- Appellate Practice
- Commercial Litigation
- Matthew J. Winne
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Professional Malpractice Law
Houston
- Kaitlyn M. Faucett
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Real Estate
Inclusion in Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. The methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical and legal practice area.