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5 Lightfoot Attorneys Named Birmingham “Lawyers of the Year” and 47 Recognized Overall in 2026 Edition of Best Lawyers®

August 21, 2025

Five Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC attorneys have been named “Lawyers of the Year” for Birmingham in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© published by Woodward/White, Inc. This year’s guide included 47 lawyers from the firm’s Birmingham and Houston offices. Seven 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:

In total, 47 Lightfoot attorneys from the firm’s Birmingham and Houston offices were selected for inclusion in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers. Additionally, eight Lightfoot lawyers earned recognition as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, which highlights outstanding early-career attorneys. 

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
    • Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
    • 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 
    • Product Liability Litigation – 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 
    • Sports Law
  • 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 
    • Sports Law
  • John G. (JT) Thompson, Jr.
    • Advertising Law
    • 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 

 2026 “Ones to Watch”:

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 Enyinnia
    • Commercial Litigation
    • Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
    • Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
  • William C. Johnson 
    • Insurance Law
    • Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
    • Transportation Law 
  • 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 

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.

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