Member News

Additional recognitions include “Lawyer of the Year” and “Top-Listed” City Awards

 

Buffalo, N.Y. – Phillips Lytle LLP is pleased to announce 56 of the firm’s attorneys have been ranked in The Best Lawyers in America 2023, three of whom have earned “Lawyer of the Year” recognition.  Additionally, 11 attorneys have been named to the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America^TM list and three practices received “Top-Listed” City Awards.

The following Phillips Lytle attorneys are cited as 2023 “Lawyer of the Year”:

• Angela Zwirecki Miller, Buffalo, NY (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law)
• Kenneth A. Manning, Buffalo, NY  (Bet-the-Company Litigation; Litigation - Municipal)
• William P. Keefer, Buffalo, NY (Health Care Law)

 

Three Phillips Lytle practices received “Top-Listed” City Award designations.  This honor is given to the firm that has the most recognized lawyers in a particular location and practice area.

• The Best Lawyers in America - Banking and Finance Law in Rochester: Four attorneys
• The Best Lawyers in America - Environmental Law in Buffalo: Four attorneys
• The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch - Commercial Litigation in Buffalo: Five attorneys

 

Attorneys ranked as The Best Lawyers in America for 2023 include:

 

Buffalo

• Sharon Prise Azurin (Corporate Law)
• Holly A. Beecher (Trusts and Estates)
• Lucy Berkman (Trusts and Estates)
• Edward S. Bloomberg (Commercial Litigation)
• Glenn J. Bobeck (Corporate Law)
• Alan J. Bozer (Appellate Practice)
• William J. Brennan (Commercial Litigation)
• William J. Brown (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy)
• Craig R. Bucki (Litigation – Municipal)
• William D. Christ (Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
• James J. Contino (Real Estate Law)
• Douglas W. Dimitroff (Real Estate Law)
• James D. Donathen (Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment)
• Deborah A. Doxey (Banking and Finance Law)
• Kevin J. English (Commercial Litigation)
• David P. Flynn (Environmental Law)
• Robert E. Glanville (Environmental Law; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
• James R. Grasso (Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management)
• Tamar P. Halpern (Commercial Litigation; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
• Mary Jo Herrscher (Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants)
• Kevin M. Hogan (Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental)
• Paul F. Jones (Commercial Litigation; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
• William P. Keefer (Health Care Law)
• David H. Kernan (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
• Gary F. Kotaska (Corporate Law; Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
• Ryan A. Lema (Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants)
• Kenneth A. Manning (Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Labor and Employment; Litigation – Municipal; Litigation and Controversy – Tax; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants)
• Lisa McDougall (Health Care Law)
• David J. McNamara (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Banking and Finance)
• Sean C. McPhee (Commercial Litigation)
• Angela Zwirecki Miller (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law)
• David J. Murray (Corporate Law)
• John A. Pappano (Real Estate Law)
• Michael B. Powers (Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants)
• John G. Schmidt Jr. (Commercial Litigation)
• Ronald S. Shubert (Litigation – Real Estate; Real Estate Law)
• Lisa L. Smith (Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
• James W. Smyton (Corporate Law)
• Adam S. Walters (Environmental Law; Real Estate Law)
• James W. Whitcomb (Commercial Litigation; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants)
• Sharon L. Wick (Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Trusts and Estates)
• Alan M. Wishnoff (Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants)
• Preston L. Zarlock (Commercial Litigation)

 

Rochester

• Richard M. Beers, Jr. (Banking and Finance Law; Real Estate Law)
• Thomas R. Burns (Corporate Law)
• David L. Cook (Commercial Litigation; Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental; Litigation – Real Estate)
• Victoria L. Grady (Banking and Finance Law)
• Ryan A. Lown (Real Estate Law)
• Linda T. Prestegaard (Employment Law – Individuals; Employment Law – Management)
• Raymond L. Ruff (Banking and Finance Law)
• Robert F. Zogas (Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law)

 

New York City

• Kenneth R. Crystal (Real Estate Law)
• Eric M. Kraus (Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants)
• Milan K. Tyler (Public Finance Law)

 

Jamestown

• Gregory L. Peterson (Real Estate Law)

 

Albany

• Richard E. Honen (Commercial Litigation; Corporate Law; Venture Capital Law)

 

The following attorneys were named to the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America list:

• Erin C. Borek, Buffalo, NY (Commercial Litigation)
• Anthony M. Carello, Rochester, NY (Real Estate Law)
• Catherine N. (Eisenhut) Cervone, Buffalo, NY (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law)
• Erin E. Connare, Buffalo, NY (Commercial Litigation; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
• Jeffrey D. Coren, Buffalo, NY (Commercial Litigation)
• Andrew P. Devine, Buffalo, NY (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Banking and Finance; Litigation – Real Estate)
• Jillian M. Dunbar, Rochester, NY (Banking and Finance Law)
• Alson James McKenna, Rochester, NY (Banking and Finance Law)
• Kimberly R. Nason, Buffalo, NY (Environmental Law)
• Jacob S. Sonner, Buffalo, NY (Commercial Litigation; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
• Tara Ward, Rochester, NY (Commercial Litigation)

 

Recognition by Best Lawyers^® is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor, conferred on a lawyer by their peers.  For more than four decades, the publications have earned the respect of the profession, media and public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals anywhere.  These lists of outstanding lawyers are compiled by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. For the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, 12.2 million evaluations were analyzed, which resulted in nearly 72,000 leading lawyers in 147 practice areas being included in the new edition. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.

 

Phillips Lytle LLP is a premier regional law firm that is recognized nationally for its legal excellence. With offices across New York State and in Chicago, IL, Washington, D.C. and Canada, our attorneys serve a multinational client base, including FORTUNE 1000 companies, global and regional financial institutions, not-for-profit organizations, middle-market companies, startups, entrepreneurs, and individuals on important matters affecting their businesses and personal wealth. For more information, visit www.phillipslytle.com.