Member News

Buffalo, N.Y. – Phillips Lytle LLP is pleased to announce that 59 of the firm’s attorneys have been ranked in The Best Lawyers in America 2026 edition, two of whom have earned “Lawyer of the Year” recognition. Additionally, 33 attorneys have been named to the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America list.

“Lawyer of the Year” recognition is a prestigious honor awarded to individual lawyers who demonstrate exceptional expertise and dedication to their practice, based on the highest overall peer review feedback. The following Phillips Lytle attorneys are cited as 2026 “Lawyer of the Year”:

• William D. Christ, Buffalo, NY (Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants)
• William P. Keefer, Buffalo, NY (Health Care Law)

Phillips Lytle has also been named as “Top-Listed Ones to Watch” in several categories at both state and metro levels. This honor is given to the firm with the most recognized lawyers in a particular location and practice area.

• Top-Listed in New York State in Environmental Law
• Total number of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America lawyers recognized in Buffalo
• Top-Listed in Rochester in Banking and Finance Law
• Top-Listed in Buffalo in Commercial Litigation
• Top-Listed in Buffalo in Environmental Law

Attorneys ranked as The Best Lawyers in America for 2026 include:

Buffalo

• Sharon Prise Azurin (Corporate Law; Nonprofit / Charities Law)
• Holly A. Beecher (Trusts and Estates)
• Kristen M. Birmingham (Corporate Law)
• Joel A. Blanchet (Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
• Edward S. Bloomberg (Commercial Litigation)
• Glenn J. Bobeck (Corporate Law)
• Alan J. Bozer (Appellate Practice; Criminal Defense: White Collar)
• William J. Brown (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law)
• Craig R. Bucki (Litigation – Municipal)
• William D. Christ (Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
• Erin E. Connare (Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
• James J. Contino (Real Estate Law)
• Andrew P. Devine (Commercial Litigation)
• Douglas W. Dimitroff (Real Estate Law)
• Deborah A. Doxey (Banking and Finance Law)
• Kevin J. English (Commercial Litigation)
• David P. Flynn (Environmental Law)
• James R. Grasso (Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management)
• Kevin M. Hogan (Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental)
• Tristan D. Hujer (Commercial Litigation)
• William P. Keefer (Health Care Law)
• Ryan A. Lema (Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants)
• Amanda L. Lowe (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Labor and Employment; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants)
• David J. McNamara (Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Banking and Finance)
• Sean C. McPhee (Commercial Litigation)
• Angela Zwirecki Miller (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law)
• Joseph L. Mooney (Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
• David J. Murray (Corporate Law; Health Care Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
• Kimberly R. Nason (Land Use and Zoning Law)
• John A. Pappano (Real Estate Law)
• Michael B. Powers (Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants)
• Zabrina V. Reich (Immigration Law)
• Danielle M. Rizzo (Immigration Law)
• John G. Schmidt Jr. (Commercial Litigation)
• Ronald S. Shubert (Litigation – Real Estate; Real Estate Law)
• Lisa L. Smith (Mass Tort Litigation /Class Actions – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants)
• James W. Smyton (Corporate Law)
• Jacob S. Sonner (Commercial Litigation)
• Adam S. Walters (Environmental Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; Real Estate Law)
• Sharon L. Wick (Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Trusts and Estates)
• Preston L. Zarlock (Commercial Litigation)

Rochester

• David L. Cook (Commercial Litigation; Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental; Litigation – Real Estate)
• Victoria L. Grady (Banking and Finance Law)
• Anthony Iacchetta (Real Estate Law)*
• Ryan A. Lown (Real Estate Law)
• Kevin J. Mulvehill (Employment Law – Management)*
• Linda T. Prestegaard (Employment Law – Individuals; Employment Law – Management)
• Nicholas C. Roberts (Commercial Litigation)
• Raymond L. Ruff (Banking and Finance 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)

Garden City

• Paul O’Brien (Public Finance Law)

Jamestown

• Gregory L. Peterson (Real Estate Law)

 Albany

• Marc H. Goldberg (Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants)
• Richard E. Honen (Commercial Litigation; Corporate Law; Venture Capital Law)
• David H. Kernan (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
• Todd A. Ritschdorff (Commercial Litigation)
• Jeffrey B. Schwartz (Corporate Law)

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

• Lauren Adornetto, Buffalo, NY (Environmental Law)
• Philip C. Barth IV, Buffalo, NY (Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
• Samuel Borbor-Sawyer, Buffalo, NY (Commercial Litigation)
• Adelyn G. Burns, Buffalo, NY (Commercial Litigation)
• Benjamin S. Cranston, Buffalo, NY (Trusts and Estates)
• Luke Donigan, Buffalo, NY (Real Estate Law)
• Grant A. J. Emerson, Rochester, NY (Real Estate Law)
• Connor P. Entenmann, Buffalo, NY (Banking and Finance Law)
• Nicholas P. Fedorka, Rochester, NY (Labor and Employment Law – Management)
• Qing Feng, Rochester, NY (Banking and Finance Law)
• Matthew J. Fitzgerald, Buffalo, NY (Environmental Law; Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Paige C. Goldberg, New York, NY (Family Law; Legal Malpractice Law; Professional Malpractice Law)
• Michael W. Held, Buffalo, NY (Commercial Litigation)
• Diana E. Konik, Buffalo, NY (Environmental Law; Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Jacob Lewis, Buffalo, NY (Commercial Litigation)
• Allen Major, New York, NY (Real Estate Law)
• Natalia Marte, Washington, D.C. (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Labor and Employment)
• Matthew McClellan, Rochester, NY (Banking and Finance Law)
• Emma P. Murphy, Buffalo, NY (Commercial Litigation; Labor and Employment Law – Management)
• John T. Murray, Buffalo, NY (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Environmental)
• Jocelyn Ng, New York, NY (Real Estate Law)
• Eoin Ó Muimhneacháin, New York, NY (Commercial Litigation)
• Paula P. Plaza, Buffalo, NY (Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Antitrust)
• Erinn Prestidge, Rochester, NY (Banking and Finance Law)
• Louis Q. Reynolds, Buffalo, NY (Corporate Law; Health Care Law)
• Bridget Ruschak, Chicago, IL (Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants)
• Alyssa B. Russell, Buffalo, NY (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law)
• Tyler J. Skretny, Buffalo, NY (Commercial Litigation)
• Joshua S. Wallace, Buffalo, NY (Litigation – Environmental)
• André J. Washington, Rochester, NY (Banking and Finance Law)
• Sam Williams, Buffalo, NY (Commercial Litigation)
• Shengkai Xu, Buffalo, NY (Environmental Law)
• Ling Yao, New York, NY (Commercial Litigation)

Both clients and legal professionals widely regard recognition by Best Lawyers^® as a significant honor conferred on a lawyer by their peers. For more than 40 years, the publications have earned the respect of the profession, media and public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals anywhere. These recognitions are based entirely on peer review, capturing the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical and legal practice areas. In 2026, Best Lawyers analyzed over 3 million confidential evaluations, resulting in over 80,000 recognized lawyers in 151 practice areas in America. Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America highlights over 27,000 of the next generation of legal leaders in 79 practice areas. 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 preeminent 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 phillipslytle.com.