Hirschler Increases Best Lawyers in America Recognitions to 47 Attorneys, Two Honored as “Lawyers of the Year” and Eight as “Ones to Watch”

08.15.2024

Hirschler is pleased to announce that 47 of its attorneys have been included among Best Lawyers in America for 2025. Additionally, two attorneys have been recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” for their respective practice areas and eight attorneys named “Ones to Watch.” As one of the oldest and most distinguished legal directories, Best Lawyers conducts peer-review surveys to compile its annual list of top attorneys across various practice areas. The 2025 edition of the publication is available today at www.bestlawyers.com.

“Our inclusion in Best Lawyers reflects the positive evaluations we've received from our clients and colleagues in the legal field," said Courtney Paulk, president of Hirschler. "We are particularly grateful for these recognitions as they are a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering excellent legal services and based on feedback from those who matter most. We are thrilled to see our firm's increased presence on this respected list as we continue our strategic efforts to nurture the talent within our offices and bring in skilled lateral attorneys to provide high quality counsel to clients across our footprint."

Selected as “Lawyer of the Year” in Richmond for their practice areas are David S. Lionberger for Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law and James W. Theobald for Real Estate Law. The “Lawyer of the Year” recognitions are awarded to individual attorneys with the highest overall peer feedback for a specific practice area in a certain geographic location. Only a single lawyer in each specialty and designated location is named as a “Lawyer of the Year.”

Included among “Ones to Watch” in the 2024 guide are: In Fredericksburg, Va., Kristin Shields is recognized for Real Estate Law. In Richmond, Brian J. Daly for Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and Securities / Capital Markets Law; Brittany B. Falabella for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Erin Deal Johnson for Corporate Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Andrea M. Marafatsos for Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Caroline M. Poma for Real Estate Law; and Matthew Sarfan for Labor and Employment Law – Management. In Tysons, Allison P. Klena for Litigation – Bankruptcy. The “Ones to Watch” recognitions are awarded to individual attorneys who are earlier in their careers and display outstanding professional excellence in private practice.

Hirschler attorneys honored as 2025 Best Lawyers are:

Fredericksburg, Va.

• John F. McManus for Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, and Real Estate Law

Richmond, Va.

• R. Robert Benaicha for Land Use and Zoning Law, and Real Estate Law
• Andrew K. Clark for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Construction, and Litigation – Trusts & Estates
• Franklin R. Cragle III for Commercial Litigation
• Paul H. Davenport for Real Estate Law
• Thomas J. Dillon III for Commercial Litigation, Franchise Law, and Litigation – Labor and Employment
• J. Benjamin English for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and Venture Capital Law
• Laura Lee Garrett for Real Estate Law
• Jeffrey P. Geiger for Land Use and Zoning Law, and Real Estate Law
• Barry A. Hackney for Construction Law and Litigation – Construction
• Lisa H. Hedrick for Corporate Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Robert P. Henley for Copyright Law, and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• John C. Ivins, Jr. for Litigation – Real Estate
• Lisa Spickler Ivins for Environmental Law
• Brian K. Jackson for Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, and Real Estate Law
• Joshua D. Kelly for Trust and Estates
• David S. Lionberger for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, and Tax Law
• Andrew M. Lohmann for Corporate Law
• J. Kevin Muldowney for Corporate Law
• Courtney Moates Paulk for Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, and Litigation – Construction
• N. Pendleton (Penn) Rogers for Litigation and Controversy – Tax, and Tax Law
• Charles H. Rothenberg for Land Use and Zoning Law, and Real Estate Law
• Robert N. Saffelle for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Emily Scott for Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Health Care
• Andrew P. Sherrod for Employment Law – Management, and Litigation – Labor and Employment
• C. Brandon Spalding, Jr. for Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, and Corporate Law
• John W. (Jay) Steele for Real Estate Law
• Brandt H. Stitzer for Real Estate Law
• Nathaniel L. Story for Construction Law
• Michael H. Terry for Real Estate Law
• James W. Theobald for Land Use and Zoning Law, and Real Estate Law
• John R. Walk for Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Litigation – Real Estate, and Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• James L. Weinberg for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Robert Westermann for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Jaime B. Wisegarver for Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management, and Litigation – Real Estate
• Charles F. Witthoefft for Arbitration, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Mediation

Tysons, Va.

• Kristen E. Burgers for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Mihir V. Elchuri for Commercial Litigation
• David C. Hannah for Real Estate Law
• Stacey Rose Harris for Commercial Litigation
• Lawrence A. Katz for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Bet-the-Company Litigation
• Stephen E. Leach for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, and Litigation – Bankruptcy
• David I. Swan for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Litigation – Real Estate
• Wayne G. Travell for Commercial Litigation
• Robert R. Vieth for Commercial Litigation, and Litigation – Real Estate
• William L. Walsh, Jr. for Corporate Governance Law, and Government Contracts
• M. Jay Yurow for Real Estate Law

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. Globally, almost 110,000 industry leading lawyers are eligible to vote and nearly 19 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world were received. For the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, more than 13 million votes were analyzed. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.