Best Lawyers® - Purely Peer Review™
by Their Peers
"Lawyer of the Year" Honorees {{Geolocation}}
Mary McWilliams Dengler is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants and Railroad Law. Mary McWilliams, who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Mary McWilliams is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic ...
Caryn A. Boyer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Health Care Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Caryn A., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Caryn A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Brigid E. Heid regularly advises her clients on matters involving employment and how to cost effectively solve problems that arise. Her practice focuses on the protection of intellectual property and trade secrets from unfair competition, often by utilizing restrictive covenants (including agreements like noncompetition, non-disclosure/confidentiality, non-solicitation and work-for-hire). Resolving employment disputes encompasses matters faced by businesses such as employee discipline, discri...
David J. Butler is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs. David J., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
David DeVillers is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Compliance Law and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. David, who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
James E. Arnold is recognized as one of Ohio's top trial lawyers. He was recognized by Best Lawyers as Central Ohio's "Securities Litigation Lawyer of the Year" in 2012, as the "Bet-The-Company Litigation Lawyer of the Year" in 2013, 2016, 2021, 2024 and 2026, and as the "Intellectual Property Litigation Lawyer of the Year" in 2014. Since 2001 he has consistently been recognized by Best Lawyers in multiple fields, including bet-the-company, personal injury (plaintiffs and defense), commercial...
Bill Nolan serves as managing partner of the firm’s Ohio office, which he opened in 2009. Bill works to bring attentiveness and clarity to bear on employment, contract and other disputes, but is most passionate about helping clients build teams, policies and processes to minimize the frequency, cost and severity of disputes. Bill's litigation and trial work includes covenant not to compete and trade secret cases in many states. He regularly represents employers in discrimination and dis...
Ms. McKinlay received her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the Capital University Law School, Columbus, Ohio, in 1996. While in law school, Ms. McKinlay was a Member of Order of the Curia and the Capital University Law School Law Review, and finished in the top ten percent of her graduating class. She also served as a judicial extern in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations. Ms. McKinlay was admitted to the practice of law in the State of Ohio in 1996 an...
Kevin E. Griffith practices primarily in the areas of business competition litigation and employment litigation. He has extensive litigation experience in cases involving corporate raiding and interference with contract claims, and enforcing and defending employment contracts, trade secrets and covenants-not-to-compete. He has defended hundreds of employment discrimination and wrongful termination cases, including several seminal cases before the Ohio Supreme Court. In addition, Kevin counsel...
Greg Foliano has been defending professionals for his entire career. He has represented physicians, nurses, hospitals, lawyers and nursing homes throughout Ohio. Greg's career began in 1990 with a law firm dedicated exclusively to the defense of professional malpractice lawsuits. He tried his first case to verdict within months after receiving his law license and had his first solo case tried to verdict within a year of practice. Since that time, Greg has continued to try lawsuits throughout ...
Lawyers {{Geolocation}}
Jack Butler is a Partner at Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP, and he concentrates on business matters and tax law. He focuses on company representation (corporate, LLC, and joint venture), including establishment, venture structuring, business relationship agreements, governance, and ongoing services; M&A transactions; debt and equity financings; captive insurance companies; business advisory; transaction planning and structuring; syndications; business succession planning; tax planning; ...
Philip Stovall is a partner in Hahn Loeser’s Business Practice Area and focuses on debtor/creditor issues, commercial and bankruptcy litigation, insolvency, workouts, and tax controversies. Phil represents debtors, creditors, and other parties in interest in commercial bankruptcy cases and in complex litigation in state and federal courts. He also advises clients with respect to out-of-court insolvency matters, including out-of-court restructurings and workouts, and in matters involving...
Alex Brown is a member of Dickinson Wright in Columbus, Ohio. He practices business transactional law, with an emphasis on advising privately-held and venture-capital backed companies in capital raising, mergers & acquisitions, and transactions involving technology, software, outsourcing, electronic commerce and intellectual property. He serves as outside counsel to a number of companies, from startup software businesses to national healthcare technology companies. Other areas of his prac...
Brooke E. Niedecken is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labor Law - Management. Brooke E., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brooke E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Drew Piersall is a member of the firm's Employment and Labor Groups and practices out of the firm's Columbus office. His practice focuses on equal employment opportunity, employment discrimination, retaliation, hostile work environment, and all other employment-related torts. Prior to joining Zashin & Rich, Drew worked for the Employment Law Section of the Ohio Attorney General's Office for eight years. Drew rose through the ranks at the Attorney General's Office, attaining the position o...
Bryan Venesy guides clients through real estate deals with a focus on generating positive, tangible community development and client ROI. He negotiates and closes complex transactions, including real estate development, real estate finance, equity investments, affordable housing tax credits, community development, partnerships, joint ventures, leasing and general business matters. Bryan serves on the Real Estate department’s executive committee, and is co-chair of the firm’s Low-I...
Mark A. Shaw represents employers in workers' compensation, litigation and employment matters. He has represented both private and public sector employers before state courts and at all administrative levels before the Industrial Commission. He is a frequent speaker and guest lecturer at seminars regarding workers' compensation and employment law topics. Mr. Shaw is a member of Eastman & Smith, practicing in the Firm's Columbus, Ohio, office, and is listed in Best Lawyers in America®....
Brent Rosenthal joined Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP in July 2007. Brent focuses on representing closely-held businesses and their owners in a broad scope of their legal needs including – business formation and structuring, finance, transactions (including acquisitions and contract preparation and analysis), employment and general business and legal counseling. Brent’s commercial real estate practice includes representing buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants and developers in th...
Firms {{Geolocation}}
Latest Insights
2027 Best Lawyers Awards: Honoring Excellence in the Legal Profession
by Jamilla Tabbara
Recognizing the outstanding attorneys leading top practice areas nationwide.
Why Third-Party Validation Matters More in AI Search
by Bryan Driscoll
Much of what AI-assisted tools read about your practice sits on pages you did not write. Here is what makes an outside source credible.
How to Avoid Probate
by Bryan Driscoll
Probate can be slow, public and costly. Here are the estate-planning tools that move your assets directly to the people you choose.
How to Optimize Your Best Lawyers Profile for AI Search
by Everett Sizemore
Learn how a complete, well-structured Best Lawyers profile can strengthen your visibility and accuracy across AI search platforms.
