Best Lawyers® - Purely Peer Review™
by Their Peers
"Lawyer of the Year" Honorees {{Geolocation}}
Jane Higgins Marx joined Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP in August 2000 and practices estate and business planning, probate, probate litigation, business succession planning and elder law. Jane counsels individuals, business owners, executives and caregivers on matters of estate planning, estate and gift taxation, income taxation of trusts and estates, charitable giving, business succession and probate. She provides comprehensive planning for disability, including counseling on special needs...
Peter W. Hahn is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law and Litigation - Construction. Peter W., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2017. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Peter W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Matthew R. Wilson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs. Matthew R., 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 Matthew R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Scott Friedman is an OSBA Board Certified Specialist in Family Relations Law. Mr. Friedman is also licensed to practice law in the State of Florida. Mr. Friedman was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and attended The Columbus Academy. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Miami University and his Juris Doctorate from Capital University Law School, where he was honored with the Order of the Curia. Scott served as President Chair of the American Bar Association Family Law Section for 2013-2014 ...
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...
Joseph J. Golian is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law and Transportation Law. Joseph J., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joseph J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Marc J. Kessler is an experienced trial lawyer who is widely regarded as one of the nation’s preeminent business litigators. He has extensive experience with large scale, “bet-the-company” matters and is widely recognized for his ability to handle the most complex and critical litigation issues . Marc’s expertise includes complex commercial transactions, procurement, healthcare, trade secrets and non-competition, product liability, business torts, real estate, intellec...
Joseph R. Durham is a member of Eastman & Smith and has represented cities, counties, local health districts, solid waste management districts, townships and villages in environmental law and litigation and public health law. Mr. Durham has represented clients before the Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Review Appeals Commission, Ohio Department of Commerce, Ohio Board of Pharmacy, Ohio Real Estate Commission, county boards of revision (real e...
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...
Courtney Hanna is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Collaborative Law: Family Law and Litigation - Real Estate. Courtney, 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 Courtney is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Lawyers {{Geolocation}}
Bob Robenalt is a partner in the firm's Columbus office. He represents management in a variety of labor and employment issues, including workers' compensation, employment litigation and traditional labor matters. Bob has defended numerous wrongful discharge, Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), workers' compensation and employment discrimination actions in state and federal courts, and has argued in defense of employment actions before the 4th and 6th Circuit Federal Courts. He ha...
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 ...
Geoffrey Kunkler joined Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP in 2014 and has been a Partner since 2018. His practice is centered around estate planning for individuals and business owners, as well as asset protection planning for retirees. He focuses primarily on the areas of estate planning, elder protection, estate administration, charitable and philanthropic planning and special needs planning. He also has extensive experience in conducting educational seminars on legal topics related to his e...
R. Leland Evans is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Railroad Law. R. Leland, who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2008. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which R. Leland is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Attorney Soroka concentrates his practice on catastrophic accidents involving commercial motor vehicles. He frequently litigates tractor-trailer accidents, bus accidents, non-emergency medical transport cases, and commercial vehicle cases occurring in construction zones. He routinely takes on disputed liability matters, and has vast experience litigating cases involving tractor-trailers and commercial vehicles, representation of victims of sexual assault, negligent security claims, constructi...
Eric B. Kjellander is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law. Eric B., 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 Eric B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
David P. Meyer is the founder and managing principal of the Meyer Wilson Werning law firm. David is a financial fraud attorney with more than twenty-five years’ of experience in federal and state trial courts and arbitration cases, representing clients from all over the world. David has the honor of winning a record-breaking $261 million class action jury verdict against Prudential Securities on behalf of 200 retirees. David filed the class action lawsuit back in 1999 when he was 29 yea...
David DeVillers is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of 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.
Thomas J. Riley focuses his practice on business and corporate law as well as wealth transfer planning. He counsels small to midsize closely held manufacturing and distribution enterprises and professional practices on matters including tax planning, contract negotiations, and mergers and acquisitions. T.J. has experience handling multi-employee union plans, master and prototype plans for sponsoring organizations, and Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). He also advises owners on successio...
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