Insight

The Iberian Peninsula’s Best Lawyers

Celebrating the lawyers shaping Spain and Portugal’s legal field through peer-driven recognition

Voting box with Spain and Portugal flag on it

Published: June 2, 2021

With the nomination period open for the 2022 editions of The Best Lawyers™ in Spain and The Best Lawyers™ in Portugal, we reflect on what being recognized in Best Lawyers means and why lawyers should take the time to nominate and recognize their outstanding peers.

The legal field on the Iberian Peninsula is strengthened with skilled lawyers guiding and shaping the future of the region in corporate mergers, labor trends, energy law, immigration litigation and more. As the COVID-19 pandemic has altered our lives, lawyers have stepped in and guided businesses and individuals through unprecedented challenges on global, local and personal issues.

“Best Lawyers only recognizes leading attorneys who have been identified and lauded by their fellow legal professionals,” says Kristen Greer, senior research manager at Best Lawyers. “It is a distinct honor to be included in the Best Lawyers awards, as candidates are reviewed in a strictly peer review process. We have found that the best lawyers know the Best Lawyers.”

The 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers™ in Spain will also feature the inaugural inclusion of the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch awards. These recognitions are given to attorneys who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice. Our Ones to Watch recipients have been in practice for 3-8 years.

The nominations period for the top legal professionals in Spain and Portugal has begun, and we turn to currently recognized in Best Lawyers for their expertise and insights. Best Lawyers’ peer review method is designed to attain the consensus opinion of leading lawyers on the professional aptitudes of their colleagues.

Methodology from Best Lawyers on Vimeo.

After a year as tumultuous as 2020, it is more important than ever that we collect and capture the changes and evolutions of the legal industry on the Iberian Peninsula during our nomination process and recognize the lawyers who stand out in such turbulent times.

Nominations can be submitted online here.

The deadline to nominate lawyers for inclusion in the 2022 editions of The Best Lawyers™ in Spain, Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Spain and The Best Lawyers™ in Portugal is 16 July, 2021.

Lawyers in Columbus, Ohio

Joseph J. Golian

Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote PC

Columbus, OH

Practice Areas

Insurance Law

Transportation Law

Recognized since 2013 by

Joseph J. Golian

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.

Joseph J. Golian

Jack C. Butler

Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP

Columbus, OH

Practice Areas

Banking and Finance Law

Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Tax Law

Recognized since 2025 by

Jack C. Butler

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; ...

Jack C. Butler

Jeffrey S. Hiller

Littler

Columbus, OH

Practice Areas

Employment Law - Management

Litigation - Labor and Employment

Recognized since 2020 by

Jeffrey S. Hiller

Jeffrey S. Hiller is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Jeffrey S., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jeffrey S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jeffrey S. Hiller

Elisabeth Gentile

Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP

Columbus, OH

Practice Areas

Commercial Litigation

Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants

Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

Recognized since 2019 by

Elisabeth Gentile

Elisabeth Gentile is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Elisabeth, who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Elisabeth is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Elisabeth Gentile

Meredith K. Sugar

Taft

Columbus, OH

Practice Areas

Corporate Law

Trusts and Estates

Recognized since 2021 by

Meredith K. Sugar

Meredith K. Sugar is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Trusts and Estates. Meredith K., 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 Meredith K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Meredith K. Sugar

Katrina M. Thompson

Barnes & Thornburg LLP

Columbus, OH

Practice Areas

Real Estate Law

Recognized since 2026 by

Katrina M. Thompson

Katrina M. Thompson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Katrina M., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Katrina M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Katrina M. Thompson

David A. Kadela

Littler

Columbus, OH

Practice Areas

Employment Law - Management

Labor Law - Management

Recognized since 2013 by

David A. Kadela

Represent management in all aspects of employment and labor law, with extensive experience: litigating employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, wage and hour, and benefits cases; handling union representation and unfair labor practice cases; negotiating collective bargaining agreements; arbitrating grievances; managing election campaigns; and counseling management on preventive labor relations measures and the formulation and administration of human resources policies and procedures.

 
David A. Kadela
  Website    Email    Address

Arianna Atkins

Atkins And Atkins LLC

Columbus, OH

Practice Areas

Family Law

Recognized since 2026 by

Arianna Atkins

Arianna Atkins is an Ohio family law attorney representing clients in Columbus and throughout Central and Northeast Ohio. With more than fifteen years of experience in domestic relations law, she concentrates her practice on high-asset divorce, complex property division, and contested custody matters involving business owners, executives, physicians, and other high-income professionals. Ms. Atkins regularly handles sophisticated financial issues arising in divorce proceedings, including close...

 
Arianna Atkins
  Website    Address    Phone Number

Anthony R. Auten

Grossman Law Offices

Columbus, OH

Practice Areas

Family Law

Recognized since 2015 by

Anthony R. Auten

Anthony R. Auten is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Anthony R., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2015. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Anthony R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Anthony R. Auten

Barry H. Wolinetz

Wolinetz, Horvath & Brown LLC

Columbus, OH

Practice Areas

Family Law

Recognized since 2021 by

Barry H. Wolinetz

Barry H. Wolinetz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Barry H., 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 Barry H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Barry H. Wolinetz

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