Brian Howard

Peter is a partner in our Business Law department, concentrating on corporate bankruptcy cases, commercial law and banking law. With over 40 years of experience representing banks and secured lenders, Peter regularly appears in bankruptcy court for the Northern District of New York. In addition to his creditors’ rights practice, he has represented several Chapter 11 debtors and has successfully confirmed a number of Chapter 11 reorganization cases. Peter’s clients include banks, l...

Kyle Sears is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Construction. Kyle, who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kyle is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Melissa M. Baxter, a partner at Kline & Specter, focuses on medical malpractice and catastrophic personal injury litigation. As co-lead counsel, Baxter won a $600,000 verdict in June 2024 in Middlesex County, New Jersey, on behalf of the estate of an elderly Alzheimer's patient who died after suffering multiple fractures and a traumatic brain injury at a psychiatric hospital. Before joining Kline & Specter, Baxter was an attorney at Rossetti DeVoto Medori & Baxter, PC, in Cherry H...

MICHAEL P. O'NEIL helps companies in transition. Since 1986, he has focused his practice on mergers and acquisitions, debt refinancing and restructuring, business workouts and turnarounds, and a full range of other business matters, Michael has represented both healthy and distressed companies in connection with sales, refinancings, and liquidations, as well as in chapter 11 section 363 asset sales and “true reorganization” bankruptcy cases where judicial remedies are needed. Addi...

Tim Freudenberger is a Founding Partner at CDF Labor Law LLP (CDF), a California focused labor, employment and immigration defense law firm with five offices throughout the state. Freudenberger represents California and national employers in all aspects of labor and employment law and related litigation, with a special emphasis on defending class action wage and hour lawsuits, class action employment discrimination lawsuits, and other complex employment litigation matters. He heads CDF’...

Thomas McGonigle is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Municipal Law. Thomas, who practices law in Wilmington, Delaware, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Thomas is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

A lifelong Huntsville, Alabama resident, Mark A. Jackson has devoted his entire legal career to standing up for accident victims and their families. For decades, he has helped clients secure the compensation they deserve for injuries, damages, and losses—guiding many through the heartbreaking process of wrongful death claims for a spouse, parent, or child. After earning his law degree from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law, Mr. Jackson quickly became recognized as one ...

David Ackerman defends law firms in professional malpractice and legal ethics actions. A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, clients value his litigation experience and strategic insight in resolving disputes through trial and appeals, negotiation, or arbitration. Ranked by Chambers USA , where he is described as “an even-keeled, thoughtful and smart attorney,” he is repeatedly recognized by Florida Trend’s Legal Elite and included in The Best Lawyers in America...

Jeffrey R. Wahl is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Jeffrey R., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jeffrey R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Recognized as a leader in his field for decades, Richard Critchlow litigated complex commercial cases of all types in state and federal court, as well as in arbitration. Rick represented a host of clients in bet-the-company litigation for nearly 50 years. He prevailed in cases involving common law and statutory business torts, contract disputes, state and federal securities law violations, shareholder derivative claims, class actions, director and officer liability, lender liability, partners...