Ian Rostowsky

Thurston Debnam is one of the founding partners of Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing & Myers, L.L.P. Thurston is the Section Head of the Business Law practice group and served as the firm’s managing partner from 1992 through 1997. He concentrates his practice in the areas of business and corporate planning and real estate law, including land use planning and zoning. For more than thirty years, Thurston has maintained a broad-based business practice, assisting clients with business...

Michele Stafford is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - ERISA. Michele, who practices law in Foster City, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michele is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill undergraduate (1978) and law school (1981). Early career concentration on civil litigation. Substantial experience in jury trials, as well as every aspect of litigation from depositions, mediation, arbitration, motion practice, and bench trials. Married to Marci High Armstrong, a family law board certified specialist. Practiced together in small litigation firm since 1985. Three children. Oldest and youngest are attorneys practicing law with them in...

Kimberly A. Mello is a member of the firm's National Appellate Practice. She has briefed and argued dozens of appeals in state and federal court, including the Florida Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and Florida's District Courts of Appeal. In addition to focusing on appellate matters, Ms. Mello has extensive experience briefing complex legal issues at the trial court level during both the pre-trial and post-trial phases. She regularly consults with trial la...

Companies facing high-risk cases rely on Todd to figure out how to develop an effective defense when no playbook exists. Todd’s recent focus has been on the liability and cybersecurity issues unique to autonomous vehicles. He also defends a wide variety of products liability cases, consumer class actions, mass torts, and investment disputes. Todd Benoff focuses his trial practice on high-exposure cases in the areas of products liability, toxic torts/mass torts, and business litigation, ...

Richard W. Paterniti is a partner at Jones Kelleher. His practice involves the litigation and trial of personal injury cases with a focus on medical malpractice, premises liability, motor vehicle negligence and product liability cases. Rich has successfully represented clients in state and federal courts throughout the country and has worked on trial teams that have successfully obtained multi-million dollar resolutions for injured clients at trial, arbitration and mediation. His practice als...

Michael (Mike) J. Sorrow focuses his practice on tax, estate planning, family business and trust and estate administration matters. Mike regularly advises wealthy individuals and families on all aspects of wealth and tax planning matters. In addition, Mike works extensively with families that control significant public and private businesses, counseling them and their family offices on matters relating to effective tax planning, succession and governance planning and the intra-family issues t...

David Hughes is a principal in the Atlanta, Georgia, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. After gaining extensive trial experience at a small general practice firm during his first four years following law school, David has been representing large and small businesses in labor and employment matters for the balance of his career. David regularly works with his national clients across a variety of industries, including insurance, healthcare, retail and staffing. David has represented corporate clients...

Mark P. Gross is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Mark P., who practices law in Sherman Oaks, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Mark P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jim Williams is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where he is a member of the Litigation practice group, leads the Insurance Litigation team and previously served six years on the Firm’s Board of Directors/Executive Committee. Jim also chairs the Firm’s Recruitment Committee. Jim was born and raised in Birmingham. Now in his thirty-fourth year at Dentons Sirote, formerly Sirote & Permutt, PC, Jim handles civil litigation, with a particular foc...