Best Lawyers in America for Bet-the-Company Litigation

Bill Athanas represents companies and individuals in government enforcement matters, focusing on federal grand jury investigations. He has almost 30 years of white-collar experience, roughly a third of which was spent as a federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C. and Birmingham. Bill has handled hundreds of complex criminal cases and represented clients in all facets of those matters – whether as subjects, targets or witnesses, or those who simply receive subpoenas for documents. In repre...

Acclaimed Texas trial lawyer Rusty Hardin is the founder and name partner of Houston’s Rusty Hardin & Associates, LLP , accomplished in both complex civil matters and significant criminal cases. Mr. Hardin has more than 40 years of litigation experience, beginning his career as an assistant prosecutor in Houston’s Harris County in 1975. Since entering private practice in 1991, Mr. Hardin has tried over 70 jury trials, fairly evenly split between civil and criminal cases. His c...

B. Rush Smith III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Financial Services Regulation Law, Litigation - Banking and Finance and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants. B. Rush, who practices law in Columbia, South Carolina, has been recognized since 2003. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which B. Rush is held by other top lawyers in the sa...

Terrence M. Connors has been recognized by his peers as one of the pre-eminent trial attorneys in the state. For the past seven years, he has been ranked as the number one lawyer in all upstate New York by Super Lawyers magazine. This year, the Erie County Bar Association named him Lawyer of the Year and, in 2006, the New York State Bar Association awarded him the prestigious Attorney Professionalism Award. He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Membership in that organizati...

Bob Scully is a Member based in the Alexandria office, where he is a member of the Business Litigation Service Group. His practice focuses on complex business tort, trusts and estates, construction, real property and intellectual property litigation. He has 35 years of trial experience in federal and state courts of Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

Chuck is a trial lawyer of over 37 years whose practice focuses primarily in the defense of national and international corporations in product liability, employment, toxic tort, commercial, intellectual property, and catastrophic personal injury matters. Licensed in Alabama and Tennessee, Chuck’s extensive litigation experience is national in scope. He has handled a wide variety of cases in Alabama, Arizona, North Carolina, Texas, California, Massachusetts, Georgia, Mississippi, Tenness...

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...

James F. Wyatt, III is recognized as one of North Carolina’s leading trial lawyers. He is a member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American College of Trial Lawyers, the Best Lawyers in America, has a Band 1 Ranking with Chambers and Partners, and has been named on numerous occasions as the best white collar defense and civil trial lawyer in both Charlotte and the State of North Carolina. In 2022, for the third straight year, James was selected by Super Lawyers as the...

Kevin A. Crass is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Securities and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Kevin A., who practices law in Little Rock, Arkansas, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kevin A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and lega...

Mr. Harwell focuses his practice on commercial litigation, white-collar criminal defense and crisis management. Through the years he has been involved in many cases receiving national attention. He has been counsel for numerous public officials including judges, governors, congressmen, state senators, mayors and state attorneys general. For the last several years, he has represented Pilot Flying J, the sixth largest private company in the country, regarding numerous issues arising out of the ...

Andrew J. Detherage is a partner in the Indianapolis and Los Angeles offices of Barnes & Thornburg. Andrew serves on the firm's Management Committee. He is admitted to practice in Indiana and California. He also is co-chair of the firm's Insurance Recovery and Counseling Practice Group, which was named by Law360 as a 'Practice Group of the Year.' Andrew represents clients in litigated matters throughout the United States and has appeared in courts in more than 35 states. His practice conc...

Charlie Coleman has been engaged in active trial practice for more than 34 years. His practice is focused in the areas of bankruptcy, secured transactions, creditor's rights and remedies and other areas of commercial litigation. His bankruptcy practice includes the representation of creditors and trustees in all types of bankruptcy proceedings and debtors in business cases. Coleman's more recent experience includes: Bankruptcy counsel for approved stalking horse bidder in chapter 11 bankruptc...

William A. Waddell Jr. is a member of the firm’s litigation practice group. Bill’s work is focused on litigation and other representation for banks, insurance companies, healthcare entities, and other businesses. He has deep experience in class actions, bet-the-company jury trials, and regulatory litigation.

Mr. Orlansky concentrates his practice in the areas of business litigation, gaming law, and professional liability and ethics. He chairs the firm's Gaming Practice, is a member of the firm's Management Committee, and serves as the firm's loss prevention and ethics counsel. Mr. Orlansky joined Stone Pigman in 1984.

John A.C. Keith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants, Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. John A.C., who practices law in Fairfax, Virginia, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John A.C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

William McLucas is one of the most sought-after advisors to public companies, boards of directors, audit committees and special committees dealing with corporate crises and related issues. He joined the firm after serving for more than eight years as Director of Enforcement for the Securities and Exchange Commission—longer than any other Enforcement Division Director in Commission history. He represents public companies, investment banks, accounting firms and advisors to mutual funds fa...