Best Lawyers in America for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)

Bill West is a Shareholder and Chairs the Business Section and Co-Chairs the Mergers & Acquisitions Section. Bill is a trusted advisor to his clients and they rely on his ability to achieve desired outcomes in a practical, timely and cost-effective manner – in other words, he gets things done. He has over 30 years of experience in corporate and business related transactions including: Mergers and acquisitions Complex corporate and commercial transactions Corporate governance and bus...

Tom Ludwiski counsels clients in finance and tax-related issues involved in real estate and economic development transactions. He represents developers in the allocation and monetization of state and local tax credits and investors in the acquisition of credits. He also advises clients investing in projects located in Qualified Opportunity Zones and forming Qualified Opportunity Funds in order to finance those projects. He serves as bond counsel, borrower’s counsel and issuer’s co...

Margaret T. Lund is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) and Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law. Margaret T., who practices law in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Margaret T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Robert J. Hicks is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Robert J., who practices law in Indianapolis, Indiana, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Robert J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Talbott Ottinger is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Commercial Finance Law, Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Talbott, who practices law in Nashville, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Talbott is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jon Yamamura is a Partner in the firm's Honolulu office and is the Chair of the Transactional Practice Group. He concentrates his practice on real estate, mergers and acquisitions, buying and selling businesses and business interests, and business planning and reorganization. Mr. Yamamura also works on a wide range of complex corporate and finance projects and cases. In addition, having served over two years as a foreign attorney on staff at the Anderson Mori law firm in Tokyo, Japan, he has ...

TRACEY A. PUTHOFF, a partner in the Business and Finance Department, graduated from Chase College of Law, where she was Order of the Curia and a research editor of the Northern Kentucky Law Review . Ms. Puthoff received her undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Missouri and worked as an engineer for McDonnell Aircraft Company and GE Aircraft Engines. Her practice includes all aspects of general corporate law, primarily focusing on mergers and acquisitions and co...

Timothy Thompson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) and Tax Law. Timothy, who practices law in Columbia, South Carolina, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Timothy is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

James T. Towne, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Labor and Employment and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. James T., who practices law in Albany, New York, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James T. is held by other top lawyers ...

Jason F. Haupt is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Jason F., who practices law in Canton, Ohio, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jason F. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practic...

Mr. Whittaker is Chair of the firm's Business Section. He represents clients in a wide variety of transactions, including buying, selling and merging companies; private placements of securities; venture capital and private equity transactions; joint ventures; roll-ups, spin-offs and split-ups; and all phases of real estate acquisitions, development and financing. Mr. Whittaker joined Stone Pigman in 1984.

Cal McCastlain is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law and Tax Law. Cal, who practices law in Little Rock, Arkansas, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Cal is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Bill Neely practices primarily in the areas of partnership and corporate taxation, transactional tax planning, and executive compensation. He regularly provides advice on the structure and implementation of taxable and nontaxable acquisitions and has assisted in the formation and operation of numerous venture capital, real estate and hedge funds. He also routinely consults with companies on their executive compensation plans. From 2007 through 2022, Bill served as general counsel of Health Se...

Colleen Pleasant Kline is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Venture Capital Law. Colleen Pleasant, who practices law in Baltimore, Maryland, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Colleen Pleasant is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal pract...

Tyler Savage is a partner in the M&A and Corporate Transactions group. Tyler is a dual citizen of the United States and Canada—he advises domestic and international clients on a variety of corporate matters with extensive experience in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, securities and private equity transactions. Tyler's clients include beverage and alcohol manufacturers and distributors, sports franchises, technology and software companies, manufacturing and industrial companies,...

Justin T. Molitoris concentrates his practice in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, data privacy and cybersecurity, and technology transactions. He works with clients of all sizes including sole proprietors, family-owned businesses and Fortune 500 companies assisting with a variety of corporate and business law matters, ranging from business formation and organization, corporate governance matters, contract drafting and review, and business transitions. He also has experience working on a...