Best Lawyers in America for Civil Rights Law
State
Tom Russell represents clients in the areas of governmental liability, civil rights defense, personal injury and business litigation. He represents the interests of municipalities, government entities and school boards on tort liability claims, wrongful death suits, personal injury and civil rights claims. Tom’s experience in personal injury defense includes motor vehicle, premises liability and construction accidents. Tom is dedicated to designing tangible solutions to even the most co...
Spencer G. Scharff represents and advises businesses, nonprofits, and individuals in complex litigation in state and federal courts. He is admitted to practice in California, Arizona, New York, and the District of Columbia, and has extensive experience in high-stakes commercial litigation, regulatory disputes, and appellate advocacy. Before founding Scharff PC, Spencer was a member of Goddard Law Office PLC, where he practiced alongside former Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard. He previo...
Kevin J. Hamilton focuses his practice on labor and employment counseling and litigation. Mr. Hamilton has addressed, through counseling, negotiation, or litigation, a broad range of key issues critical to the modern workplace. Mr. Hamilton has particular experience with non-competition, trade secret, multiple plaintiff and class action litigation. Mr. Hamilton chairs the firm's nationally-recognized Retail & Consumer Industry practice, including more than 200 lawyers throughout the firm ...
A certified specialist in labor and employment law, Nekki Shutt has been involved in the employment / human resources field for more than 20 years, beginning with her work in the personnel department of a publicly-traded property and casualty insurance company. While working for the company before and during her undergraduate studies at the University of South Carolina, Nekki eventually became the company's corporate recruiter, responsible for hiring approximately 225 employees on an annual b...
Allegra Carpenter is an all-purpose litigator. She was named 2015 Albuquerque Personal Injury Litigator of the Year, is over ten years listed in Best, recognized in SuperLawyers, and is AV Preeminent with Martindale Hubble. Allegra’s Super Power is her creativity -- which defines and spans every aspect of her practice from case selection to trial. After 22 years with an Albuquerque firm, Allegra established her own practice, Allegra-Law, where she continues her long history of amplifyin...
Avi Kumin is a founder and partner at Katz Banks Kumin. For over 20 years, Mr. Kumin has been successfully advising employees about their legal rights, resolving difficult situations with employers, and litigating employment claims in court. Mr. Kumin’s practice focuses on whistleblower protection, sexual harassment and assault, executive negotiations, contractual disputes, discrimination, and retaliation, among other areas of employment law, often in highly complex and contentious situ...
Scott W. Kelly is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Civil Rights Law, Litigation - Municipal and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Scott W. practices law in Augusta, Georgia Best Lawyers has recognized Scott W. Kelly since 2018. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Scott W. Kelly is held by other lawyers.
Emily Mahler is a partner in Margolis Edelstein’s Employment and Labor Law Group. She represents employers in labor and employment litigation, including claims involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful discharge, breach of contract and wage disputes. Emily represents corporations, small businesses, nonprofit organizations and public entities. She appears regularly in federal and state courts throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as before the U.S. Equal Emplo...
Tom is a trial attorney and an adviser to Spicer Rudstrom, PLLC’s business, and insurance clients. Tom obtained a bachelor’s degree in management engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Following graduation from West Point, he was commissioned as an Officer in the United States Army and served for five years as a Field Artillery Officer, including a one-year tour of duty in the demilitarized zone in Korea. Tom left active duty at the rank of Captain. Dur...
Annie Depper is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Civil Rights Law, Criminal Defense: General Practice and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Annie practices law in Little Rock, Arkansas Best Lawyers has recognized Annie Depper since 2023. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Annie Depper is held by other lawyers.
Shea S. Scott is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Civil Rights Law, Insurance Law, Litigation - Insurance and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Shea S. practices law in Oxford, Mississippi Best Lawyers has recognized Shea S. Scott since 2022. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Shea S. Scott is held by other la...
After a long and distinguished career in the federal government with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Ms. Wheeler joined Katz Banks Kumin in August 2015. As an appellate lawyer with the EEOC, Ms. Wheeler was in the forefront of developing cutting edge legal arguments and theories to prove discrimination and harassment under Title VII, The Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Equal Pay Act. Ms. Wheeler was an Assistant General Counsel i...
Akeel has been recognized as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA), a Lawyer of the Year by the Michigan Lawyers Weekly, nominated in top 5% of attorneys in the State of Michigan by Law & Politics Super lawyer Magazine for 13 consecutive years, in addition to being nationally recognized by US News & World News Report as a Tier One - Civil Rights lawyer. Akeel has been involved in several high profile employment discrimination cases, where he has manag...
Charlie is well-known to New Hampshire judges & lawyers as one of New Hampshire’s foremost civil trial attorneys and mediators. He concentrates in the areas of: Civil rights litigation; Private mediation and arbitration; Employment litigation; and Other complex civil litigation in federal and state courts and administrative agencies. Civil Litigation; Mediation; Arbitration In 2023, while Charlie retired from the active practice of law, he continues to serve as a Mediator and Arbitr...
Steven D. Silverman is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Civil Rights Law, Criminal Defense: General Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs. Steven D. practices law in Baltimore, Maryland Best Lawyers has recognized Steven D. Silverman since 2021. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professio...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.
