Best Lawyers in America for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
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Amy’s practice includes corporate law, banking law, mergers and acquisitions, business formations, e-commerce, intellectual property law, and publishing law. Amy also assists clients with intellectual property, e-commerce law, and software licensing agreements. She serves as chair of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group and currently serves on the firm’s Board of Directors. Amy earned her B.S. from the University of Minnesota in 1999 and her J.D. from Pepperdin...
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...
Caitlin Horne is a member of Moore & Van Allen’s Wealth Transfer group. She is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, a North Carolina Board Certified Specialist in estate planning and probate law, and holds an advanced degree in Taxation with a Certificate in Estate Planning from Georgetown University Law Center. Caitlin’s practice is focused on providing high-net-worth individuals and multigenerational families with sophisticated estate, tax, and busin...
Harry Y. Oda is a partner in the firm's Honolulu office, concentrating his practice in the areas of corporate law, commercial transactions, estate planning, pension, probate and taxation. Mr. Oda is a member of both the Hawaii and California Bar and has been practicing law since 1987. He was again selected by attorney peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2018 for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, for Trusts and Estates, and for ...
Robert C. Rutgers, Jr. 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 Family Law. Robert C., who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Robert C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal pract...
William B. McQueen 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 and Trusts and Estates. William B., who practices law in St. Petersburg, Florida, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kevin R. Keogh is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law and Trusts and Estates. Kevin R., who practices law in Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kevin R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Rebecca Hurst is a founding partner and the Managing Partner of Smith Hurst, PLC. Originally focusing her legal practice on estate planning and philanthropic endeavors of high net worth individuals and families who have amassed their wealth from family business activities, over the past decade Ms. Hurst’s practice has naturally evolved to not only represent her clients in their estate planning and philanthropic endeavors but also in their business, corporate and real estate activities. ...
Richard O. Kissel II is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law. Richard O., who practices law in Indianapolis, Indiana, has been recognized since 2015. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Richard O. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Justin Burney focuses his practice on the areas of mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, securities offerings, and other transactions, in addition to serving as outside corporate counsel to various clients, providing advice on corporate governance matters, compensation arrangements, regulatory issues, and contractual relationships. He has worked with clients of all sizes across a broad range of industries, including government contractors, healthcare providers, life sciences and technology ...
John J. Griffin III 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, Commercial Transactions / UCC Law, Corporate Law, Litigation - Real Estate, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Real Estate Law. John J., who practices law in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high e...
Randy represents taxpayers in audit and administrative proceedings before the Internal Revenue Service and state/local tax authorities, and in appeals before federal and state courts, including the United States and Indiana Tax Courts. His tax practice includes a wide array of substantive areas, including income taxes, estate taxes, employment taxes, excise taxes, sales/use taxes and property taxes. Randy is experienced in structuring entity formations and reorganizations; in planning partner...
Paul Thursam is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law and Corporate Law. Paul, who practices law in Troy, Michigan, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Paul is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Ken Coe strives to take a sophisticated yet practical approach to the practice of law and the counsel and advice given to clients and their families. Ken advises business clients who represent a broad spectrum of industries and a wide range of business functions. Ken’s clients benefit from his ongoing working familiarity with various income, gift and estate tax matters, contracts of all kinds, shareholder, partnership agreements, limited liability company arrangements, real estate activ...
Zachary E. Klutz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Public Finance Law. Zachary E., who practices law in Indianapolis, Indiana, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Zachary E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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.