Best Lawyers in America for Corporate Governance and Compliance Law
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State
Stephanie C. Smith is a Shareholder in the law firm of Midgett Preti Olansen. Her practice areas include estate planning, estate and trust administration, and business matters. Additionally, Ms. Smith serves as a Commissioner of Accounts for Virginia Beach Circuit Court. In her role as Commissioner of Accounts, Ms. Smith supervises fiduciaries and audits accountings and other filings by administrators and executors of estates, trustees of trusts, guardians and conservators for minor children ...
S. Joel Cartee is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Communications Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. S. Joel, who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which S. Joel is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice ...
Stephen A. Miller is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Compliance Law and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Stephen A., who practices law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephen A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Litigator James G. Martin defends corporations and individuals facing high-stakes, complex business lawsuits, white collar criminal charges, and allegations of corporate governance and compliance violations. A former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, Jim is regularly lead defense counsel in class action and civil litigation matters, including SEC fraud and healthcare fraud in False Claims Act (FCA) litigation. Corporations also call on him to lead internal investigations rel...
Jason Day is a partner with the firm's Business practice. He focuses his practice on securities regulations and public offerings. Jason counsels public companies on Securities Exchange Act of 1934, NYSE and NASDAQ compliance and disclosure issues. He also advises public company executives and boards regarding executive compensation, corporate governance, corporate finance, Sarbanes Oxley Act, Dodd-Frank Act, Regulation FD and Section 16 compliance. Jason's securities experience also includes ...
Gerald A. Sumida is a partner in Carlsmith Ball LLP's Honolulu office and Chair of the firm's Corporate & Business Practice Group. He concentrates on business structuring and operations, including corporate, limited liability company, joint venture and partnership matters; business acquisitions; sales and mergers; securities law; start-up company and venture capital financing; administrative and public utilities law; energy law, including energy project development and project finance; an...
Elizabeth S. Fenton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Governance Law. Elizabeth S., who practices law in Wilmington, Delaware, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Elizabeth S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Bess DuRant is a litigator engaged in complex business disputes on both the trial and appellate level. Her practice includes corporate governance issues, bet-the-company litigation, shareholder disputes, derivative actions, along with other business torts and contractual disputes. Bess' practice also includes trust and estate litigation. Additionally, Bess focuses on Constitutional issues, Freedom of Information Act matters, and election disputes. Bess’ practice includes appellate work ...
Blake T. Johnson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Governance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Securities / Capital Markets Law. Blake T., who practices law in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Blake T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Craig P. Wagnild is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Governance Law and Real Estate Law. Craig P., who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Craig P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Richard Cicchillo, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Richard, who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Richard is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Brad Whitlock focuses his practice on representing a wide variety of business clients. He has experience in a broad scope of business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity securities financings, complex company formation, contracts, employment matters, corporate governance issues and numerous other legal arrangements and agreements. In many instances, Mr. Whitlock serves as an outside general counsel for his clients, helping them with both business and legal issues...
Tabitha Croscut is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Governance Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Tabitha, who practices law in Manchester, New Hampshire, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Tabitha is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
For more than 30 years, Tom, who serves as head of Spotts Fain's Corporate and Business Transactions Practice, has represented clients in corporate and LLC governance matters. He serves as outside general counsel to many of the firm's clients in addition to representing them in commercial and business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions of closely held businesses. Tom frequently counsels businesses in entity formation and exit strategy planning.
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.