Best Lawyers in America for Litigation - Banking and Finance

Peter P. Hargitai is a trial lawyer, focusing on real estate and complex commercial litigation. Mr. Hargitai has extensive trial experience in both traditional and alternative dispute resolution tribunals, and has handled complex matters involving real estate disputes, business torts, restrictive covenants, trade secrets and anti-competitive practices. Mr. Hargitai also has developed a banking operations practice and currently represents many national and regional banks. Prior to entering pri...

Donald E. Godwin is considered one of the most respected and tenacious trial lawyers in Texas. For over 40 years Don has tried significant jury cases in courts throughout Texas and across the United States. He has the ability to translate complex matters of law and fact into easily understandable language for courts and juries. Don's practice covers a broad range of areas with an emphasis on complex litigation, including oil and gas, environmental, fiduciary duties, will contests, major famil...

Jim has been representing businesses and individuals in disputes, litigation, trials and appeals in state and federal courts for over forty years. He handles a wide variety of civil cases ranging from matters involving claims for personal injury to those involving claims made under the False Claims Act. His expertise includes business litigation, statutory and regulatory litigation brought by individuals and the United States, extra-contractual claims brought against insurance companies and d...

Robert practices in Financial Services Litigation with an emphasis in mortgage litigation and compliance and commercial/real estate litigation. He is a Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB) and is one of only a handful of attorneys in the nation who have achieved this status. His national practice focuses primarily on representing two specific industries: financial institutions and mortgage companies. Robert's representation of clients in the financial institutions and mortgage industry is both tri...

Timothy C. Sullivan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Banking and Finance and Litigation - Trusts and Estates. Timothy C., who practices law in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Timothy C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Barney's practice focuses on commercial litigation and governmental litigation. He is Vice Chair of the Committee on Character and Fitness of the Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions and is a member of the Standing Committee on Local Civil Rules for the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi.

William T. Paulk is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Banking and Finance. William T., who practices law in Birmingham, Alabama, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Joey Steadman is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. Joey represents banks, financial institutions, and investors in commercial collection disputes and real estate matters in Alabama and Florida state courts. He also has defended municipal clients in civil litigation involving personal injury claims and land use disputes, as well as insurance companies in personal injury matters. Before joining Jones Walker, Joey served as a law clerk for the Honorable Charles A. Graddick, presiding j...

Attorney Mick Rusing heads up the firm’s litigation section, which covers virtually every area of civil litigation. A lawyer for over thirty years, Mr. Rusing has tried well over 100 cases in federal and state courts in diverse areas such as breach of fiduciary duty, contract, ERISA, employment, environmental, insurance bad faith, insurance coverage, legal malpractice, medical malpractice, patent infringement, products liability, securities, trusts and estates, will contests, and wrongf...

Joseph L. Buckley is a member of the Firm’s Management Committee and Chair of the Litigation Department. He has over 35 years of first chair trial experience in a wide variety of complex cases in federal and state courts in New Jersey and New York. He is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney.

John Tull has served as lead counsel in more than 100 jury trials, representing individuals, small businesses, and major corporations across a broad spectrum of complex litigation. Clients rely on his deep courtroom experience and strategic approach to resolve high-stakes legal challenges effectively. Mr. Tull’s trial experience includes matters involving business torts, breach of contract, product liability, toxic torts, environmental litigation, securities fraud, franchise disputes, t...

Tom Bieging is of counsel with the firm. He focuses his practice in the areas of banking and commercial litigation. Mr. Bieging’s financial institutions practice includes holding company and change of control applications, loan documentation, regulatory compliance advice, loan work outs, board representation, and the sale, acquisition, and merger of banks and bank holding companies. Mr. Bieging has litigated with government agencies on financial institution policy matters with national ...

Dan Deane is co-leader of the TCPA team and deputy leader of the Class Actions and Aggregate Litigation group. His practice focuses on defending businesses and individuals in high exposure complex civil and criminal litigation in state and federal court and before regulatory agencies. Dan’s clients include national and international businesses and individuals in a variety of industries with a focus in health care, insurance, and financial services. What do you focus on? My practice focu...

Richard Aguilar is resident in the firm's New Orleans office. His multi-state practice focuses on bringing his extensive business experience to bear for clients dealing with issues in areas involving creditor's rights, foreclosure, bankruptcy, reorganization, and high-consequence business and commercial litigation.

Emily Tidmore is an appellate lawyer and commercial litigator who has represented clients in complex commercial litigation throughout the country, including in the United States Supreme Court. Her litigation experience includes commercial and labor-and-employment class actions, business torts, intellectual property disputes, transportation regulation, Chapter 9 (municipal) bankruptcy, and punitive damages and federal preemption issues. Emily was named as the 2018 “Lawyer of the Year&rdq...

James Higgins is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Finance Law, Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Banking and Finance. James, who practices law in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.