Best Lawyers in America for Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

Mr. Gilbert is a partner in the Santa Fe office. He and his wife, Elicia Montoya, have been married for nineteen years, and are parents to two wonderful children. When not working, Kurt is most likely participating in (or sometimes just driving children to and from) some athletic, educational, or artistic endeavor. Kurt has coached soccer for the past eight years and basketball for the past three. Kurt also enjoys long-distance running, skiing, playing guitar, travelling, and cooking.

Dennis D. Ferri, Of Counsel to the Wilmington, Delaware office of Reger Rizzo & Darnall, has been an active trial lawyer for 43 years. Over those years, he has tried to conclusion nearly 100 cases in Delaware’s State and Federal Courts, obtaining excellent results for his clients. Dennis has earned the respect of lawyers and Judges for his trial skills and his professionalism. His areas of practice have included general liability, personal injury (plaintiff and defense), product lia...

EDUCATION Creighton University (J.D., 1978) Creighton University (B.A., Cum Laude, 1975) PRACTICE EMPHASIS Civil Litigation Insurance Litigation Business Litigation Fire & Explosion Litigation Professional Liability Personal Injury Litigation HONORS & AWARDS Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers The Best Lawyers in America Great Plains Super Lawyers Fellow, American Bar Foundation Alpha Sigma Nu, National Jesuit Honor Society Spirit of Creighton Award

About Dipak Dipak P. Patel is a Partner and member of the Civil and Commercial Litigation, Employment Law, and Family Law teams. He is experienced in providing business entity and individual clients with practical advice regarding all aspects of the employment relationship and has worked for over a decade as counsel to both startups and established businesses, and as a litigator. He regularly represents companies and owners in both agency and court proceedings, in addition to representing ind...

George V. Hanna IV is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. George V., who practices law in Columbia, South Carolina, has been recognized since 2012. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which George V. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practic...

Jeffrey L. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Jeffrey L., who practices law in Phoenix, Arizona, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jeffrey L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Joyce Gist Lewis is a skilled and tenacious advocate for private companies and governmental entities in and out of the courtroom. Joyce’s two decades of experience includes serving as lead counsel for claims involving professional liability, director and officer liability, business divorce, real estate litigation, employment discrimination defense, and catastrophic injury defense. Her appellate experience includes arguing cases before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and successful...

Thear J. Lemoine is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law, Litigation - Insurance and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Thear J., who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Thear J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David Ayers was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1983 and is admitted to all state and federal courts in Mississippi and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He also has handled cases in a number of other states under pro hac vice privileges. David's experience includes commercial litigation, premises litigation and general personal injury litigation, with an emphasis on automotive, heavy equipment, industrial equipment and recreational product litigation. His cases of ...

Roy is proactive in his approach to cases from the minute a file is referred. He makes an early analysis as to liability and damages and then works with the client to determine the best and most cost-effective strategy toward a favorable resolution, appropriate dismissal motion or trial of the case. Professional Affiliations ALFA International American Bar Association Association of Transport Law, Tort and Insurance Practice Committee Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM) Defense ...

Timothy D. Rau is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Timothy D., who practices law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Timothy D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

A Nashville, Georgia native, Mr. Lovein practices in the areas of workers’ comp defense, premise liability, medical malpractice, real estate, school law, and local government law. Mr. Lovein presented an argument to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Castro v. United States on October 15, 2003.

Becky has a diverse litigation practice with focus on disputes involving alternative dispute resolution; construction; dram shop; healthcare; insurance coverage; premises liability; product liability; and commercial transportation and trucking. She is a Fellow in Litigation Counsel of America; and a member of International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC); American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and Trial Attorneys of America (TAA). ADMISSIONS South Carolina Bar U.S. District Court for...

Jimmy B. Wilkins is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law, Litigation - Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. Jimmy B., who practices law in Jackson, Mississippi, has been recognized since 2011. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jimmy B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

An experienced trial lawyer, Win has represented clients in hundreds of cases during his 25-plus years of practice in Mobile. His active trial practice includes all types of complex litigation, but his focus is representing hospitals, physicians and long-term care facilities across Alabama in medical negligence lawsuits and other healthcare-related litigation. Win is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers. The Best Lawyers of ...

Darrick O’Dell is a seasoned, AV-rated litigation attorney. He has practiced for over 15 years and has extensive jury trial and courtroom experience. He represents insurance companies and their insureds, as well as self-insured companies, in serious litigation involving premises liability, retail and hospitality defense, construction damage, insurance coverage, employment practices liability, and other complex litigation including sexual assault and wrongful death claims. Darrick began ...