Best Lawyers in America for Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
State
Kevin Baskette is a shareholder based in Lewis Thomason's Memphis office and is a member of the Board of Directors. Kevin practices in Mississippi and Tennessee and is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Mediator. As an accomplished trial and appellate lawyer, Kevin focuses his practice on healthcare liability, construction law, transportation law, products liability defense, and personal injury litigation. Having successfully litigated numerous civil matters to verdict at all trial levels of M...
Ryan Shuirman is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Ryan practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina Best Lawyers has recognized Ryan Shuirman 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 Ryan Shuirman is held by other lawyers.
Bryon R. Kaster is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Bryon R. practices law in Wayne, Pennsylvania Best Lawyers has recognized Bryon R. Kaster since 2024. 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 Bryon R. Kaster is held by other lawyers.
Patrick S. Casey is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Health Care Law, Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants. Patrick S. practices law in Wheeling, West Virginia Best Lawyers has recognized Patrick S. Casey since 2008. 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 professi...
Brian T. Coolidge is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Brian T. practices law in Houston, Texas Best Lawyers has recognized Brian T. Coolidge 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 Brian T. Coolidge is held by other lawyers.
George P. Kachulis is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. George P. practices law in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Best Lawyers has recognized George P. Kachulis since 2012. 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 George P. Kachulis is held by other...
Tod is a trial lawyer. He has extensive trial experience in contract, insurance, and personal injury cases involving products liability, construction, transportation, and the railroad industry. He has represented the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company, BNSF Railway Company, Union Pacific Railroad Company, and the National Passenger Corporation d/b/a Amtrak, with diverse experience including crossing accident litigation, FELA, contract disputes, and environmental claims. Tod is als...
James D. Griffin is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. James D. practices law in Kansas City, Missouri Best Lawyers has recognized James D. Griffin since 1997. 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 James D. Griffin is held by ot...
Brandon G. Waas is a partner in the firm’s Miami office who primarily practices personal injury litigation and first party property/coverage litigation, while co-managing a group of approximately 30 attorneys. In addition, Mr. Waas also practices in the areas of general civil litigation, legal malpractice, real estate malpractice, bad faith/extra-contractual liability, hospitality industry defense, and commercial and residential property damage claims. Born and raised in Miami, Florida,...
Dick Semerdjian is a founding partner of Schwartz Semerdjian and heads up the firm’s litigation department. Dick’s clients range from Fortune 100 and 500 publicly traded companies to small businesses and individuals. Dick is also experienced in both plaintiff and defense side work which lends to his unique ability to formulate creative and effective legal and resolution strategies in even the most complex of litigation matters. Over the span of his over 31 year career, Dick has be...
Ms. Bennett, a shareholder in the Memphis office, focuses her practice primarily in the areas of medical malpractice defense and insurance defense. Before attending law school, Ms. Bennett spent several years working as a medical malpractice paralegal and held a position as an adjunct professor in The University of Memphis Department of Political Science. A 2012 magna cum laude graduate of The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Ms. Bennett earned numerous writing, academi...
J.K. Leonard is a full-time mediator based in San Antonio, Texas with Leonard Resolution Services PLLC. His legal background includes extensive work in commercial litigation, mediation, personal injury litigation for defendants, and product liability litigation for defendants. Prior to focusing on mediation, Mr. Leonard practiced in the areas of product liability, complex torts, commercial litigation, and non-medical professional liability. He also served as monitoring and coverage counsel in...
For more than three decades, Joseph P. H. Babington has handled civil litigation in state and federal courts in Alabama and around the country. Joe has tried cases, argued appeals, and prosecuted and defended arbitrations. He has worked on a broad range of complex matters and has deep experience in products liability defense, catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases, and business and commercial disputes. Joe presented the winning argument in the United States Supreme Court in Kumho Tire C...
Bill Posey’s practice involves all aspects of litigation with particular emphasis in representing both plaintiffs and defendants in personal injury and product liability litigation; insurance coverage; complex and multi-district litigation; and, being a pilot, aviation law, including aircraft accident litigation. He has been admitted pro hac vice to serve as lead trial counsel on behalf of clients in sophisticated litigation in more than thirty jurisdictions. He has lectured on topics r...
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.
