B&D is proud to announce that 38 attorneys were named to the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© in the fields of Environmental Law, Environmental Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation, and Natural Resources Law.

In addition, 25 B&D lawyers were included in the sixth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch© in America for Environmental Law, Environmental Litigation, Natural Resources Law, Health Care Law, and Insurance Law.

New additions this year included Principals Ryan Carra, Jessica Kyle, Laura LaValle, Susan Smith, Michael Vitris, and Gus Winkes; Of Counsel Amber Ahmed, Thomas “Tap” Kolkin, and Claire Schachter; Senior Associates Leigh Barton and Vetone Ivezaj; Associates Nicole Bayne, Kennard Davis, Robert Denney, Elizabeth Nugent Morrow, Claire McLeod Ruiz, Charles Spencer-Davis, and Justin Weatherwax.

We congratulate these members of our team and thank our clients and industry colleagues for recognizing them.

B&D Lawyers Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2026

Environmental Law

• Amber Ahmed (Of Counsel, Austin)
• Madeleine Boyer (Principal, Austin)
• Laura LaValle (Principal, Austin)
• Bina Reddy (Office Managing Principal, Austin)
• Pamela Marks (Principal, Baltimore)
• Timothy M. Sullivan (Principal, Baltimore)
• Marc Goldstein (Firmwide Managing Principal, Boston)
• Jeanine Grachuk (Principal, Boston)
• Dylan Sanders (Of Counsel, Boston)
• Megan Brillault (Principal, New York)
• Michael Murphy (Principal, New York)
• John Paul (Principal, New York)
• Morgan Gilhuly (Principal, San Francisco)
• David Metres (Principal, San Francisco)
• Gary Smith (Senior Counsel, San Francisco)
• Susan Smith (Office Managing Principal, San Francisco)
• Eric Christensen (Principal, Seattle)
• Loren Dunn (Principal, Seattle)
• Allyn Stern (Office Managing Principal, Seattle)
• David Weber (Principal, Seattle)
• Gus Winkes (Principal, Seattle)
• Ryan Carra (Principal, Washington, DC)
• John Cruden (Principal, Washington, DC)
• Mark Duvall (Principal, Washington, DC)
• David Friedland (Principal, Washington, DC)
• Paul Hagen (Principal, Washington, DC)
• Russ LaMotte (Principal, Washington, DC)

Environmental Litigation

• Laura LaValle (Principal, Austin)
• Bina Reddy (Office Managing Principal, Austin)
• Michael Vitris (Principal, Austin)
• Pamela Marks (Principal, Baltimore)
• Timothy M. Sullivan (Principal, Baltimore)
• Marc Goldstein (Firmwide Managing Principal, Boston)
• Eric Klein (Principal, Boston)
• Dylan Sanders (Of Counsel, Boston)
• Daniel Krainin (Office Managing Principal, New York)
• Michael Murphy (Principal, New York)
• John Paul (Principal, New York)
• Nicole Weinstein (Principal, New York)
• Morgan Gilhuly (Principal, San Francisco)
• Stephen Lewis (Senior Counsel, San Francisco)
• Gary Smith (Senior Counsel, San Francisco)
• Susan Smith (Office Managing Principal, San Francisco)
• Loren Dunn (Principal, Seattle)
• David Weber (Principal, Seattle)
• Nessa Coppinger (Principal, Washington, DC)
• John Cruden (Principal, Washington, DC)
• David Friedland (Principal, Washington, DC)
• John Guttmann (Principal, Washington, DC)
• John Hanson (Principal, Washington, DC)
• James Slaughter (Principal, Washington, DC)
• Kathy Szmuszkovicz (Firm Chair, Washington, DC)

Commercial Litigation

• Robert Brager (Principal, Baltimore)

Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants

• John Guttmann (Principal, Washington, DC)

Natural Resources Law

• Timothy M. Sullivan (Principal, Baltimore)

B&D Lawyers Recognized as Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch 2026

Environmental Law

• Michael Campinell (Senior Associate, Boston)
• Lauren Karam (Senior Associate, Boston)
• Katrina Krebs (Senior Associate, New York)
• Anthony Papetti (Of Counsel, New York)
• Claire McLeod Ruiz (Associate, San Francisco)
• Casey Clausen (Principal, Seattle)
• Kirstin Gruver (Senior Associate, Seattle)
• Nicole Bayne (Associate, Washington, DC)
• Robert Denney (Associate, Seattle)
• Jacqueline Eisermann (Associate, Washington, DC)
• Deepti Gage (Associate, Washington, DC)
• Hilary Jacobs (Principal, Washington, DC)
• Elizabeth Nugent Morrow (Associate, Washington, DC)
• Jonas Reagan (Senior Associate, Washington, DC)
• Claire Schachter (Of Counsel, Washington, DC)
• Charles Spencer-Davis (Associate, Washington, DC)
• Nicole Waxman (Senior Associate, Washington, DC)
• Jack Zietman (Senior Associate, Washington, DC)

Environmental Litigation

• Leandra Ansah (Senior Associate, Austin)
• Kennard Davis (Associate, Baltimore)
• Thomas “Tap” Kolkin (Of Counsel, Baltimore)
• Michael Campinell (Senior Associate, Boston)
• Vetone Ivezaj (Senior Associate, New York)
• Katrina Krebs (Senior Associate, New York)
• Anthony Papetti (Of Counsel, New York)
• Claire McLeod Ruiz (Associate, San Francisco)
• Casey Clausen (Principal, Seattle)
• Leigh Barton (Senior Associate, Washington, DC)
• Nicole Bayne (Associate, Washington, DC)
• Hilary Jacobs (Principal, Washington, DC)
• Justin Weatherwax (Associate, Washington, DC)
• Jack Zietman (Senior Associate, Washington, DC)

Natural Resources Law

• Jonas Reagan (Senior Associate, Washington, DC)

Health Care Law

• Jessica Kyle (Principal, Baltimore)

Insurance Law

• Jessica Kyle (Principal, Baltimore)

First published in 1983, the Best Lawyers® listing is based on an annual exhaustive peer-review survey. Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® recognizes lawyers in private practice who are typically 5-9 years into their careers.

The Best Lawyers in America© and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch© in America 2026 lists are issued by Best Lawyers. A description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.