Seventy-nine attorneys from Baker Donelson have been ranked as leading practitioners in the recently released 2018 edition of Chambers USA, a highly regarded directory of America's leading lawyers for business. Of these attorneys, 19 attorneys were included in Band 1, the top tier in Chambers USA; one attorney was ranked as a "Star Individual," a ranking given to attorneys with exceptional recommendations in their field; and six attorneys also achieved a national ranking.
Chambers also recognized 25 of the Firm's practice areas as leading statewide practices, with nine being ranked in Band 1. The Firm's health care practice was also ranked as a leading practice in the country, achieving a Band 3 ranking.
Considered a cornerstone directory whose listings are given much weight among business leaders selecting legal counsel, Chambers USA ranks law firm practice areas and individual attorneys based on research conducted by the directory's team of researchers, including in-depth interviews with clients and attorneys.
Attorney Rankings
Star Individuals
- Health Care: Sanford V. Teplitzky (Nationwide and Maryland)
Band 1
- Antitrust: Hal K. Litchford (Florida)
- Banking and Finance (Marine Finance): Edward H. "Hank" Arnold III (Louisiana) and Banking and Finance (Regulatory): Steven J. Eisen (Tennessee)
- Bankruptcy/Restructuring: Jan M. Hayden (Louisiana) and Timothy M. Lupinacci (Alabama)
- Bankruptcy Litigation: E. Franklin Childress Jr. (Tennessee)
- Construction Litigation: Edward P. Meyerson (Alabama)
- Corporate/Commercial: William S. Painter (Mississippi)
- Corporate/Commercial (Gaming and Licensing): Dan M. McDaniel Jr. (Mississippi)
- Environment: Ralph DeMeo (Florida)
- Gaming and Licensing: Paul West (Louisiana)
- General Commercial Litigation: Roy C. Cheatwood (Louisiana)
- Health Care: Richard G. Cowart (Tennessee), Donna Fraiche (Louisiana), S. Craig Holden (Maryland) and Howard L. Sollins (Maryland)
- Intellectual Property: Royal Craig (Maryland)
- Real Estate: Kenneth P. "Pete" Ezell Jr. (Tennessee) and Denise Killebrew (Alabama)
Band 2
- Banking and Finance: Steven J. Eisen (Tennessee) and Jackie Prester (Tennessee)
- Banking and Finance (Regulatory): Jackie Prester
- Construction: Linda A. Klein (Georgia), David Kurtz (Louisiana) and Mark W. Mercante (Louisiana)
- Corporate/M&A: Tonya Mitchem Grindon (Tennessee)
- Energy and Natural Resources (Oil and Gas): Kenneth Klemm (Louisiana)
- Environment: Robert M. Steele (Tennessee)
- Gaming and Licensing: Paul S. West (Nationwide)
- General Commercial Litigation: Leo Bearman Jr. (Tennessee), John S. Hicks (Tennessee), William N. Reed (Mississippi), Gary C. Shockley (Tennessee) and J. Carter Thompson (Mississippi)
- Health Care: S. Craig Holden (Nationwide), Catherine Martin (Maryland), John J. Miles (Washington, D.C.) and Donna Kalani Thiel (Washington, D.C.)
- Labor and Employment: Phyllis G. Cancienne (Louisiana), Brooks Eason (Mississippi), Steven F. Griffith Jr. (Louisiana) and J. Randall Patterson (Tennessee)
- Medical Malpractice Defense Litigation: Jill M. Steinberg (Tennessee) and Buckner Wellford (Tennessee)
- Real Estate: John A. Gupton III (Tennessee), Matthew T. Harris (Tennessee), Jon F. "Chip" Leyens (Louisiana), Murphy McMillan (Alabama) and William R. Sylvester (Alabama)
Band 3
- Bankruptcy/Restructuring: John McJunkin (Washington, D.C.) and Eric L. Pruitt (Alabama)
- Construction: Mark W. Frilot (Louisiana)
- Corporate/Commercial: B.G. Minisman Jr. (Alabama)
- Corporate/M&A: Kenneth Abel (Maryland)
- Energy and Natural Resources (Oil and Gas): Adam Zuckerman (Louisiana)
- Environment: Michael T. Dawkins (Mississippi) and Gary C. Shockley (Tennessee)
- Gaming and Licensing: Dan M. McDaniel Jr. (Nationwide)
- General Commercial Litigation: Nancy Scott Degan (Louisiana) and Kent A. Lambert
- Health Care: Ashby Q. Burks (Tennessee), Joe Campbell (Alabama), Julie Kass (Maryland and Nationwide), Errol J. King Jr. (Louisiana), John J. Miles (Nationwide) and Danielle Trostorff (Louisiana)
- Labor and Employment: Angie Davis (Tennessee) and Amelia "Mimi" Williams Koch (Louisiana) M. Kim Vance (Tennessee) and Edward R. Young (Tennessee)
- Real Estate: William S. Mendenhall (Mississippi), David A. Rueff Jr. (Mississippi) and Ginger Weaver (Mississippi)
- Tax: Nedom A. Haley (Georgia)
- White-Collar Crime and Government Investigations Litigation: Joe D. Whitley (Georgia)
Band 4
- Bankruptcy/Restructuring: Dan Carrigan (Washington, D.C.)
- General Commercial Litigation: Sheryl Bey (Mississippi) and Linda A. Klein (Georgia)
- Health Care: Thomas William Baker (Georgia)
- Labor and Employment: David Gevertz (Georgia)
- Real Estate: Martha Hartley (Florida)
Senior Statesmen
- Construction: J. Ben Shapiro (Georgia)
- Real Estate: H. Chervis Isom (Alabama)
Up and Coming
- Construction: Matthew Emmons (Louisiana)
- Construction Litigation: Kevin R. Garrison (Alabama)
Practice Group Rankings
Band 1
- Construction: Louisiana
- Gaming and Licensing: Louisiana
- General Commercial Litigation: Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee
- Health Care: Louisiana and Maryland
- Real Estate: Alabama and Tennessee
Band 2
- Banking and Finance: Tennessee (includes Regulatory)
- Bankruptcy/Restructuring: Alabama
- Corporate/Commercial: Alabama and Mississippi (includes Gaming and Licensing and Municipal Finance)
- Energy and Natural Resources: Louisiana (includes Oil and Gas)
- Environment: Tennessee
- Health Care: Tennessee
- Labor and Employment: Louisiana and Tennessee
- Real Estate: Mississippi
Band 3
- Bankruptcy/Restructuring: Louisiana
- Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions: Tennessee
- Health Care: D.C. and Nationwide
- Intellectual Property: Tennessee
- Labor and Employment: Mississippi
Band 4