Constangy Celebrates Excellence: 91 Attorneys Honored in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 Rankings
Constangy congratulates 65 of its attorneys who have been named to the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, one of the oldest and most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession. In addition, 26 attorneys were named as “Ones to Watch,” recognizing attorneys with less than eight years in practice. With 91 individuals ranked, those recognized in the 2026 edition represent 40% of the firm’s lawyers.
Two Constangy partners were named “Lawyer of the Year.” Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area received this honor, making this accolade particularly significant. These lawyers are selected based on particularly impressive voting averages received during the peer review assessments.
Constangy also received several “top-listed” awards, as the firm with the most lawyers named to Best Lawyers in Winston-Salem for Employment Law – Management and Litigation- Labor & Employment.
Since it was first published in 1981, The Best Lawyers in America® has become regarded as one of the definitive guides to legal excellence. The Best Lawyers in America® lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel Magazine has called Best Lawyers "the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice."
Lawyers of the Year:
- Damon Kitchen, Jacksonville for Labor Law – Management
- Ken Carlson, Triad for Employment Law – Management and Trade Secrets Law
Best Lawyers:
Asheville, NC
- Michelle Rippon recognized for Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Missy Spainhour recognized for Litigation - Labor and Employment and Litigation - Banking and Finance
Atlanta, GA
- Barbara Kihumba recognized for Employment Law – Management
- Carl McCalla recognized for Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
- Pierrette McCalla recognized for Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
- Darrick McDuffie recognized for Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Tim Newton recognized for Employment Law – Management
- Bill Principe recognized for Employment Law – Management
- Eric Proser recognized for Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
- Frank Shuster recognized for Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Leigh Tyson recognized for Employment Law – Management
- Pat Tyson recognized for Employment Law – Management
- Neil Wasser recognized for Employment Law – Management
Birmingham, AL
- Rick Brown recognized for Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Dana Thrasher recognized for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Tammy Woolley recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Boston, MA
- Andrew Eisenberg recognized for Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Ellen Kearns recognized for Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Dave Kurtz recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Punam Rogers recognized for Immigration Law
- Sasha Thaler recognized for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Chicago, IL
- Laura Balson recognized for Employment Law – Management
- Todd Rowe recognized for Litigation - Insurance
Columbia, SC
- Cara Crotty recognized for Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Brian Magargle recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Dallas, TX
- Hunter Johnson recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Jackie Johnson recognized for Employment Law - Management
Denver, CO
- John Combs recognized for Immigration Law
- Jim Goh recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Fairfax, VA
- Jim Coleman recognized for Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Maureen Knight recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Indianapolis, IN
- John Babione recognized for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
Jacksonville, FL
- Jesse Bannon recognized for Employment Law – Management
- Damon Kitchen recognized for Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Colin Thakkar recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Gary Wheeler recognized for Labor Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Kansas City, MO
- Tim Davis recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Don Prophete recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Kim Seten recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Jack Wallace recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Los Angeles, CA
- Steve Katz recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Ken Sulzer recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Erik Von Zeipel recognized for Commercial Litigation
Macon, GA
- Jonathan Martin recognized for Labor Law – Management
Minneapolis, MN
- Piyumi Samaratunga recognized for Employment Law – Management and Immigration Law
Nashville, TN
- Teresa Bult recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Mary Dohner Smith recognized for Employment Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
Northern New Jersey
- Keya Denner recognized for Employment Law – Management
New York
- Anjie Cabrera recognized for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Orange County, CA
- Lara de Leon recognized for Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Allen Sattler recognized for Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Carolyn Sieve recognized for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Raleigh, NC
- Justin Coffey* recognized for Employment Law – Management
Rochester, NY
- Taren Greenidge recognized for Litigation - Labor and Employment
San Francisco, CA
- Barbara Antonucci recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Sarah Hamilton recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
St. Louis, MO
- Dean Kpere-Daibo recognized for Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tampa, FL
- Kelly Holbrook recognized for Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Individuals, Employment Law – Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Mike Malfitano recognized for Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- David Steffen recognized for Employment Law – Individuals, Employment Law – Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Winston-Salem, NC
- Ken Carlson recognized for Arbitration, Employment Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Mediation, and Trade Secrets Law
- John Doyle recognized for Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Bill McMahon recognized for Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Robin Shea recognized for Employment Law – Management
- Kristine Sims recognized for Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Ones to Watch:
Atlanta, GA
- Max Bernas recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Obasi Bryant recognized for Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Sarah Phaff recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Birmingham, AL
- Brittany Turner recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Chicago, IL
- Elysia Baker Analo recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Cyle Catlett recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management
- Catherine Geisler recognized for Insurance Law and Professional Malpractice Law
Denver, CO
- Rayner Mangum recognized for Litigation - Labor and Employment and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
Fairfax, VA
- Jason Friedman recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Jacksonville, FL
- Jadie Mims recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Kansas City, MO
- Nicole Davies recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Evan Jarrold recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Los Angeles, CA
- Jeffrey Fields recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Kelsey Link recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Matthew Scholl recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Macon, GA
- Amanda Morejon recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Northern New Jersey
- Eric Baginski recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management
- Latiqua Liles recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management
- Danielle Pierre recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
New York
- Tim Barbetta recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Raleigh, NC
- Daniel Ball recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Nia Doaks recognized for Immigration Law and Labor and Employment Law – Management
San Diego, CA
- Amanda Gianninoto* for Commercial Litigation
- Arcelia Magaña recognized for Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment and Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants
San Francisco, CA
- Rob Yang for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tampa, FL
- Hannah Compton for Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
*Denotes attorneys who are being recognized by Best Lawyers for the first time.
