Media Contact:
Anna E. Walp
Marketing Manager
602.530.8019
anna.walp@gknet.com
PHOENIX, Ariz. & SANTA FE, New Mexico (August 20, 2026) – Gallagher & Kennedy is pleased to announce that 45 of its attorneys across 45 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers In America® and Ones To Watch®.
In addition, two G&K shareholders received the highest overall peer feedback for a specific practice area and geographic region and were named “Lawyer of the Year.” Congratulations to Jennifer A. Cranston (Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law) and Woodrow C. Thompson (Criminal Defense: General Practice). Only one lawyer is chosen for recognition for each specialty and geographic location each year.
G&K attorneys recognized by Best Lawyers in America® include:
- Melissa Benson – Family Law
- Matthew Boatman – Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
- Robert Boatman – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs; Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs; Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs
- Stephen R. Boatwright – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities Regulation
- Timothy Brown – Tax Law
- Shannon L. Clark – Appellate Practice; Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs; Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs; Professional Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
- James Connor – Real Estate Law
- Jennifer Cranston – Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law “Lawyer of the Year”; Energy Law; Energy Regulatory Law; Insurance Law; Utilities Law
- Stanton Curry – Environmental Law
- Mark Dangerfield – Commercial Litigation
- Lee Decker – Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental; Natural Resources Law
- Joshua Fisher – Criminal Defense: General Practice; Criminal Defense: White-collar; DUI/DWI Defense
- Mark Fuller – Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation
- Haley Harrigan – Commercial Litigation; Employment Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Janey Henze Cook – Criminal Defense: General Practice; Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Tom Henze – Criminal Defense: General Practice; Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Rodney Jarvis – Land Use and Zoning Law
- Donald Peder Johnsen – Employment Law – Individuals; Employment Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Stuart Kimball – Government Relations Practice
- Chris Leason – Administrative / Regulatory Law; Environmental Law; Litigation
– Environmental; Natural Resources Law
- Dalva Moellenberg – Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental; Natural Resources Law
- Peter Moolenaar – Commercial Litigation; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Kiersten Murphy – Commercial Litigation
- Kevin Neal – Aviation Law; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs; Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
- Kevin E. O’Malley – Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Litigation – Construction; Litigation – Environmental; Litigation – Municipal; Litigation – Securities
- Kortney Otten – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Hannah Porter – Administrative / Regulatory law; Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation
- Michael Ross – Litigation – Labor and Employment; Litigation – Real Estate; Litigation – Trusts and Estates
- Dale Schian – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Otto Shill, III – Employment Law – Management; Litigation and Controversy – Tax; Tax Law
- Erik Smith – Tax Law
- Wayne Smith – Real Estate Law
- Christopher Thompson – Administrative / Regulatory Law; Commercial Litigation
- Terence Thompson – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Woodrow Thompson – Criminal Defense: General Practice “Lawyer of the Year”; Criminal Defense: White-Collar; DUI/DWI Defense
- Anthony Trujillo – Environmental Law; Natural Resources Law
- William Underwood – Environmental Law; Natural Resources Law
- David Wallis – Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental G&K attorneys recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones To Watch®:
- Guillaume Aimé – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships);
Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law; Securities Regulation
- Shayna Frieden – Criminal Defense: General Practice
- Sarah Myers – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Environmental Law; Real Estate Law
- Timothy Newman – Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
- Kenneth Ralston – Commercial Litigation; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs; Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
- Josefa Rodriguez – Family Law
- Dominick San Angelo – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law
The Ones To Watch award is based on peer review and recognizes extraordinary lawyers who have been in private practice for less than 10 years in the United States.
About Best Lawyers
Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected lawyer ranking service in the world. For 40 years, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Best Lawyers awards are published in leading local, regional, and national publications across the globe.
About Gallagher & Kennedy
Established in 1978, Gallagher & Kennedy is an Arizona-based law firm with more than 50 attorneys in Arizona and New Mexico representing clients from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses and individuals. The firm’s clientele includes Freeport McMoRan, Inc., Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, The Fertilizer Institute, Grand Canyon University, and Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS). Learn more at www.gknet.com or call 602-530-8019.