71 Woods Rogers Attorneys Named to 2026 Best Lawyers

Woods Rogers attorneys work daily to deliver on our promise of providing uncommon legal services. Recognition of this work from our peers is a great honor.  

For that reason, Woods Rogers is pleased to announce that 71 attorneys have been named to the 2026 Best Lawyers in America®. With more than 130 Woods Rogers attorneys practicing across five Virginia locations, more than half received this honor. 

Demonstrating their excellent legal work and commitment to their profession, 12 attorneys from Roanoke and Norfolk also were named “Lawyer of the Year.”  Additionally, seven attorneys were named "Ones to Watch."

The complete list of honorees by region and practice area is below. 

Charlottesville, VA 

Steven W. Blaine 
Administrative / Regulatory Law 
Land Use and Zoning Law 
Real Estate Law 

Alden English
Banking and Finance Law
Real Estate Law 

Brian S. Johnson 
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)  

Lynchburg, VA 

Bernard C. Baldwin III 
Corporate Law 
Litigation - Trusts and Estates 

Eric J. Sorenson, Jr. (2026 Lawyer of the Year)
Banking and Finance Law  
Corporate Law 
Securities/Capital Markets Law 

Norfolk, VA 

Christopher Ambrosio 
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) 
Corporate Law 
Real Estate Law 

Anne G. Bibeau (2026 Lawyer of the Year)
Employment Law - Management 

Nash Bilisoly
Workers' Compensation Law - Employers

William Birkhead
Transportation Law

Patrick Bolling
Employment Law – Management
Litigation -  Labor and Employment 

Deborah M. Casey 
Community Association Law

Thomas Chappell
Appellate Practice 

Mark T. Coberly (2026 Lawyer of the Year)
Admiralty and Maritime Law 
Transportation Law 

Richard J. Crouch 
Banking and Finance Law 
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law 
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) 
Corporate Law 
Real Estate Law 

William E. Franczek 
Arbitration 
Construction Law 
Litigation – Construction 
Mediation 

Patrick A. Genzler
Construction Law
Environmental Law
Litigation - Construction
Litigation - Environmental

Richard S. Guy 
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) 
Mergers and Acquisitions Law 
 
James R. Harvey III 
Construction Law 
Litigation - Construction 

Geoffrey G. Hemphill 
Tax Law 

Patrick W. Herman 
Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law 
Tax Law 

Ray W. King 
Banking and Finance Law 
Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law 
Commercial Litigation 
Corporate Law 
Litigation - Real Estate 
Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law 
Real Estate Law 

Neil S. Lowenstein 
Construction Law 
Litigation - Construction 

Bryant C. McGann (2026 Lawyer of the Year)
Banking and Finance Law 
Commercial Finance Law 
Commercial Transactions / UCC Law 
Financial Services Regulation Law 
Litigation - Banking and Finance 
Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law 
Project Finance Law 

Richard Ottinger 
Admiralty and Maritime Law 

Kathleen Panagis 
Community Association Law 

Anita O. Poston 
Corporate Law 
Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants 

Adam S. Rafal 
Workers' Compensation Law – Employers 

James B. Rixey  
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)  

Michael L. Sterling (2026 Lawyer of the Year)
Construction Law 
Litigation - Construction 

Brian L. Sykes (2026 Lawyer of the Year) 
Workers' Compensation Law - Employers 

Daniel R. Weckstein 
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law 

Richmond, VA 

John K. Byrum, Jr. 
Administrative / Regulatory Law 

Donna L. Foster 
Health Care Law 

Tracy Taylor Hague 
Health Care Law 

Charles Carter Lee 
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants  

Douglas M. Palais 
Commercial Litigation 
Insurance Law 
Litigation – Securities 
Securities / Capital Markets Law 

Frederick H. Schutt 
Commercial Litigation 

William H. Shewmake 
Land Use and Zoning Law 

Joseph Spruill 
Banking and Finance Law 
Financial Services Regulation Law 

Roanoke, VA

Stan Barnhill
Commercial Litigation
Construction Law 
First Amendment Law 
Litigation – Construction 
Litigation - First Amendment 
Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants 

Neil V. Birkhoff 
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law 
Tax Law 
Trusts and Estates 

Victor O. Cardwell (2026 Lawyer of the Year)
Employment Law – Management 
Labor Law – Management 
Litigation - Labor and Employment 

Francis H. Casola 
Commercial Litigation 
Litigation - Antitrust 
Litigation - Intellectual Property 
Litigation - Real Estate 

Agnis C. Chakravorty 
Employment Law – Management 
Labor Law – Management 
Litigation - Labor and Employment 

Martha (Mollie) Withrow Elder 
Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants 

Michael P. Gardner 
Employment Law – Management 
Litigation - Labor and Employment 

Michael E. Hastings (2026 Lawyer of the Year)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law 
Litigation - Bankruptcy 

Michael J. Hertz 
Trade Secrets Law 

Patice L. Holland 
Insurance Law 
Litigation - Labor and Employment 
Railroad Law 

Nicole F. Ingle 
Real Estate Law 

James W. Jennings Jr. 
Commercial Litigation 
Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants 
Product Liability Litigation – Defendants 
Railroad Law

Neal Keesee Jr.
Corporate Law

Fourd Kemper 
Securities / Capital Markets Law  

Talfourd H. Kemper 
Corporate Law 
Real Estate Law 
Trusts and Estates 

Mark D. Loftis (2026 Lawyer of the Year)
Commercial Litigation 
Insurance Law 
Product Liability Litigation – Defendants 
Technology Law 

Josh Long 
Litigation - Intellectual Property 
Litigation - Labor and Employment 

Richard C. Maxwell 
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law 
Litigation - Bankruptcy

Lee E. Osborne
Trusts and Estates

Elizabeth Guilbert Perrow (2026 Lawyer of the Year)
Health Care Law 
Litigation - Health Care 
Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants 

Matthew P. Pritts (2026 Lawyer of the Year)
Railroad Law 
Transportation Law 

Brooke C. Rosen 
Family Law

Benjamin Rottenborn
Commercial Litigation
Criminal Defense: White-Collar 

Daniel T. Sarrell 
Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants 

Alexander I. Saunders 
Corporate Law 
Tax Law 
Trusts and Estates 

Justin E. Simmons 
Commercial Litigation 
Litigation – Bankruptcy  

Christopher W. Stevens 
Insurance Law 
Litigation - Insurance 

Daniel C. Summerlin III 
Labor Law – Management 
Litigation - Labor and Employment 

King F. Tower (2026 Lawyer of the Year)
Employment Law – Management 
Labor Law - Management 

Joshua R. Treece 
Commercial Litigation 

Elizabeth Burgin Waller 
Corporate Law 
Privacy and Data Security Law 

Thomas M. Winn III 
Employment Law – Management 
Labor Law – Management 
Litigation - Labor and Employment 

Other acknowledgments given to Woods Rogers attorneys include Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America and Lawyer of the Year lists. 

Best Lawyers® lists are compiled based on an exhaustive evaluation. Attorneys are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to ensure they are in current practice and in "good standing." Lawyers are not required nor allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered an honor. Learn more at www.bestlawyers.com.