Butler Snow LLP is pleased to announce that 232 attorneys have been recognized as BL Rankings, The Best Lawyers in America® 2026. The firm also had 21 attorneys recognized as The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 “Lawyer of the Year” and 38 attorneys recognized as Best Lawyers® 2026: Ones to Watch.
“We congratulate all our attorneys recognized in the 2026 Best Lawyer Rankings,” said Christopher R. Maddux, chair of Butler Snow. “This notable recognition underscores the depth of expertise across the firm, and it is a testament to each individual’s commitment, professionalism and dedication to excellence in the legal profession.”
Best Lawyers® is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. A listing in the publication is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor. Best Lawyers® compiles its lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting peer-review surveys in which lawyers confidently evaluate their professional peers. For a complete listing of the 232 Butler Snow attorneys listed in BL Rankings, The Best Lawyers in America® 2026, click here.
Best Lawyers in America®: Ones to Watch (2026 Edition) recognitions are awarded to attorneys who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. These attorneys have typically been in practice for five to nine years. For a complete listing of the 38 Butler Snow attorneys listed in Best Lawyers in America®: Ones to Watch, click here.
The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 “Lawyer of the Year” recognitions are awarded to individual attorneys with the highest overall peer feedback for a specific practice area and geographic location. Only one attorney is recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for each specialty and location. The 21 Butler Snow attorneys named to this list are:
Baton Rouge, LA
Connell L. Archey – Insurance Law
Jacob M. Kantrow – Corporate Law
Gulfport, MS
Michael B. Hewes – Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Richard W. Sliman – Insurance Law
Huntsville, AL
David B. Block – Litigation – Labor and Employment
Jackson, MS
Trudy D. Fisher – Environmental Law
Samantha R. Moore – Tax Law
Benjamin W. Roberson – Corporate Law
Arthur D. Spratlin, Jr. – Transportation Law
Phillip S. Sykes – Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
Timothy M. Threadgill – Employment Law – Management
Gilbert C. Van Loon – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Thad W. Varner – Public Finance Law
Memphis, TN
R. Campbell Hillyer – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Geoffrey M. Hirsch – Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
Edward L. Stanton III – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Daniel W. Van Horn – Litigation – Banking and Finance
Jason G. Yarbro – Commercial Finance Law
Nashville, TN
Melvin J. Malone – Energy Law
Amanda Haynes Young – Insurance Law
Oxford, MS
Paul V. Cassisa, Jr. – Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
