News & Knowledge

Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP is pleased to announce that 41 FormanWatkins attorneys have been recognized in the 2025 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession.  Of those 41 attorneys, 13 were recognized as Ones to Watch, a list recognizing associates and other lawyers who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States. Our newest honorees include McCann LeFeve as a Best Lawyer and Patrick Fields as a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

Best Lawyers has earned the respect of the profession, the media and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in more than 75 countries.

Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing.

Attorneys selected to 2025 Best Lawyers in America:

• Charles H. Abbott - Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Mary Clift Abdalla - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Michael H. Abraham - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Pete F. Andarsio - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
• Michael L. Baker - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• James L. Banks - Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• K.B. Battaglini - Commercial Litigation and Natural Resources Law
• Tanya D. Ellis - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Sharon M. Garner - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
• Edwin S. Gault, Jr. - Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Environmental, Litigation - Insurance, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Nicholas C. Giallourakis - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Tim Gray - Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Environmental, and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
• Brian B. Hannula - Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Fred Krutz - Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Environmental, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• David W. Ledyard - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• *McCann LeFeve - Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• Amy L. Maccherone - Litigation - Environmental and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
• Mitch McGuffey - Commercial Litigation
• Alison O'Neal McMinn - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Joshua J. Metcalf - Litigation - Environmental, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Daniel J. Mulholland - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Patrice Pujol - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Michelle M. Roy - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Jennifer M. Studebaker - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Caroline M. Upchurch - Commercial Litigation and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Walter G. Watkins III - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Walter G. Watkins, Jr. - Litigation - Environmental, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Malissa Wilson - Litigation - Labor and Employment and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

Attorneys selected to 2025 Best Lawyers in America©: Ones to Watch:

• Autumn T. Breeden - Construction Law, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• *Patrick Fields - Commercial Litigation and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Melissa D. Fuller - Environmental Law, Litigation - Environmental, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Joel Fyke - Appellate Practice, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Courtney Hunt - Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Sampada Kapoor - Litigation - Labor and Employment, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Chelsea C. Lewis - Commercial Litigation and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Ruth Maron Huskey - Litigation - Environmental, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Margaret W. McLaughlin - Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Spencer Ritchie - Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Municipal Law, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Peyton Smith - Commercial Litigation, Environmental Law, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
• Andrew Stubbs - Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
• Taylor Delrie Waxley - Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Environmental