LITTLE ROCK, AR – Friday, Eldredge & Clark LLP is pleased to announce that 72 of its lawyers have been recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. This includes 13 attorneys who have earned the distinguished title of “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective practice area and metropolitan region, along with eight attorneys recognized among Best Lawyers: “Ones to Watch in America.”
The Best Lawyers in America® list highlights outstanding attorneys across the country, with recognition based entirely on peer review. Within this list, the distinction of “Lawyer of the Year” is awarded to only one lawyer in each practice area and metropolitan region, making it the publication’s highest individual honor. The Best Lawyers recognition reflects broader peer acknowledgment of excellence across practice areas, while the “Ones to Watch” category recognizes attorneys earlier in their careers for their professional talent and promise.
13 Attorneys Named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in America® 2026:
Little Rock:
- Robert B. Beach, Jr. – Public Finance Law
- J. Lee Brown - Trusts and Estates
- William Mell Griffin III - Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Alexandra A. Ifrah - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Jamie H. Jones - Litigation - Insurance
- Sarah Cotton Patterson - Litigation - Trusts and Estates
- Bradley S. Runyon - Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants
- Robert T. Smith - Banking and Finance Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
- Jay T. Taylor - Real Estate Law
- William A. Waddell, Jr. - Litigation - Banking and Finance
- Guy Alton Wade - Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
- K. Coleman Westbrook, Jr. - Nonprofit / Charities Law
- H. Wayne Young - Employment Law - Individuals
Eight Attorneys Named in 2026 Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America
Eight emerging talented attorneys have been recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. This distinction honors associates and other lawyers who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice across the United States.
Best Lawyers: “Ones to Watch in America” identifies the most promising legal professionals based on a rigorous peer-review process, ensuring that those selected are regarded as the best in their fields by their colleagues. The honorees are recognized for their exceptional work, dedication to their practice areas, and their potential to continue shaping the legal landscape in the years to come.
Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® 2026:
Little Rock:
- Tyler D. Bone – Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants
- Mark Cameron – Labor and Employment Law - Management
- Sarah Giammo – Public Finance Law
- Amie Schoeppel Wilcox – Health Care Law
- Taylor A. Stockemer – Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law
Rogers:
- Kael K. Bowling – Appellate Practice, Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Real Estate
- Katherine C. Campbell – Antitrust Law, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Education Law, Labor and Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Lindsey Emerson Raines – Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Intellectual Property Law
Attorneys Named to 2026 The Best Lawyers in America list:
- Michelle Ator - Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Donald H. Bacon - Health Care Law, Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants, Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- James C. Baker, Jr. - Insurance Law and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- W. Thomas Baxter - Tax Law and Trusts and Estates
- Robert B. Beach, Jr. - Public Finance Law and Tax Law
- Paul B. Benham III - Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, and Securities Regulation
- Ryan A. Bowman - Municipal Law and Public Finance Law
- Jason N. Bramlett - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- J. Lee Brown - Tax Law and Trusts and Estates
- Michael Childers - Real Estate Law
- James C. Clark - Real Estate Law
- Allison J. Cornwell - Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates
- Kevin A. Crass - Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Securities, and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Bryan W. Duke - Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Real Estate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, and Tax Law
- Walter M. Ebel III - Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, and Tax Law
- Khayyam M. Eddings - Education Law, Employment Law - Individuals, Employment Law - Management, and Labor Law - Management
- Timothy Ezell - Health Care Law
- Price C. Gardner - Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Litigation and Controversy - Tax, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Real Estate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, and Tax Law
- David M. Graf - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- William Mell Griffin III - Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Insurance, Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Michael McCarty Harrison - Litigation - Insurance
- Christopher J. Heller - Administrative / Regulatory Law, Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Education Law, Employment Law - Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Joseph B. Hurst, Jr. - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Alexandra A. Ifrah - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Lynda M. Johnson - Health Care Law
- Jamie H. Jones - Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Insurance, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Martin A. Kasten - Appellate Practice, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Kristopher B. Knox - Railroad Law
- Thomas P. Leggett - Economic Development Law and Public Finance Law
- Harry A. Light - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Litigation - Bankruptcy, and Litigation - Intellectual Property
- Amy C. Markham - Construction Law, Litigation - Insurance, and Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
- W. Taylor Marshall - Municipal Law and Public Finance Law
- Kathy McCarroll - Insurance Law
- E. Conner McNair - Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Real Estate Law, and Tax Law
- Michael S. Moore - Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- D. Michael Moyers - Municipal Law and Public Finance Law
- Elizabeth Robben Murray - Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law - Individuals, Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment, and Trade Secrets Law
- Marshall S. Ney - Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Banking and Finance, Litigation - Bankruptcy, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Joseph G. Nichols - Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Real Estate Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, Tax Law, and Venture Capital Law
- A. Wyckliff Nisbet, Jr. - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Joshua M. Osborne - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Sarah Cotton Patterson - Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Nonprofit / Charities Law, and Trusts and Estates
- Clifford W. Plunkett - Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Bradley S. Runyon - Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants
- J. Shepherd Russell III - Municipal Law, Project Finance Law, Public Finance Law, and Securitization and Structured Finance Law
- James M. Saxton - Economic Development Law, Oil and Gas Law, and Real Estate Law
- Robert S. Shafer - Appellate Practice
- Robert T. Smith - Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Finance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, and Tax Law
- Brian C. Smith - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Laura H. Smith - Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Jay T. Taylor - Commercial Finance Law, Real Estate Law, and Securities / Capital Markets Law
- Bruce B. Tidwell - Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Health Care Law, and Real Estate Law
- Scott H. Tucker - Railroad Law
- William A. Waddell, Jr. - Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Franchise Law, and Litigation - Banking and Finance
- Guy Alton Wade - Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
- Katie Watson Bingham - Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Nonprofit / Charities Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates
- K. Coleman Westbrook, Jr. - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Nonprofit / Charities Law, and Trusts and Estates
- David D. Wilson - Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Jeremiah D. Wood - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Kimberly D. Young - Appellate Practice, Litigation - Insurance, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, and Qui Tam Law
- H. Wayne Young - Employment Law - Individuals, Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment
About Best Lawyers:
Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected lawyer ranking service in the world. For over 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.
Lawyers who are nominated for consideration are voted on by currently recognized Best Lawyers working in the same practice area and located in the same geographic region. Awards and recognitions are based purely on peer feedback. Those who receive high peer reviews undergo a thorough verification process to ensure they are currently still in private practice. Only then can these top lawyers be recognized by Best Lawyers.