Taft is pleased to announce that 136 attorneys were recognized in the fifth edition of Best Lawyers^® “Ones to Watch” 2025. This recognition is given to attorneys who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice. Best Lawyers^® “Ones to Watch” honorees typically have been in practice for five to nine years.

Following is the list of Taft attorneys selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers^® “Ones to Watch.”

Chicago, Illinois

• Liz L. Butler, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
• Carly Chocron, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Bianca E. Ciarroni, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Paul J. Coogan, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation
• Stephen M. Cramarosso, Corporate Law
• Adam W. Decker, Commercial Litigation
• Ioana M. Guset, Commercial Litigation
• John Kenny, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law
• Nicollette L. Khuans, Commercial Litigation, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Anne Kremer, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Adam M. Law, Real Estate Law
• John C. McDonnell, Real Estate Law
• Benjamin Morrell, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Jason A. Robin, Construction Law, Real Estate Law
• Ryan G. Rudich, Environmental Law, Insurance Law
• Jaimin H. Shah, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
• Roshan P. Shrestha Ph.D., Intellectual Property Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Akshita Singh*, Corporate Law
• Caroline E. Thee, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Patrick Wartan, Corporate Law, Real Estate Law
• Abe K. Wehbi*, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law
• Elizabeth Winkowski, Commercial Litigation

Cincinnati, Ohio

• Medora M. Akers, Commercial Litigation
• Spencer S. Cowan, Commercial Litigation
• Christopher (Kit) S. Houston, Construction Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
• Conor H. Meeks, Labor and Employment Law – Management
• Trevor M. Nichols, Criminal Defense: General Practice
• Megan M. Okun, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Trusts and Estates
• Lourdes E. Perrino, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law
• Evan T. Priestle, Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Danyel P. Rickman, Administrative / Regulatory Law, Commercial Litigation, Land Use and Zoning Law
• Christopher A. Singh, Intellectual Property Law
• Christopher T. Tassone, Corporate Law, Tax Law
• Kevin M. Waklatsi, Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Alex E. Wallin, Antitrust Law, Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Larry D. Williams, Jr., Ph.D., Intellectual Property Law
• Philip D. Williamson, Antitrust Law, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation
• Sam Zeller, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Cleveland, Ohio

• Mira Aftim, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Ina Avalon, Administrative / Regulatory Law
• Michael D. De Matteis, Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Venture Capital Law
• JoZeff W. Gebolys, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property
• David J. Haba, Real Estate Law
• Kelsey Hughes-Blaum, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Commercial Litigation
• Jack Maib, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Securities
• Mary Kate McClain, Family Law, Family Law: Arbitration and Mediation
• Allison Smith Newsome*, Corporate Governance and Compliance Law
• Daniela Paez, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Trusts and Estates

Columbus, Ohio

• Benjamin Adkins, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law
• Joseph P. Guenther, Construction Law
• Lauren A. Kemp, Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
• Jonathan N. Olivito, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs
• Rachel A. Smoot, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent
• Abigail M. Thederahn, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Kathryn S. Wallrabenstein, Criminal Defense: General Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Covington, Kentucky

• Kenneth A. Foisy, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Amanda S. Johnson, Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Dayton, Ohio

• Kristin H. Hardy, Intellectual Property Law
• Jordan Jennings*, Labor and Employment Law – Management
• Shawna M. Sorrell*, Labor and Employment Law – Management
• Christopher M. Wolcott*, Commercial Litigation

Detroit, Michigan

• Kelley Donnelly*, Commercial Litigation
• Ian Evans*, Banking and Finance Law
• Justin A. Hanna, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• James L. Kresta, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate
• Emily M. Mayer, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
• Michael Pomeranz*, Commercial Litigation
• Kate L. Ringler, Trusts and Estates
• Jacob J. Simon, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
• Rose M. Speece*, Real Estate Law
• Paige M. Szymanski, Litigation – Securities
• Bridget V. Tignanelli*, Corporate Law
• Daniel M. Ungar, Technology Law
• Natalie A. Watkins, Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Indianapolis, Indiana

• Henry D. Alderfer, Corporate Law
• Thomas Bemenderfer, Commercial Litigation
• Kelsie L. Breit*, Banking and Finance Law
• Whitney L. Carter, Public Finance Law
• Kyle Chambers, Real Estate Law
• Devin P. Claerbout, Intellectual Property Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Kira A. Crowley, Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Mike Etienne, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law
• Tristan Fretwell, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Kristine Gordon, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental
• Vivek R. Hadley, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Steve T. Henke, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Litigation – Real Estate
• John Huldin, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Garrett Hutchinson*, Entertainment and Sports Law, Intellectual Property Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Derek B. Lavender, Patent Law
• Steven Marino*, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Adam Mills*, Commercial Litigation
• Nicholas P. Mollmann, Real Estate Law
• Kayla Moody-Grant, Commercial Litigation
• Lorenzo R. Murillo*, Real Estate Law
• Abaigeal F. Musser, Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law
• Jeffrey W. Parker Jr., Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Neil Peluchette, Commercial Litigation
• Jessamine Pilcher*, Patent Law
• Mark M. Riffle*, Real Estate Law
• Rebekah Mackey Sanderson*, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Hayley A. Sears*, Commercial Litigation
• Tommy B. Sokolowski*, Environmental Law
• Samuel E. Swafford, Real Estate Law
• William Sweet*, Environmental Law
• Mitch Tanner, Commercial Litigation
• Amelia Trefz*, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Christine A. Walsh*, Commercial Litigation
• Brittni C. Wassmer*, Commercial Litigation
• Brett Wilson*, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Benjamin A. Wolowski, Commercial Litigation, Environmental Law

Minneapolis, Minnesota 

• Daniel Andersen, Tax Law
• O. Joseph Balthazor Jr., Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Schaan P. Barth, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Chelsey C. Buck*, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Thomas M. Caturia, Land Use and Zoning Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Real Estate Law
• Adam Chandler, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Litigation – Real Estate
• Seungwon Chung, Appellate Practice, Family Law
• Andrew S. Dosdall, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Patent
• Jamie L. Erickson, Banking and Finance Law, Project Finance Law, Real Estate Law
• Dion Farganis, Commercial Litigation
• Blair A. Harrington, Commercial Litigation, Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• Andrew T. Howard, Trusts and Estates
• Rebekah Cohen Israel*, Banking and Finance Law
• Benjamin Kajer, Banking and Finance Law
• Jorgen Lervick*, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Leanna Longley, Corporate Law
• Peter E. Madsen, Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Law
• Brieanna Maershbecker, Real Estate Law
• B. Tyler Philippi, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Yuka Shiotani, Construction Law, Litigation – Real Estate
• Brayanna J. Smith, Commercial Litigation
• Marquis Tapplin*, Banking and Finance Law
• Blake T. Vettel*, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Jordan L. Weber, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Real Estate, Litigation – Securities
• Thomas S. Welty, Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Matthew Wolf, Energy Law, Real Estate Law

(*) Lawyers who are listed for the first time in Best Lawyers^®: “Ones to Watch.”

About Best Lawyers^®

Best Lawyers^® is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. The Best Lawyers^® lists of attorneys are compiled by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which tens of thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. If the votes for an attorney are positive enough for inclusion in Best Lawyers^®, that attorney must maintain those votes in subsequent polls to remain on the list for each edition. Lawyers are not permitted to pay any fee to participate in or be included on the lists.