Best Lawyers® Recognizes 73 BFKN Attorneys in 2026

This year marks a milestone for BFKN, with recognition growing from 60 attorneys in 2025 to 73 in 2026. Of these, 34 partners are featured in the 32nd edition of The Best Lawyers in America^©, while 39 attorneys—7 partners and 32 associates—were honored in the 6th edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, which highlights associates and early-career lawyers for outstanding professional excellence.

Since 1983, Best Lawyers has been regarded as the most respected authority on legal excellence. Its annual lists are based on a rigorous peer-review process, drawing on more than 13 million evaluations. The 2026 edition recognizes the top 5% of practicing attorneys in the U.S., with just over 81,000 lawyers honored across 151 practice areas in more than 200 regions.

We extend our congratulations to the following BFKN lawyers who have earned this distinguished recognition from their peers:

2026 Best Lawyers - Chicago, IL

• Peter J. Barack (Corporate Law)
• William J. Barrett (Bankruptcy & Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency & Reorganization Law; Litigation - Bankruptcy)
• Sarah M. Bernstein (Corporate Law; Franchise Law)
• Suzanne Bessette-Smith (Real Estate Law)
• Matthew A. Bills (Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law)
• Jeremy T. Bunnow (Real Estate Law)
• Joseph T. Ceithaml (Financial Services Regulation Law)
• Louis S. Chronowski (Franchise Law)
• Brett A. Feinberg (Real Estate Law)
• Dennis A. Ferrazzano (Real Estate Law)
• Robert M. Fleetwood (Banking and Finance Law; Financial Services Regulation Law)
• John E. Freechack (Banking & Finance Law; Financial Services Regulation Law)
• John M. Geiringer (Financial Services Regulation Law)
• Jeremy R. Heckman (Corporate Law)
• Howard J. Kirschbaum (Real Estate Law)
• Amy L. Koenig (Real Estate Law)
• Alexander Lourie (Corporate Law)
• Joshua W. Mahoney (Commercial Litigation)
• Brent McCauley (Securities Regulation)
• Richard S. Nikchevich (Real Estate Law)
• Donald L. Norman, Jr. (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
• Charles E. Picton (Real Estate Law)
• Brandon C. Prosansky (Franchise Law)
• Julie K. Rademaker (Real Estate Law)
• Nathan Q. Rugg (Bankruptcy & Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency & Reorganization Law; Litigation - Bankruptcy)
• Scott J. Slavick (Trademark Law)
• Maile Hitomi Solís (Commercial Litigation; Franchise Law)
• Andrew K. Strimaitis (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
• James R. Vogler (Franchise Law)
• Dennis R. Wendte (Banking & Finance Law)
• Thomas M. Williams (Advertising Law; Trade Secrets Law)
• Steven J. Yatvin (Franchise Law)

2026 Best Lawyers - Austin, TX

• Lloyd "Buddy" Ferguson (Commercial Litigation; Franchise Law)

2026 Best Lawyers - Wayzata, MN

• Nicholas H. Callahan (Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance; Litigation - Real Estate)

2026 Best Lawyers: Ones To Watch - Chicago, IL 

• Jacob Aubrecht (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
• Josh Bashioum (Real Estate Law)
• Rachel Bender (Intellectual Property Law)
• Alexander F. Berk (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law)
• Jonathan P. Byron (Real Estate Law)
• Corwin J. Carr (Commercial Litigation; Labor and Employment Law - Management; Litigation - Labor & Employment; Workers' Compensation Law - Employers)
• Elizabeth J. Cooper (Real Estate Law)
• Victoria Rusanova Cordiak (Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
• Zoe Brumfield-Meyers Cross (Commercial Litigation)
• Jill Doherty (Commercial Litigation)
• Camryn C. Dreyer (Banking and Finance Law; Financial Services Regulation Law)
• Ian P. Flanagan (Commercial Litigation)
• Alex Freund (Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law)
• Curtis Fullom (Real Estate Law)
• Connor T. Gants (Commercial Litigation)
• M. Olivia Glass (Commercial Litigation)
• Samuel Herling (Corporate Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law)
• Caitlin E. Hutchinson Maddox (Banking and Finance Law; Financial Services Regulation Law)
• Brian Ingram (Transportation Law)
• Solomon Kahn (Real Estate Law)
• Nicholas W. Laird (Commercial Litigation)
• David B. Lurie (Commercial Litigation)
• Maxwell F. Maharry (Real Estate Law)
• David A. Martin (Real Estate Law)
• Gianna Santoro Miksanek (Commercial Litigation)
• Joseph F. Mintz (Commercial Litigation)
• Jim S. Montelongo (Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law )
• Ethan Munsill (Real Estate Law)
• Puja O. Narain (Corporate Governance and Compliance Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
• Euna Park (Real Estate Law)
• Lauren E. Roman (Real Estate Law)
• Audra K. Siliunas (Real Estate Law)
• Ryan V. Smith (Real Estate Law)
• Audrey Springer-Wilson (Commercial Litigation)
• Marlow Svatek (Commercial Litigation)
• Andrea J. Tabrizi (Intellectual Property Law)
• Megan E. Toal (Tax Law)
• Zoe Xiuha Uvin (Banking and Finance Law; Financial Services Regulation Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Venture Capital Law)
• Samantha T. Zuba (Commercial Litigation)

To learn more about BFKN's The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch rankings, click here. 

About Best Lawyers

Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected lawyer ranking service in the world. For 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 the feedback we receive from these top lawyers. Those who receive high peer reviews undergo a thorough verification process to make sure they are currently still in private practice. Only then can these top lawyers be recognized by Best Lawyers.

To learn about Best Lawyers® and their methodology, visit the links below:

• https://www.bestlawyers.com/history
• https://www.bestlawyers.com/methodology 

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