Twenty-Three Rushton Stakely Lawyers Recognized in 2026 Best Lawyers in America

Rushton Stakely is pleased to announce that twenty-one of our attorneys have been selected for the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. For over fifteen years, more than half of the Rushton Stakely attorneys have been recognized in the annual publication, with at least one attorney being named Lawyer of the Year in his or her respective practice area(s) since 2011. This recognition spans across numerous practice areas, with our attorneys gaining recognition in eighteen areas of law  for 2026. The selected lawyers include: J. Evans Bailey, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Jeffrey W. Blitz, Real Estate Law; L. Peyton Chapman III, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, and Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants; Stephen P. Dees, Healthcare Law and Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants; James R. Dickens, Jr., Commercial Transactions/UCC Law; Real Estate Law; J. Scott Dickens, Litigation – Construction; Royal C. Dumas, Insurance Law and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; William I. Eskridge, Real Estate Law; R. Brett Garrett, Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Alan T. Hargrove, Jr., Insurance Law, and Litigation – Insurance; William S. Haynes, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Amanda C. Hines, Insurance Law and Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants; Paul M. James, Jr., Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants;  Thomas H. Keene, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; P. Andrew Laird, Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers, Daniel L. Lindsey, Jr., Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates; Philip G. Piggott, Commercial Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; T. Grant Sexton, Jr., Insurance Law, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Patrick M. Shegon, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants; Christopher S. Simmons, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Public Finance Law, Tax Law; Ben C. Wilson, Litigation – Health Care, Litigation – Labor and Employment, and Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants.  Additionally, the following attorneys have been recognized as “Ones to Watch” in their areas of law: Chase S. Eley, Workers’ Compensation Law and Brock Hendon, Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. .