Press Release

Resources

expect

Press Release

Insights

Overview
Professionals

Spilman Attorneys Recognized by 2026 Best Lawyers, Lawyers of the Year, Ones to Watch

August 21, 2025

Charleston, W.Va. — Spilman Thomas & Battle (Spilman) announced that 66 of the firm's attorneys were selected by their peers for inclusion on the 2026 Best Lawyers list, four were selected as Best Lawyers "Lawyers of the Year," and 21 others were selected as Best Lawyers "Ones to Watch."

Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Its methodology is designed to capture the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. More information can be found at https://www.bestlawyers.com/methodology.

BEST LAWYERS

The following Spilman attorneys were selected by their peers in their respective areas of practice for inclusion on the Best Lawyers list:

Charleston, West Virginia:

Andrew P. Arbogast: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Michael J. Basile: Corporate Law; Government Relations Practice; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
H. Dill Battle III: Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
Samuel M. Brock III: Employment Law – Management; Litigation – ERISA
Paula L. Durst: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
Travis H. Eckley: Real Estate Law
Lee F. Feinberg: Energy Law; Utilities Law
David P. Ferretti: Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Christopher M. Green: Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
Laura E. Hayes: Insurance Law
Mark E. Heath: Energy Law
William M. Herlihy: Corporate Law; Energy Law; Natural Resources Law
Eric W. Iskra: Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
Bruce M. Jacobs: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Consumer Protection Law; Corporate Law; Financial Services Regulation Law; Litigation – Banking and Finance; Litigation – Bankruptcy
Eric E. Kinder: Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
Clifford F. Kinney, Jr.: Litigation – Construction; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
Charity K. Lawrence: Insurance Law; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
Alexander Macia: Energy Regulatory Law; Government Relations Practice
Nicholas P. Mooney II: Financial Services Regulation Law; Litigation – Banking and Finance
Joyce Fleming Ofsa: Real Estate Law
Charles W. Pace, Jr.: Corporate Law; Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates
Paul G. Papadopoulos: Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law; Corporate Law; Tax Law
Don C. A. Parker: Insurance Law
Niall A. Paul: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Environmental; Litigation – Labor and Employment; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
Susan J. Riggs: Administrative / Regulatory Law; Municipal Law; Utilities Law
Edward W. Rugeley III: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
John R. Teare, Jr.: Litigation – Labor and Employment
Gerald M. Titus III: Commercial Litigation
Ellen J. Vance: Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
David L. Yaussy: Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental

Huntington, West Virginia:

David D. Amsbary: Health Care Law
Robert M. Sellards: Commercial Litigation; Health Care Law; Litigation – Health Care; Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

Jacksonville, Florida:

Kevin L. Carr: Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania:

Barry A. Naum: Energy Regulatory Law
Derrick Price Williamson: Energy Law

Morgantown, West Virginia:

Debra Lee Allen: Financial Services Regulation Law
Carl H. Cather III: Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Real Estate Law
Patrick R. Esposito II: Corporate Law
Michael S. Garrison: Litigation – Labor and Employment
Matthew P. Heiskell: Commercial Litigation; Corporate Law
Joshua L. Jarrell: Corporate Law; Economic Development Law
Kelly J. Kimble: Commercial Litigation
James A. Walls: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Labor and Employment

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania:

The Honorable Tom Corbett: Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Government Relations Practice
Sally E. Edison: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Bryan S. Neft: Commercial Litigation
Julian E. Neiser: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction
Peter R. Rich: Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management
Ronald W. Schuler: Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Roanoke, Virginia:

Carter R. Brothers: Commercial Finance Law; Trusts and Estates
Jeremy E. Carroll: Litigation – Municipal
Bryce J. Hunter: Banking and Finance Law
Peter M. Pearl: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Corporate Law
Lori D. Thompson: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Family Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy
Hugh B. Wellons: Banking and Finance Law; Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice; Financial Services Regulation Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law
Robert A. Ziogas: Commercial Litigation

Wheeling, West Virginia:

David R. Croft: Corporate Law; Tax Law
W. Eric Gadd: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Corporate Law; Trusts and Estates
Gerald E. Lofstead III: Insurance Law
Dennis J. McGlaughlin: Trusts and Estates
Donald A. Nickerson, Jr.: Corporate Law

Winston-Salem, North Carolina:

Stephanie U. Eaton: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Matthew W. Georgitis: Construction Law; Litigation – Insurance
Carrie Harris Grundmann: Energy Regulatory Law
Erin Jones Adams: Corporate Law; Employment Law – Management
Jeffrey D. Patton: Employment Law – Management

BEST LAWYERS "LAWYERS OF THE YEAR"

Additional recognitions were awarded to four Spilman lawyers with the highest overall peer-feedback for a specific practice area and geographic region. Only one lawyer is recognized as the "Lawyer of the Year" for each practice and location. Spilman 2026 "Lawyers of the Year" are as follows:

Carl H. Cather III: Banking and Finance Law (Morgantown, West Virginia)
Bruce M. Jacobs: Litigation – Banking and Finance (Charleston, West Virginia)
Eric W. Iskra: Employment Law – Management (Charleston, West Virginia)
Hugh B. Wellons: Banking and Finance Law (Roanoke, Virginia)

BEST LAWYERS "ONES TO WATCH"

Finally, 21 Spilman attorneys also were recognized as 2026 "Ones to Watch" by Best Lawyers. These awards honor extraordinary lawyers who have been in private practice for fewer than 10 years in the United States.