McKool Smith is proud to announce that Gary Cruciani has been named the 2026 "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions in Dallas, and Steven Pollinger has been named the 2026 "Lawyer of the Year" for Patent Litigation in Austin. Based on peer reviews, only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.”

In addition, 20 McKool Smith Principals have been selected for inclusion in "Best Lawyers in America" and 7 attorneys chosen for "Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch."

McKool Smith's honorees include:

Austin:

Dallas:

  • Gary Cruciani (Litigation: Commercial, IP, M&A, and Securities)
  • Michael Fritz (Litigation: Commercial)
  • Scott Hejny (Litigation: Patent, Patent Law)
  • Richard Kamprath (Litigation: IP and Patent)
  • Lew LeClair (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/ Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bet-the Company Litigation, Litigation: Commercial, Antitrust, Bankruptcy, Insurance Law, Banking and Finance, IP, Patent, and Securities)
  • Nick Mathews (Litigation: IP and Patent) 
  • Robert Manley (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/ Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation: Commercial, IP, Patent, Insurance and Insurance Law)
  • David Sochia (Litigation: IP and Patent)
  • Avery Williams (Litigation: Commercial) 
  • Eric Fountain (Ones to Watch: IP Law, Litigation: Commercial, IP, Patent)
  • Jonathan Powers (Ones to Watch: Patent)
  • Casey Shomaker (Ones to Watch: Patent Law, Litigation: IP, Patent) *Debut Ranking

Houston:

  • Josh Newcomer (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/ Insolvency and Reorganization Law)
  • Bill LaFuze (Litigation: IP, Patent, Trade Secret Law)
  • Hugh M. Ray (Litigation: Bankruptcy; and Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/ Insolvency and Reorganization Law)
  • John Sparacino (Litigation: Bankruptcy; and Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/ Insolvency and Reorganization Law)
  • Veronica Manning (Ones to Watch: Litigation: Commercial and Bankruptcy)

Los Angeles:

Marshall

  • Sam Baxter (Litigation: Bet-the-Company, Commercial, Antitrust, IP, Patent)

New York:

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