Photo of Cravath's Evan Chesler provided by the firm.

Photo of Cravath's Evan Chesler provided by the firm.

We are proud to introduce the 2022 class of the Lawdragon Hall of Fame.

Among them are the nation’s greatest corporate litigators, plaintiff powerhouses, innovators who established new areas of law practice and individuals whose dedication to a sometimes precarious legal system are unsurpassed.

We met Cravath partner Evan Chesler shortly after we founded Lawdragon in 2005. He was among a handful of lawyers in those early years who helped us define our aspirations of those we sought to write about, whose careers and achievements could inspire others. His tenacity and intelligence leading corporations through their toughest battles is the best a lawyer can be. Wachtell’s Ted Mirvis is another corporate litigation guru whose thoughtfulness and ability to untangle the most complicated shareholder battle are a joy to watch.

Also captured in this group of inductees is Supreme Court Justice Steven Breyer’s 27 years of thoughtful gravity, along with Merrick Garland’s storied determination that deprived him of a Supreme Court seat but rewarded him as the Attorney General for these times. Ken Doran reinvented Gibson Dunn, and pulled it to the ranks of America’s elite law firms, while Ora Fisher, now retired, showed the strength of a woman leading Latham and in Silicon Valley dealmaking. Steve Berman of Hagens Berman is tops in plaintiffs’ class actions, while Joe Power of Chicago shows the power of caring about your community and committing your entire career to helping your neighbors. Stuart Grant was among the most impactful plaintiff financial lawyers ever, at Grant & Eisenhofer, before founding Bench Walk Advisors, a litigation finance firm. And Bobbie McMorrow represents our outstanding consultants; she created an astounding number of law firms in her storied career, while providing warm mentorship and inspiration to women and so many others.

We founded our Hall of Fame in 2015, and you can view all those inducted here. As it evolves, we’ve decided to make selection of new members an annual event, just before we announce the year’s Lawdragon 500. In this winter of our malcontent, it’s important to remember the grit and dedication that are our best qualities – and which these professionals embody every day. It’s a great honor to write about them and have the opportunity to simply say thank you for all you’ve done.

You inspire us and so many others.

First Last Organization Location Category
Rosemary Alito K&L Gates Newark Litigators
Kim Askew DLA Piper Dallas Leadership
Theodore 'Ted' Babbitt Searcy Denney West Palm Beach Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Jan Baisch Law Office of Jan Baisch Portland, Ore. Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Lee Balefsky Kline Specter Philadelphia Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
George "Gar" Bason Davis Polk New York Dealmakers
Steve Berman Hagens Berman Seattle Litigators
Stephen Breyer U.S. Supreme Court Washington, D.C. Judges
Brad Brian Munger Tolles Los Angeles Litigators
Michael Burrage Whitten Burrage Oklahoma City Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Evan Chesler Cravath New York Power Brokers
Mary Louise Cohen Phillips & Cohen Washington, D.C. Innovators
Dean Colson Colson Hicks Coral Gables Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Mark Decof Decof Barry Providence Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Mike Delikat Orrick New York Litigators
Dennis Donnelly The Donnelly Law Firm Summit, N.J. Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Ken Doran Gibson Dunn Los Angeles Leadership
Ora Fisher Latham Menlo Park Leadership
James Fitzgerald Fitzgerald Law Firm Cheyenne, Wyo. Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Aaron Freiwald Freiwald Law Philadelphia Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Richard H. Friedman Friedman Rubin Seattle Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Anthony Gair Gair Gair New York Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Sergio Galvis Sullivan & Cromwell New York Dealmakers
Merrick Garland U.S. Department of Justice Washington, D.C. Leadership
Willie Gary Gary Williams Parenti Stuart, Fla. Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
James L. Gilbert The Gilbert Law Group Arvada, Colo. Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Daniel Golden Akin Gump New York Dealmakers
Marcia Goldstein Weil New York Litigators
Stuart Grant Bench Walk Advisors Wilmington Innovators
William 'Andy' Haggard The Haggard Law Firm Coral Gables Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Thomas R. Harkness Whitehurst Harkness Austin Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Bruce Hennes Hennes Communications Cleveland Crisis Communication
Frank  Herrera Jr. The Herrera Law Firm San Antonio Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Lynn R. Johnson Shamberg Johnson Kansas City Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Allan Kanner Kanner Whiteley New Orleans Litigators
David Kirby Edwards Kirby Raleigh Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Jeff Klein Clarick Gueron New York Litigators
Sandra Leung Bristol-Myers Squibb New York Leadership
Richard S. Lewis Hausfeld Washington, D.C. Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Stuart Liner DLA Los Angeles Innovators
David McClain Kazan McClain Oakland Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Craig McClellan McClellan Law Firm San Diego Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Bobbie McMorrow McMorrow Consulting Santa Ynez, Calif. Consultant
Ron Mercaldo Mercaldo Law Firm Tucson Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Robert R. Michael Shadoan Michael Rockville, Md. Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Ted Mirvis Wachtell New York Litigators
Ann Oldfather Oldfather Law Firm Louisville Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Isaac Pachulski Pachulski Stang Los Angeles Dealmakers
Joe Power Power Rogers Chicago Litigators
Harry  Reasoner Vinson & Elkins Houston Litigators
Ron Safer Riley Safer Chicago Compassion
Dick Sayles Bradley Arant Dallas Litigators
Frederick Schenk Casey Gerry San Diego Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Todd Smith Smith LaCien Chicago Litigators
Robert  Spohrer Spohrer Dodd Jacksonville Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Neil Sugarman Sugarman Boston Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Fred Thompson III Motley Rice Mt. Pleasant, S.C. Plaintiff Trial Lawyers
Charles W. Whetstone Jr. Whetstone Perkins Columbia, S.C. Plaintiff Trial Lawyers