Awards

Carrington Coleman is proud to announce the attorneys selected to the 2026 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list. This recognition highlights attorneys who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in America. 

The attorneys selected to the 2026 list are:

Michael O’Brien: Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law

LaCrecia Perkins: Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation-Real Estate, Real Estate Law

Jordan Brownlow Perry: Labor and Employment Law-Management

Robert Rowe: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation-Bankruptcy, Litigation- Construction

Amanda J. Saunders: Trusts and Estates

Josh Sherman: Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Monique Sneed: Family Law

Shelby K. Taylor: Commercial Litigation, Labor and Employment Law-Employee, Labor and Employment Law-Management, Litigation-Labor and Employment

Lara Yost: Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation- Construction

More information on Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch can be found at https://www.bestlawyers.com.

Carrington Coleman is proud to announce the attorneys selected to the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^®. Twenty-three lawyers, including more than half of our partners, in 27 unique practice areas achieved this distinction. In addition, Partner Cathy Altman has been named “Lawyer of the Year” for her work in Construction Law in the Dallas/Fort Worth region. Only one lawyer in each practice area and community is honored with a “Lawyer of the Year” award.

The attorneys selected to the 2026 list are:

Cathy Altman: Construction Law, Litigation-Construction; Lawyer of the Year in Construction Law in Dallas/Fort Worth

Katie Anderson: Commercial Litigation

Mike Birrer: Employment Law-Individuals, Employment Law-Management, Litigation-Labor and Employment

Kenneth E. Carroll: Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation

Mark A. Castillo: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation-Bankruptcy

D. Lance Currie: Construction Law, Litigation-Construction

David G. Drumm: Real Estate Law

Carmen E. Eiker: Collaborative Law: Family Law, Family Law, Family Law Arbitration, Family Law Mediation

D. Wade Emmert: Health Care Law

Whitney Keltch Green: Collaborative Law: Family Law, Family Law

Kelli M. Hinson: Commercial Litigation, Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law, Product Liability Litigation (Defendants)

Mark C. Howland: Litigation-Intellectual Property, Litigation-Patent

Charles C. Jordan: Environmental Law, Real Estate Law

Jason M. Katz: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Monica W. Latin: Appellate Practice, Arbitration, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law-Management

Rodney H. Lawson: Litigation-Health Care

Stephen L. Levine: Patent Law, Trademark Law

Ashley McMillan: Trusts and Estates

Christie Newkirk: Employment Law-Management, Labor Law-Management, Litigation-Labor and Employment

Andrea N. Perez: Corporate Law

Jennifer Larson Ryback: Commercial Litigation

Brian P. Shaw: Commercial Litigation

J. Michael Sutherland: Bankruptcy & Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. The process 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 on The Best Lawyers in America^® can be found at https://www.bestlawyers.com.

Carrington Coleman’s Mark Castillo and Michael Sutherland have been selected to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers for 2025.

Selection is based on peer nominations and extensive editorial review of an attorney’s record of successful representation of companies, financiers, and suppliers. These honorees exemplify the “breadth of experience in law and life they bring to the practice of tuning out the noise and finding the path forward through tough negotiation, litigation, or complex financial arrangements,” highlighting both their skill and resilience. 

Mark Castillo regularly represents Chapter 11 debtors, secured and unsecured creditors, official committees, and Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 trustees in bankruptcy litigation. He has tried suits involving millions of dollars in bankruptcy-related claims, including claims of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, turnover, conversion, and contract claims, and has litigated or settled millions more in preference and fraudulent-transfer claims.

Large corporate lenders, debtors, healthcare companies, airlines, and retail giants, as well as not-for-profit organizations and municipalities rely on Mike Sutherland for his leadership in insolvency issues, business ownership disputes, directors and officers, litigation, insolvency and reorganization, the occasional receivership action, and professional liability matters.

The full 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers listing can be found here.

Six Carrington Coleman attorneys have been selected to the 2025 Lawdragon 500 X-The Next Generation listing.

Next Generation recognizes the top tier of young attorneys across the county who are at the forefront of the next generation of legal leaders and are poised to impact their chosen field of expertise, according to the Lawdragon research team.

• Robert Fountain was selected for his commercial litigation focus on insurance recovery cases on behalf of commercial policyholders.
• LeCrecia Perkins was honored for her commercial litigation work for businesses and individuals in state and federal courts.
• Robert Rowe was selected based on his representation of plaintiffs and defendants involved in bankruptcy litigation.
• Josh Sherman was chosen based on his litigation, arbitration and investigations work on behalf of individuals and businesses.
• Shelby Taylor earned recognition for her labor and employment litigation practice.
• Lara Yost was chosen for her construction practice.

The full 2025 Lawdragon 500 X-The Next Generation list can be found here.

Lawdragon has named Carrington Coleman Managing Partner Monica Latin in its “2025 Lawdragon 100 Managing Partners You Need to Know” guide. This guide features influential law firm leaders from US and UK-based firms who are “dedicated to one of the hardest roles a lawyer can take on: professionally herding lawyers and shaping their passions and skills into a successful outcome for a client.”

Passionately advocating for clients in her national commercial litigation practice, Monica Latin counsels organizations through courtroom trials, arbitrations, and appeals. She deftly handles disputes arising in a variety of arenas, including professional services, business ownership, real estate, employment, technology, manufacturing, retail, non-competes, trade secrets, and others.

Combining intellectual prowess, a fierce competitive spirit, great breadth of experience, and a deep-thinking, inquisitive nature, Monica is truly the complete package. Her keen analytical skills and exceptional dedication drive her to chart a strategic and efficient course of action. Monica’s colleagues also recognize that her outstanding leadership skills extend well beyond litigation and chose her to be their managing partner.

Monica gathers disparate facts and pieces of information and distills them into a unifying theme to anchor the legal strategy. With superb courtroom skills, she advocates effectively before juries, vigorously furthering the interests of her clients. As a board-certified appellate lawyer, she knows how issues will look in hindsight and uses this knowledge to position her clients advantageously from the start.

Monica’s excellent track record has earned her repeated spots on the Texas Super Lawyers list of Top 100 attorneys in Texas and the Best Lawyers in America, among many other accolades. A Chambers-rated attorney, she has forged a national reputation as a top-tier speaker and leading thinker on legal issues and serves as a longtime leader in the Section of Litigation of the American Bar Association.

To read the full list and learn more, click here.

Carrington Coleman is pleased to announce its ranking in Litigation: General Commercial and Construction in Chambers and Partners’ 2025 Chambers USA guide. The guide also includes five of the firm’s partners.

Selection to Chambers USA is based on thousands of in-depth attorney and client interviews to identify lawyers and firms who demonstrate top technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commitment, and other key qualities.  

“The firm offers creative solutions to expedite conflict resolution by finding common ground that makes good business sense,” one client noted. Another praised the team’s strategic skill, adding, “They’re playing chess, while other lawyers are playing checkers.”  

In addition to the firm’s practice rankings, the following individuals are ranked: 

• Managing Partner Monica Latin—Litigation: General Commercial 

• Alex More—Litigation: General Commercial 

• Cathy Altman—Construction 

• Lance Currie—Construction 

• Wade Emmert—Healthcare 

The Chambers USA guide is produced by London-based Chambers and Partners and is respected worldwide for its thorough guides to the legal profession. 

16 Carrington Coleman attorneys have been selected among D Magazine’s 2025 “Best Lawyers in Dallas.” Firm attorneys selected are:

Cathy Altman, Construction Litigation

Katie Anderson, Business/Commercial Litigation

Mark Castillo, Bankruptcy & Workout

Lance Currie, Construction Litigation

David Drumm, Real Estate

D. Wade Emmert, Healthcare (Transactional)

Whitney Keltch Green, Family Law

Kelli Hinson, Appellate

Mark Howland, Intellectual Property: General

Monica Latin, Business/Commercial Litigation

Alex More, Business/Commercial Litigation

Christie Newkirk, Labor & Employment

Marisa O’Sullivan, Insurance Law

Andrea Perez, Intellectual Property: Trademark & Copyright

Brent Rubin, Appellate

Jennifer Ryback, Labor & Employment

D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas” list honors the most respected lawyers in North Texas as voted upon by peers in the legal community and reviewed by the magazine’s editors. The complete list is featured in the May edition of D Magazine and is available here.

Carrington Coleman Managing Partner Monica Latin has been selected by Lawdragon as one of the top law firm leaders in the country.

The 2025 Lawdragon 100 Managing Partners You Need to Know legal guide recognizes leaders of “large and small, corporate and litigation, plaintiff and defense” law firms who are “dedicated to one of the hardest roles a lawyer can take on professionally: herding lawyers and shaping their passions and skills into a successful outcome for a client,” according to Lawdragon.

In 2020, Monica became Carrington Coleman’s first female managing partner, and fifth overall, since the firm opened in 1970. She was recognized by Lawdragon for her devotion to the growth of the firm, remarkable legal capability, and acumen as a business developer. Having practiced at the firm for more than 30 years, she has been instrumental in shaping the success and culture of the firm. Under her leadership the firm has twice been recognized by the Dallas Business Journal as a “Best Places to Work.”

In addition to her firm leadership, she has maintained her Chambers-rated litigation practice, representing clients in high-stakes litigation and appeals in state and federal courts across the country and in arbitration.

For more information on Lawdragon’s 100 Managing Partners You Need to Know guide, please visit https://www.lawdragon.com/guides/2025-04-04-the-2025-lawdragon-100-managing-partners-you-need-to-know.

Based on her extensive representation of members of the art community, Andrea Perez has been selected to the inaugural Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Entertainment, Sports & Media Lawyers guide.

Attorneys were recognized for their work in protecting the intellectual property and brands of artists, musicians, digital creators, athletes, universities, and others. Andrea has combined her vast knowledge of the arts with keen legal acumen to represents collectors, museums, auction houses, galleries, artists, art advisors, and other arts professionals worldwide.

She is a lecturer at Southern Methodist University, teaching International Law and the Arts as part of an international master’s degree program with universities in Montreal, Milan, Bogotá, and Beijing. She also frequently serves as a consultant for other law firms with art law-related matters.

Carrington Coleman is proud to announce that Partner Monica Gaudioso has been named one of the Top 25 Blockchain and Digital Assets Attorneys of 2025 by Attorney Intel. At the forefront of shaping the legal frameworks that govern digital finance, decentralized technologies, and emerging blockchain applications, this esteemed group of attorneys brings a deep understanding of both law and technology, allowing them to navigate the complexities of digital assets with precision. These legal professionals are influencing the future of the industry and laying the groundwork for the next generation of digital innovation.

“Blockchain and digital assets are not just another speculative trend—they’re a new technological frontier with the potential to revolutionize industries. And the legal challenges in this space are not just new iterations of old problems––they are novel, complex, and require a deep understanding of both the law and the underlying technology. And that’s what I love about practicing in this industry. My role extends beyond legal interpretation—I have to immerse myself in the intricacies of my clients’ technologies to provide strategic, forward-thinking counsel. In an ever-evolving regulatory landscape, it is not only my responsibility to guide clients through compliance, but to help shape the legal frameworks that will allow blockchain innovation to thrive,” says Gaudioso.

In addition to Gaudioso’s experience in digital assets and blockchain technology, she maintains a litigation practice focused on corporate governance disputes and business torts, both on the plaintiff- and defense-side, handling cases of all sizes and complexities, as well as an outside general counsel practice focused on helping companies of all sizes, and during all stages of growth, identify and resolve potential issues before they see the inside of a courtroom, using a collaborative, practical approach to problem solving.

To view the full list, please click here.