86 Lawyer of the Year Awards in 16 Years

The Best Lawyers in America, launched in 1983, is the oldest peer-review publication in the legal profession. The annual publication recognizes only one “Lawyer of the Year” who receives the highest overall peer-review feedback for a specific practice area in a specific geographic region. Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same community and same area of expertise for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity. Outstanding lawyers are selected solely from confidential peer survey results and there is no fee to participate in or be recognized by Best Lawyers.

Since 2010, McDonald Carano attorneys in our Reno and Las Vegas offices have received a total of 86 Lawyer of the Year awards in 20 practice areas. We proudly share that list below.

2026	Leigh Goddard, Trusts & Estates Litigation, Reno Sylvia Harrison, Energy Law, Reno Mark Knobel, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Reno Pat Lundvall, Labor Law-Management, Las Vegas George Ogilvie, Construction Law, Las Vegas George Ogilvie, Construction Litigation, Las Vegas Brian Schusterman, Corporate Law, Reno
2025	A.G. Burnett, Administrative/Regulatory Law, Reno A.G. Burnett, Gaming Law, Reno John Galvin, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Reno Dennis Gutwald, Administrative/Regulatory Law, Las Vegas Joshua Hicks, Government Relations Practice, Reno Mark Knobel, Corporate Law, Reno Mark Knobel, Tax Law, Reno
2024	Andrew Gabriel, Business Organizations, Las Vegas John Galvin, Tax Law, Reno Sylvia Harrison, Energy Law, Reno A.J. (“Bud”) Hicks, Gaming Law, Reno Mark Knobel, Trusts & Estates Litigation, Reno Mark Knobel, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Reno George Ogilvie, Construction Law, Las Vegas Brian Schusterman, Corporate Law, Reno
2023	A.G. Burnett, Gaming Law, Reno Mark Knobel, Tax Law, Reno William A. S. Magrath II, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Reno William A. S. Magrath II, Construction Law, Reno William A. S. Magrath II, Construction Litigation, Reno
2022	Andrew Gabriel, Corporate Law, Las Vegas John Galvin, Tax Law, Reno Leigh Goddard, Employment & Labor Litigation, Reno Michael Pagni, Real Estate Law, Reno Aaron Shipley, Trusts & Estates Litigation, Las Vegas Richard Trachok II, Gaming Law, Reno Lisa Wiltshire Alstead, Bankruptcy Law, Reno
2021	James Bradshaw, Construction Litigation, Reno Sylvia Harrison, Energy Law, Reno A.J. (“Bud”) Hicks, Gaming Law, Reno William A. S. Magrath II, Construction Law, Reno Richard Trachok II, Administrative/Regulatory Law, Reno
2020	A.G. Burnett, Gaming Law, Reno William A. S. Magrath II, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Reno John Mulligan, Tax Law, Reno George Ogilvie, Construction Law, Las Vegas Jeff Silvestri, Appellate Practice, Las Vegas
2019	Kathleen Drakulich, Administrative/Regulatory Law, Reno Paul Georgeson, Construction Law, Reno Mark Knobel, Trusts & Estates Litigation, Reno Mark Knobel, Tax Law, Reno William A. S. Magrath II, Construction Litigation, Reno Brian Pick, Corporate Law, Reno George Ogilvie, Construction Litigation, Las Vegas Scott Swain, Trusts & Estates, Las Vegas
2018	Kathleen Drakulich, Energy Law, Reno Paul Georgeson, Construction Litigation, Reno A.J. (“Bud”) Hicks, Gaming Law, Reno William A. S. Magrath II, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Reno Amanda Yen, Appellate Practice, Las Vegas
2017	John Frankovich, Real Estate Law, Reno Paul Georgeson, Construction Law, Reno Mark Knobel, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Reno John Mulligan, Trusts & Estates, Reno Timothy Rowe, Labor Law – Management, Reno
2016	Mark Knobel, Tax Law, Reno William A. S. Magrath II, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Reno Scott Swain, Trusts & Estates, Las Vegas
2015	Robert Armstrong, Trusts & Estates, Reno Kathleen Drakulich, Energy Law, Reno Mark Knobel, Corporate Law, Reno Mark Knobel, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Reno William A. S. Magrath II, Construction Litigation, Reno Michael Melarkey, Tax Law, Reno
2014	Robert Armstrong, Tax Law, Reno Paul Georgeson, Construction Litigation, Reno Mark Knobel, Trusts & Estates Litigation, Reno Mark Knobel, Trusts & Estates, Reno
2013	Robert Armstrong, Corporate Law, Reno John Frankovich, Real Estate Litigation, Reno William A. S. Magrath II, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Reno Michael Melarkey, Tax Law, Reno
2012	Robert Armstrong, Trusts & Estates, Reno Sallie Armstrong, Bankruptcy Law, Reno Kathleen Drakulich, Energy Law, Reno A.J. (“Bud”) Hicks, Gaming Law, Reno William A. S. Magrath II, Construction Litigation
2011	Michael Melarkey, Trust & Estates, Reno
2010	Mark Knobel, Corporate Law, Reno

About McDonald Carano

In 2024, McDonald Carano celebrated its 75ᵗʰ Anniversary of serving Nevada’s legal, business, government, and civic communities. More than 60 lawyers and government affairs professionals serve Nevada, national, and international clients from our offices in Reno, Las Vegas, and Carson City. McDonald Carano provides transactional, litigation, regulatory, and government affairs services to startups, corporations, private companies, trade associations, nonprofits, public entities, high-net-worth individuals, and family offices throughout Nevada. We are deeply committed to supporting local communities by volunteering our time, resources, and services, including pro bono legal services, to nonprofit organizations, charitable foundations, and public service entities. We are proud to be your Nevada law firm since 1949.

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