Rankings: Rising Stars

Law360’s Rising Stars profiles the top legal talent under 40. The winners are comprised of top litigators and dealmakers practicing at a level usually seen from veteran attorneys. Submissions highlight the winner’s age and reasons why his or her record deserves attention.
  • April 13, 2010

    Rising Star: Haynes & Boone's Bane Phillippi

    Haynes and Boone LLP's Bane Phillippi has helped draft guidance on environmental laws for Iraqi officials, advised energy companies such as Panda Energy International Inc. on water rights issues and renewed his commitment to military service, making him one of Law360's 10 environmental lawyers under 40 to watch.

  • April 13, 2010

    Rising Star: McDermott's Sergio Pozzerle

    Adept in handling both renewable energy matters and traditional power projects, McDermott Will & Emery LLP’s Sergio Pozzerle helped Horizon Wind Energy LLC secure critical agreements for the purchase of wind turbines and CenterPoint Energy divest its Texas generating assets for $3.7 billion, earning him a spot on Law360’s list of 10 energy lawyers under 40 to watch.

  • April 13, 2010

    Rising Star: Carroll Burdick's Gretchen Ramos

    A love for digging deep has helped Carroll Burdick & McDonough LLP's Gretchen Ramos excel at high-stakes insurance litigation — including handling CNA Financial Corp.'s role in one of the most comprehensive asbestos settlements in history — and made her one of Law360's 10 insurance lawyers under 40 to watch.

  • April 13, 2010

    Rising Star: Cahill's Bill Miller

    Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP partner Bill Miller has had a hand in some of the largest corporate deals in recent memory, including the leveraged buyout of Clear Channel Communications Inc. and spinoffs of Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. and HSN Inc. from IAC/InterActive Corp., making him one of Law360's 10 corporate finance attorneys under 40 to watch.

  • April 12, 2010

    Rising Star: Cleary Gottlieb's Chantal Kordula

    An ability to dig up financing for massive baked goods company Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV when it wanted to acquire Weston Foods Inc. in the middle of a global downturn has helped land Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP's Chantal E. Kordula a spot on Law360's list of 10 corporate finance attorneys under 40 to watch.

  • April 12, 2010

    Rising Star: Jenner & Block's Matthew Hellman

    At 33 years old, Jenner & Block LLP's Matthew S. Hellman has taken high-profile fights to the nation's highest court and helped the Entertainment Software Association successfully fight state laws censoring video games in three appellate courts, earning him a spot among Law360's 10 appellate lawyers under 40 to watch.

  • April 12, 2010

    Rising Star: WilmerHale's Lisa Pearlman

    WilmerHale counsel Lisa Pearlman has bridged the gap between her international trade practice and the seemingly disparate fields of intellectual property and telecommunications, setting her apart from other young practitioners in her field and earning her a spot on Law360's list of 10 international trade lawyers under 40 to watch.

  • April 12, 2010

    Rising Star: Choate's Rob Kole

    Intense preparation and a record of success in multimillion-dollar reinsurance arbitration cases for Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. and other major insurers make Rob Kole, co-chair of the insurance and reinsurance group at Choate Hall & Stewart LLP, one of Law360's 10 insurance lawyers under 40 to watch.

  • April 12, 2010

    Rising Star: Jones Day's Jimmy Vallee

    Jimmy Vallee has become a go-to guy at Jones Day for energy companies putting together big deals. He recently led the firm's team in the merger of Atlas Energy Resources LLC and Atlas America Inc., earning him a spot on Law360's list of 10 energy lawyers under 40 to watch.

  • April 12, 2010

    Rising Star: Jackson Walker's Michael Nasi

    A nationally recognized advocate for alternative energy, Jackson Walker LLP's Michael Nasi has had a hand in drafting two major energy bills and four significant environmental bills before the Texas Legislature that have helped energy companies transition to clean technology, making him one of Law 360's 10 environmental attorneys under 40 to watch.

  • April 09, 2010

    Rising Star: Cahill Gordon's Douglas Horowitz

    Making the most of preparation and opportunity, Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP partner Douglas S. Horowitz hit the ground running in the recent buyout boom and worked on notable transactions for SunGard Data Systems and Thomson Learning, landing him a spot on Law360’s 10 corporate finance lawyers under 40 to watch.

  • April 09, 2010

    Rising Star: Gibson Dunn's Michael Murphy

    Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP's Michael Murphy helped both Lockheed Martin Corp. and Goodrich Corp. ensure their right to pursue the U.S. government for cost recovery under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, making him one of Law360's 10 environmental attorneys under 40 to watch.

  • April 09, 2010

    Rising Star: Sidley Austin's Sean Keyvan

    A deep knowledge of the insurance sector, which helped in the successful implementation of several multibillion-dollar deals for American International Group Inc. and other major insurers, has made Sidley Austin LLP's Sean Keyvan one of Law360's 10 insurance lawyers under 40 to watch.

  • April 09, 2010

    Rising Star: Akin Gump's Tom Goldstein

    At 39, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP's Tom Goldstein has already argued 22 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, founded one of the most popular legal blogs ever and inspired plans for a TV series based on his career, earning him a spot as one of Law360's 10 appellate lawyers under 40 to watch.

  • April 09, 2010

    Rising Star: Cooley's Nik Patel

    Cooley Godward Kronish LLP energy partner Nik Patel made a bet in 2002 that the future of his industry would hinge on clean energy. Since then, he has successfully advised some of the largest companies in that sector — including AES Corp. and enXco Inc. — on all facets of highly innovative renewable energy deals, earning him a spot among Law360's 10 energy attorneys under 40 to watch.

  • April 09, 2010

    Rising Star: Akin Gump's J. David Park

    Not only has Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP partner J. David Park played a significant role in every major U.S. trade remedies case filed against South Korea since 2004, he's put together an impressive track record on behalf of clients including South Korean steel producer Hyundai Hysco, landing him a spot on Law360's list of 10 international trade lawyers under 40 to watch.

  • April 08, 2010

    Rising Star: Kirkland & Ellis' Robert Hayward

    Matching consummate legal knowledge with deal-making mojo, Kirkland & Ellis LLP’s Robert M. Hayward has represented marquee public companies including Kellogg Co. and The Boeing Co. in multibillion-dollar offerings, making him one of Law360’s corporate finance attorneys under 40 to watch.

  • April 08, 2010

    Rising Star: Mayer Brown's Timothy Keeler

    When oil and gas survey technology firm Ion Geophysical Corp. sought to clear the regulatory hurdles standing in the way of its joint venture with a major seismic contractor in China, it turned to recently minted Mayer Brown LLP counsel Timothy J. Keeler's team. Such recent successes, and a track record of policy work in the administration of former President George W. Bush, have earned Keeler a spot on Law360's list of 10 international trade lawyers under 40 to watch.

  • April 08, 2010

    Rising Star: Sidley Austin's Robert Hochman

    Sidley Austin LLP's Robert Hochman has built a wide-ranging appellate practice that has taken him from disputing the definition of “violent felony” before the U.S. Supreme Court to defeating multimillion-dollar patent verdicts for Microsoft Corp., making him one of Law360's 10 rising appellate stars under 40.

  • April 08, 2010

    Rising Star: Akin Gump's Katherine Katchen

    Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP partner Katherine Katchen has represented Independence Blue Cross and its subsidiaries in numerous reimbursement cases around the country for the past decade, including in a national class action settlement, earning her a spot on Law360's list of 10 insurance lawyers under 40 to watch.

  • April 08, 2010

    Rising Star: Haynes & Boone's Diana Liebmann

    In addition to developing Haynes and Boone LLP's electric power legal practice from scratch, Diana Liebmann has advocated successfully for public investment in wind energy on behalf of Horizon Wind Energy and helped the California State Assembly craft legislation to resolve the issues that led to the state's power crisis earlier this decade, making her one of Law360's 10 energy attorneys under 40 to watch.

  • April 08, 2010

    Rising Star: Sidley Austin's Roger Martella

    Whether he’s crossing the globe to advise China on climate change policy or netting Ford Motor Co. billions in government funding for green initiatives, it’s his diverse practice — shaped by stints in both the public and private sectors — that has earned Sidley Austin LLP’s Roger R. Martella recognition as one of Law360’s 10 environmental attorneys under 40 to watch.

  • April 07, 2010

    Rising Star: WilmerHale's Mark Fleming

    WilmerHale partner Mark Fleming’s appellate experience ranges from successfully arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court that Guantanamo Bay prisoners have a constitutional right to challenge their detention, to narrowing a multimillion-dollar patent verdict levied against Medtronic Inc., earning him a spot on Law 360's list of 10 appellate lawyers under 40 to watch.

  • April 07, 2010

    Rising Star: Haynes & Boone's Paul Dickerson

    A commitment to the public good in the cleantech sector, from a clerkship in the federal courts after law school to a leadership role on the U.S.’ first-ever renewable energy foreign trade mission, has made Haynes and Boone LLP’s Paul Dickerson one of Law360’s 10 energy attorneys under 40 to watch.

  • April 07, 2010

    Rising Star: Baker Botts' Scott Janoe

    In what the federal government has called the most complicated environmental bankruptcy in U.S. history, Baker Botts LLP's Scott Janoe steered Asarco LLC through $6.5 billion in environmental claims, making him one of Law360's 10 environmental lawyers under 40 to watch.