Jennings Haug Keleher McLeod Waterfall (JKW) is pleased to announce that 39 of the firm’s attorneys were recognized by their peers for their work in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers® Ones to Watch in America. Additionally, Corey Larson, Ed Rubacha and Chad Worthen earned the honor of being named 2026 Lawyer of the Year in key areas of their practice, which include Real Estate Litigation, Construction Litigation and Corporate Law respectively.   

Best Lawyers® in America and Ones to Watch® lists are annual peer-review rankings for the legal profession. JKW lawyers in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona and Albuquerque, New Mexico were recognized by their peers in 40 areas of practice, which include: administrative/regulatory law, antitrust litigation, appellate law, arbitration, bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights, insolvency and reorganization law, Bet-the-Company litigation, business organization, construction law and litigation, commercial litigation, commercial finance law, corporate law, energy law, energy regulatory law, environmental law and litigation, family law, First Amendment law, government relations, insurance law and litigation, labor and employment litigation, mass tort litigation and class actions (defense), mediation, medical malpractice law, Native American law, natural resources law, personal injury litigation (defense and plaintiff counsel), product liability litigation (defense), real estate law and litigation, tax law, trust and estate law and litigation, SEC defense litigation, securities litigation, tax law, utilities law, and water law. Best Lawyers compiles its lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers.

The firm’s 2026 Best Lawyers in America® include:

Mark E. Barker has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2009. He is recognized for his work in the areas of practice that include business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships), construction law and construction litigation, and for his real estate litigation practice in Arizona.

Thomas Bird has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2007 and earned Lawyer of the Year recognition in 2024 for his work in Native American law. This year, he is recognized for his work in appellate law, antitrust litigation, Native American law and natural resources law in New Mexico.

Joseph Brophy has been recognized by Best Lawyers® since 2025 for his work in business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships) and as a commercial litigator in Arizona.

John Browder has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2024 for his work in real estate law in Arizona.

Ann Conway has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2024 for her work in insurance law and government relations in New Mexico.

James Csontos has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2011. He is recognized for his work in commercial litigation as well as construction law and construction litigation in Arizona.

Jack Cunningham has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2013. He is recognized for his work as defense counsel in personal injury litigation as well as in the areas of insurance law and insurance litigation in Arizona.

Thomas Domme has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2024 for his work in energy regulatory law and utilities law in New Mexico.

Jorge Franco has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2018. He is recognized for his work in insurance law and litigation, and for his work as plaintiff and defense counsel in personal injury litigation in Arizona.

Benjamin Feuchter has been recognized by Best Lawyers® since 2025 for his work in personal injury litigation defense cases in New Mexico.

Karen Gaylord has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2009. She is recognized for her work in environmental law and litigation as well as for her energy law, energy regulatory law, natural resources law and water law practices in Arizona.

Ronnie P. Hawks has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2011. He is recognized for his work in environmental law and litigation as well as for his natural resources law and energy law practice in Arizona.

John Kendall has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2009 for his work in trusts and estate law in Arizona.

Deron Knoner has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2024 for his work in corporate law and real estate law in New Mexico.

Corey Larson has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2018 and earned the honor of being named Lawyer of the Year in 2026 for his work in real estate litigation. Cory is also recognized for his work in business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships), real estate law, and for his trust and estate litigation practice in Arizona.



Kim Lough has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2008. He is recognized for his work in construction law and construction litigation in Arizona.

Cassandra Malone has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2024 or her work in labor and employment litigation, commercial litigation and construction litigation in New Mexico. 

Chris Marquez has been recognized by Best Lawyers® since 2025 for his work in construction litigation in New Mexico.

Brian Myers has been recognized by Best Lawyers® since 2025 or his work in bankruptcy, creditor debtor rights, insolvency and reorganization law, and as a construction litigator in Arizona.

Sean Olivas has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2021. He is recognized for his work in labor and employment litigation in New Mexico. 

Michael Orcutt has been listed by Best Lawyers® for his work in real estate litigation in Arizona.

Paul Roshka has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2003. He earned the honor of being named a 2025 SEC defense Lawyer of the Year. In addition, Paul is recognized for his work in arbitration, Bet-the-Company litigation, commercial litigation, mediation, SEC and regulatory enforcement litigation, as well as securities litigation in Arizona.

Edward Rubacha has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2012. He earned the honor of being named 2026 Lawyer of the Year in construction litigation. Ed is also being recognized for his work as a construction lawyer in Arizona.

Chad Schexnayder has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2010. He is recognized for his work in construction law and construction litigation, as well as in the areas of bankruptcy and creditor/debtor rights, insolvency and reorganization in Arizona.

Laurence Sharlot has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2022. He is recognized for his work in insurance law and insurance litigation, as well as for his representation of defendants in personal injury litigation and medical malpractice law in Arizona.  

John Sinodis has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2021. He is recognized for his work in the areas of bankruptcy and creditor/debtor rights, insolvency and reorganization, commercial finance law, commercial litigation and corporate law in Arizona.

Matthew Sloan has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2021. He is recognized for his work in the areas of law that include bankruptcy and creditor/debtor rights, insolvency and reorganization in Arizona. 

Gary Van Luchene has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2015. He earned the honor of being named Lawyer of the Year in 2025 for his work as an insurance litigator. This year, Gary is being recognized for his work in commercial litigation, insurance litigation, and for his work as defense counsel in product liability litigation, mass torts and class actions in New Mexico.

Ryan Walters has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2024 for his work in commercial litigation and First Amendment law in New Mexico.

Blake Whiteman has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2024 for his work in Family Law in Arizona.

Jill Wiley has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2013 for her work in trusts and estate law in Arizona.

Kurt Wihl has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2012. He is recognized for his work in New Mexico handling administrative and regulatory law matters, commercial litigation, construction litigation, insurance litigation, trust and estate litigation, as well as for his work as defense counsel in personal injury litigation.

Chad Worthen has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2021. He earned the honor of being named 2026 Lawyer of the Year in corporate law. In addition, Chad is recognized for his work in the areas of tax law as well as trust and estate law in New Mexico.

Each year, Best Lawyers® also recognizes lawyers who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States as Ones to Watch in America®.

JKW’s attorneys listed the 2026 Ones to Watch in America® include: Julianna Hopper, who was recognized for her work in commercial litigation in New Mexico; Travis Ivy, being recognized for his work in commercial litigation, corporate law and real estate law in Arizona; R.J. Lamb, recognized for his work in bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights, insolvency and reorganization law, as well as in commercial litigation and construction law in Arizona; and Alana Porrazzo, recognized for her work in construction law and construction litigation in Arizona; Tyler Schwenke, recognized for his work in commercial litigation and as defense counsel in personal injury litigation matters in Arizona; and Lauren Wilber, who is recognized for her work in trusts and estates law and litigation in New Mexico.