Johnson Pope is proud to announce that 46 of our attorneys have been recognized in Best Lawyers in America® 2026, with four attorneys named to the “Ones to Watch” list and William T. Conroy honored as “Lawyer of the Year.” This recognition highlights our firm’s deep bench of legal talent and our ongoing commitment to delivering trusted counsel across a wide range of practice areas.

Lawyer of the Year – William T. Conroy

We are especially honored to share that William T. Conroy was named Best Lawyers® 2026 “Lawyer of the Year” for his outstanding work in Corporate Law and Real Estate Law. This award is presented to only one lawyer per region in a given practice area, underscoring Will’s distinguished reputation and leadership in the legal community.

Johnson Pope Best Lawyers® 2026 Honorees

Clearwater, FL

• Brandon D. Bellew – Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• Bruce H. Bokor – Tax Law; Trusts and Estates
• Charles A. Buford – Commercial Litigation
• Colleen M. Flynn – Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Joseph W. Gaynor – Real Estate Law
• Nicholas Grimaudo – Tax Law; Trusts and Estates
• Caitlein Jammo – Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• Michael G. Little – Trusts and Estates
• Zachary Messa – Trademark Law
• F. Wallace Pope, Jr. – Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Antitrust; Litigation – Labor and Employment; Litigation – Real Estate; Litigation and Controversy – Tax
• Robert Potter Jr. – Commercial Litigation
• Caitlin M. Powell – Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Trusts and Estates
• Peter A. Rivellini – Tax Law
• Charles A. Samarkos – Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• Joan M. Vecchioli – Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Rachael Wood – Employment Law – Individuals; Litigation – Labor and Employment

St. Petersburg, FL

• Joel D. Bronstein – Corporate Law; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates
• Susan W. Carlson – Tax Law
• Mary Jo Carney – Real Estate Law
• William T. Conroy – Corporate Law; Real Estate Law
• Holger Gleim – Trusts and Estates
• Ryan C. Griffin – Litigation – Construction; Litigation – Real Estate; Real Estate Law
• Michael D. Magidson – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Health Care Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• James N. Powell – Real Estate Law
• Thomas B. Smith – Health Care Law

Tampa, FL

• Mark S. Bentley – Land Use and Zoning Law; Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
• Guy M. Burns – Litigation – Banking and Finance; Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy); Litigation – Securities; Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Joseph P. Covelli – Real Estate Law
• Lawrence Dougherty – Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Securities
• Jeffrey M. Gad – Tax Law; Trusts and Estates
• Alberto F. Gomez, Jr. – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Vitauts M. Gulbis – Tax Law
• Thomas J. Hunt – Real Estate Law
• Scott C. Ilgenfritz – Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Securities; Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• Frank R. Jakes – Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Leonard H. Johnson – Real Estate Law
• Jamie Klapholz – Health Care Law
• Michael C. Markham – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy
• T. Luke Markham – Real Estate Law
• Michael J. Nolan II – Real Estate Law; Trusts and Estates
• Steven Pratico – Commercial Litigation
• Darryl R. Richards – Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Labor and Employment; Litigation – Real Estate
• Joseph W. N. Rugg – Health Care Law
• Phillip Shasteen – Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities Regulation
• Patrick A. Traber – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Joseph J. Weissman – Litigation – Intellectual Property; Litigation – Patent; Trademark Law
• Todd Foster – Criminal Defense: White Collar
• Kevin Darken – Criminal Defense: White Collar

Ones to Watch – 2026 Honorees

Tampa, FL

• Christopher Bonti – Commercial Litigation; Land Use and Zoning Law; Litigation – Real Estate
• Christopher R. Dingman – Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Corporate Law; Litigation and Controversy – Tax; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates
• Matthew Kochinski – Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Transportation Law
• Grant C. Sittig – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Real Estate Law; Tax Law

Celebrating Excellence

This recognition reflects the depth of knowledge, client commitment, and industry leadership that define Johnson Pope’s attorneys. We are honored that our peers continue to acknowledge our dedication to delivering outstanding results for our clients.