The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that 35 of the firm’s attorneys are included in the 2025 Best Lawyers® lists, including 28 attorneys recognized in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and seven attorneys recognized in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America.
Of the 35 attorneys recognized in The Best Lawyers in America, three attorneys were also recognized with a 2025 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” award, which is given annually to only one lawyer per practice area in each region. The Gentry Locke attorneys recognized with this award are:
- Monica Monday was named the Best Lawyers 2025 Appellate Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Roanoke.
- David Paxton was named the Best Lawyers 2025 Employment Law – Individuals “Lawyer of the Year” in Roanoke.
- William Rakes was named the Best Lawyers 2025 Banking and Finance Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Roanoke.
The 35 Gentry Locke attorneys and the cities and areas of practice in which they were recognized in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America list are:
Roanoke, VA
- Thomas J. Bondurant, Jr. – Corporate Compliance Law, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Matthew W. Broughton – Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs
- William E. Callahan, Jr. – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Michael J. Finney – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Qui Tam Law
- Franklin Flippin – Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- William Gust – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Tax Law
- Gregory J. Haley – Commercial Litigation, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Government Relations Practice, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Municipal
- Guy M. Harbert, III – Insurance Law
- Kevin Walker Holt – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Paul G. Klockenbrink – Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Todd A. Leeson – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Powell M. (Nick) Leitch, III – Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Brett Marston – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
- Monica Taylor Monday – Appellate Practice
- David Paxton – Employment Law – Individuals, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- William R. Rakes – Antitrust Law, Appellate Practice, Banking and Finance Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions
- Scott Sexton – Commercial Litigation
- Bruce C. Stockburger – Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
- Spencer M. Wiegard – Litigation – Construction
- Charles L. Williams – Environmental Law
- Clark H. Worthy – Real Estate Law
- Kathleen L. Wright – Litigation – Municipal
Richmond, VA
- Karen L. Cohen – Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
- John G. (Chip) Dicks – Administrative / Regulatory Law
- Erin M. Harrigan – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Patricia (PJ) Turner – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
Lynchburg, VA
- Glenn W. Pulley – Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
Norfolk, VA
- John M. Scheib – Corporate Law
The seven Gentry Locke attorneys and the areas of practice and which they were recognized in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America are:
Roanoke, VA
- Andrew M. Bowman – Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
- Hugh H. Brown – Corporate Law
- Ben R. Law – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Kirk M. Sosebee – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law
- Scott A. Stephenson – Antitrust Law, Commercial Litigation, Energy Law
Richmond, VA
- Jeffrey P. Miller – Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Transportation Law
- Ryan J. Starks – Commercial Litigation
Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Attorneys are nominated by their peers and recognized for their outstanding professional achievements across numerous practice areas. For the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, more than 15 million votes were analyzed, resulting in more than 79,000 leading lawyers recognized in the new edition and for the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, more than 3.2 million votes were analyzed, resulting in more than 27,000 lawyers recognized in the new edition. Lawyers are not allowed to pay a fee to be recognized by Best Lawyers.
About Gentry Locke
With over 80 lawyers practicing across a range of disciplines, Gentry Locke brings uncommon thinking and deep experience to the legal and business challenges of companies, institutions, organizations, and individuals — a commitment the firm has met since 1923. Operating from offices in Roanoke, Lynchburg, Richmond, and Norfolk, Gentry Locke serves clients in Virginia and across the United States. Meet the firm’s dynamic attorneys and learn more about its fierce drive to achieve success for its clients by exploring gentrylocke.com.