Attorneys with the firm’s Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado offices earn recognition from their peers for exceptional work in law.

Jennings Haug Keleher McLeod Waterfall (JKW) is pleased to announce that 46 of the firm’s attorneys were recognized by their peers for their exceptional legal capabilities in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers® Ones to Watch. In addition, Gary Van Luchene was named 2027 “Lawyer of the Year” for insurance litigation in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

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; Albuquerque, New Mexico and Denver, Colorado were recognized by their peers in their focused 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, capital markets law, commercial litigation, commercial finance law, corporate law, corporate governance law, energy law, energy regulatory law, environmental law and litigation, ethics and professional responsibility, 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, nonprofit/charities law, personal injury litigation (defense and plaintiff counsel), product liability litigation (defense), real estate law and litigation, SEC defense litigation, securities regulation and litigation, tax law, trust and estate law and litigation, 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 2027 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 bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law, business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships) and commercial litigation in Arizona.

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

Andy Chambers has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2022 for his work in commercial litigation 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 commercial litigation, energy law, energy regulatory law and utilities law in New Mexico.

Dana Eismeier has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2026. He is recognized for his work in commercial litigation as well as labor and employment litigation in Colorado.

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.

Hillary Gagnon has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2021. She is recognized for her work in trusts and estates law and litigation.

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.

Brian Haverly is listed for the first time this year by Best Lawyers® for his work in energy law.

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 practices in Arizona.

John Kendall has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2009 for his work in tax law as well as for his trusts and estates law practice 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. This year Cory is also recognized for his work in business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships), real estate law and litigation, and for his trust and estate litigation practice in Arizona.

Daren Layton is listed for the first time this year by Best Lawyers® for his work in nonprofit/charities law, tax law and trusts and estates in Arizona.

Herrick Lidstone has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2012. He is recognized for his work in corporate governance law, corporate law, ethics and professional responsibility law, real estate law, securities/capital markets law and securities regulation in Colorado.

D. 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 for 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 for his work in bankruptcy, creditor debtor rights, insolvency and reorganization law, and as a commercial 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® since 2026 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. This year 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. This year Ed is recognized for his work in construction law and litigation 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 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, for the past two consecutive years, for his work as an insurance litigator. This year, Gary is also recognized for his work in commercial litigation and 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.

Jill Wiley has been listed by Best Lawyers® since 2013 for her work in trusts and estates law and litigation 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 estates 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. This year Chad is recognized for his work in the areas of corporate law, tax law and trust and estates 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 2027 Ones to Watch in America® include: Jane Elliott, who is recognized for her work in commercial litigation, construction litigation as well as labor and employment litigation in New Mexico; Julianna Hopper, who is recognized for her work in commercial litigation in New Mexico; Travis Ivy, who is being recognized for his work in commercial litigation, corporate law and real estate law in Arizona; R.J. Lamb, who is recognized for his work in commercial litigation and construction law in Arizona; Alana Porrazzo, who is recognized for her work in construction law and construction litigation in Arizona; Tyler Schwenke, who is recognized for his work in commercial litigation and as defense counsel in personal injury litigation matters in Arizona; Christopher Shanley, who is recognized for his work in commercial litigation in Arizona; and Lauren Wilber, who is recognized for her work in trusts and estates law and litigation in New Mexico.