Vedder Practice Areas and Attorneys Recognized in The Legal 500 United States in 2026

Vedder is proud to share its inclusion in The Legal 500 United States 2026, acknowledging 11 practice areas and numerous attorneys. We are particularly pleased to have achieved a Tier 1 ranking in “Transport: Aviation and Air Travel: Finance” for the fifteenth consecutive year, as well as a Tier 1 ranking in “Transport: Rail and Road: Finance.” Additionally, Michael Nemeroff and Geoffrey Kass have been once again honored with a place in The Legal 500 United States “Hall of Fame,” a prestigious acknowledgment given to individuals who have consistently garnered exceptional praise from clients.

Offering a comprehensive and up-to-date perspective on the global legal market, The Legal 500 serves as an independent guide evaluating law firms worldwide through a rigorous annual research program spanning 150 jurisdictions. The organization draws on feedback from 300,000 clients, law firm submissions, interviews with leading private practice lawyers and analysis by a research team with deep market expertise to produce each ranking, highlighting practice area teams that deliver innovative and forward-thinking advice to corporate counsel. We are honored to be recognized by The Legal 500 year after year. The firm’s rankings can be accessed here.

Practice Rankings

Tier 1

• Transport: Aviation and Air Travel: Finance
• Transport: Rail and Road: Finance

Tier 2

• Transport: Shipping: Finance

Tier 3

• Investment Fund Formation and Management: Mutual/Registered/Exchange-Traded funds
• Labor and Employment: Labor-Management Relations

Tier 4

• Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Defense: Advice to Individuals
• Labor and Employment: Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Design
• Labor and Employment: Disputes (incl. Collective Actions)
• Labor and Employment: Workplace and Employment Counseling

Tier 5

• Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation: Defense

Tier 6

• Investment Fund Formation and Management: Private Equity Funds (incl. Venture Capital)

Attorney Rankings

Hall of Fame

• Geoff Kass, Transport: Aviation and Air Travel: Finance
• Michael Nemeroff, M&A/Corporate and Commercial: M&A: Middle-Market: ($250-$500MM)

Leading Partners

• Michael Draz, Transport: Rail and Road: Finance
• Cameron Gee, Transport: Aviation and Air Travel: Finance
• John Imhof, Jr., Transport: Shipping: Finance
• John Marten, Investment Fund Formation and Management: Mutual/Registered/Exchange-Traded Funds
• Raviv Surpin, Transport: Aviation and Air Travel: Finance
• Jeffrey Veber, Transport: Aviation and Air Travel: Finance; Transport: Rail and Road: Finance
• Benjamin Williams, M&A/Corporate and Commercial: M&A: Middle-Market: ($250-$500MM)

Next Generation Partners

• Justine Chilvers, Transport: Aviation and Air Travel: Finance
• Joel Thielen, Transport: Rail and Road: Finance
• Clay Thomas, Transport: Rail and Road: Finance

Leading Associates

• John Geager, Transport: Shipping: Finance
• Jillian Musa, Transport: Rail and Road: Finance

Recommended

• Daniel Alonso, Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Defense: Advice to Individuals
• Nicholas Anaclerio, Labor and Employment: Disputes (incl. Collective Actions)
• Jeffrey Ansley, Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Defense: Advice to Individuals; Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation: Defense
• Anthony Ashley, Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Defense: Advice to Individuals; Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation: Defense
• Marguerite Bateman, Investment Fund Formation and Management: Mutual/Registered/Exchange-Traded Funds
• Adam Beringer, Transport: Aviation and Air Travel: Finance
• Amy Bess, Labor and Employment: Workplace and Employment Counseling
• Thomas Cimino, Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation: Defense
• Christopher Collins, Labor and Employment: Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Design
• Brooke Conner, Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Defense: Advice to Individuals; Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation: Defense
• Rachel Copenhaver, Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Defense: Advice to Individuals; Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation: Defense
• Peyton Demith, Labor and Employment: Labor-Management Relations
• Joshua Dunn, Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation: Defense
• Steven Dollear, Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Defense: Advice to Individuals
• Cathy Gonzalez O’Kelly, Investment Fund Formation and Management: Mutual/Registered/Exchange-Traded Funds
• Arianna Goodman, Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Defense: Advice to Individuals
• John Guyette, Labor and Employment: Disputes (incl. Collective Actions)
• Elizabeth Hall, Labor and Employment: Labor-Management Relations; Labor and Employment: Disputes (incl. Collective Actions); Labor and Employment: Workplace and Employment Counseling
• Thomas Hancuch, Labor and Employment: Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Design; Labor and Employment: Workplace and Employment Counseling
• Renee Hardt, Investment Fund Formation and Management: Mutual/Registered/Exchange-Traded Funds
• Nusra Ismail, Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation: Defense
• Geoff Kass, Transport: Rail and Road: Finance; Transport: Shipping: Finance
• James Looby, Labor and Employment: Disputes (incl. Collective Actions)
• Kimberley Lunetta, Labor and Employment: Disputes (incl. Collective Actions)
• Joseph Mannon, Investment Fund Formation and Management: Mutual/Registered/Exchange-Traded Funds; Investment Fund Formation and Management: Private Equity Funds (incl. Venture Capital)
• Hoyoon Nam, Transport: Shipping: Finance
• Susan Niver, Labor and Employment: Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Design
• Thomas Petrides, Labor and Employment: Disputes (incl. Collective Actions)
• Michael Quinn, Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Defense: Advice to Individuals
• Anthony Renzi, Transport: Shipping: Finance
• Cheryl Sabnis, Labor and Employment: Workplace and Employment Counseling
• Adam Schwartz, Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Defense: Advice to Individuals; Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation: Defense
• David Soden, Investment Fund Formation and Management: Private Equity Funds (incl. Venture Capital)
• Kenneth Sparks, Labor and Employment: Labor-Management Relations
• Kelly Starr, Labor and Employment: Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Design
• Fernando Tamayo, Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Defense: Advice to Individuals
• Jacob Tiedt, Investment Fund Formation and Management: Mutual/Registered/Exchange-Traded Funds
• Olivia Ustupski, Labor and Employment: Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Design
• Cody Vitello, Investment Fund Formation and Management: Private Equity Funds (incl. Venture Capital)
• Jeff VonDruska, Investment Fund Formation and Management: Private Equity Funds (incl. Venture Capital)
• Michael Wahlander, Labor and Employment: Disputes (incl. Collective Actions)
• Alex Weinstein, Labor and Employment: Disputes (incl. Collective Actions); Labor and Employment: Workplace and Employment Counseling
• Jonathan Wexler, Labor and Employment: Workplace and Employment Counseling
• Bill Whalen, Labor and Employment: Labor-Management Relations
• Candice Zee, Labor and Employment: Labor-Management Relations; Labor and Employment: Disputes (incl. Collective Actions)
• Junaid Zubairi, Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Defense: Advice to Individuals; Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation: Defense