Essex Richards, P.A. is pleased to announce that The Best Lawyers in America® has named 9 of its attorneys to the 2026 list in the publication’s newly released 32nd edition – Norris Adams, Rob Blair, Bree Laughrun, Lauren Lewis, John Maheras, Natalie Potter, Jon Windham, John Woodman, and Caitlin Walton.
Additionally, Norris Adams was named “Lawyer of the Year” in the area of Litigation – ERISA and Rob Blair was named “Lawyer of the Year” in the areas of Collaborative Law: Family Law and Family Law Mediation.
The complete list of Essex Richards’ 2026 Best Lawyers and their awarded practice areas is as follows:
- Norris A. Adams, II (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2018)
- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Employment Law – Individuals
- Litigation – ERISA
- Robert S. Blair, Jr. (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2011)
- Collaborative Law: Family Law
- Family Law
- Family Law Mediation
- L. Bree Laughrun (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2024)
- Family Law
- Lauren V. Lewis (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2019)
- Collaborative Law: Family Law
- Family Law
- John T. Maheras (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2025)
- Real Estate Law
- Natalie D. Potter (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2020)
- Commercial Litigation
- Insurance Law
- Litigation – Insurance
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Jonathan C. Windham (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2025)
- Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
- John C. Woodman (Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2023)
- Commercial Litigation
- Corporate Law
- Caitlin H. Walton (Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® since 2025)
- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Best Lawyers is based on confidential peer-review surveys by over 50,000 attorneys in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and more than 13 million detailed evaluations of the professional abilities of their colleagues by other lawyers in the same practice and geographic areas. Candidates go through an extensive nomination, balloting, eligibility, and verification process. Attorneys are not permitted to pay any fee to participate or be recognized in this list.