eminent for his winning record and is avidly sought by major corporations hoping to avoid big punitive damages.
Power Play: Michael Jones defended NL Industries in the first lead paint case to go to trial — the $35 million lawsuit was rejected.
William H. Lightfoot
Managing Partner
Koonz, McKenney, Johnson, DePaolis & Lightfoot
Washington, DC
Contact: 202-659-5500
Career Highlights: Lightfoot has had notable success in product and premises liability, winning over $400 million in settlements for his clients. The Washington University School of Law graduate earned the title of Trial Lawyer of the Year 2003 by the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C.
Power Play: Lightfoot was counsel in the Gomez & Maddox cases, recovering millions for children scalded by inadequate water heaters and spurring industry reform.
REAL ESTATE
Peter C.B. Bynoe
Partner
Piper Rudnick
Chicago, IL
Contact: 312-368-4000
Career Highlights: Over his 25-year career, Bynoe has negotiated stadium arena deals for professional sports teams such as the Milwaukee Brewers, Washington Redskins, Miami Heat, and San Francisco 49ers. Before joining Piper Rudnick, he founded Telemat Ltd., a project management and financial services firm. Bynoe, who earned his J.D. and M.B.A. from Harvard, served as executive director of the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority.
Power Play: Bynoe negotiated the $250 million project development of Comiskey Park for the Chicago White Sox.
Gordon J. Davis
Partner
LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae
New York, NY
Contact: 212-424-8000
Career Highlights: Davis’ practice includes land use development, municipal authorities and financings, and cultural and nonprofit organizations. The Harvard Law School alumnus spent decades in state and city government, including a stint as New York’s commissioner of parks and recreation.
Power Play: Davis was lead counsel on the $250 million development of the American Museum of Natural History Rose Center and on the $7-billion-plus revitalization of the World Trade Center site.
Charles J. Hamilton Jr.
Partner
Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker
New York, NY
Contact: 212-318-6000
Career Highlights: Hamilton represents private real estate owners, developers, builders, investment banks, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The Harvard Law School alumnus also serves as general counsel for Essence Communications Partners and the National Urban League Inc.
Power Play: Hamilton is representing the city of Mount Vernon in a $400 million revitalization project and represented Essence Communications Inc. in a $125 million deal with AOL Time Warner to form joint venture ECP.
John B. Sherrell
Partner
Latham & Watkins
Los Angeles, CA
Contact: 213-485-1234
Career Highlights: A 25-year veteran in the practice of real estate law, Sherrell handles every type of property from residential housing and shopping centers to hotels and oil refineries. His clients include General Electric, Wells Fargo, and Mutual Life. Sherrell earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan.
Power Play: Sherrell served as lead counsel to Southern California Edison Company during the sale of its Edison Pipeline and Terminal Company to Pacific Terminals L.L.C. for $158.2 million and represented the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in its $15 million construction loan to RTC Mountain Waste Medical Office Building.
COMPLEX LITIGATION/WHITE-COLLAR CRIME
TED WELLS
Partner
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind,
Wharton & Garrison
“Mr. Personality” best describes Ted Wells when he is trying a case. A winning formula for one of the nation’s leading litigators involves using the “power of transference” on