Best & Flanagan is pleased to announce that twenty-one attorneys, five of whom have been listed for the first time, have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and the 5th edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America.

Best Lawyers accolades recognize the top 5% of legal talent in private practice throughout the United States. Honorees are determined solely by peer review and signify excellence in practice. Their methodology is designed to capture the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical region and legal practice area. 

The following attorneys have been recognized for their practice: 

• Willam R. Asp – Trusts and Estates Litigation
• John A. Burton – Trusts and Estates
• Elizabeth R. Cox – Workers Compensation Law (Employers)
• Sarah E. Crippen – Labor and Employment Litigation
• Cathy E. Gorlin – Family Law, Arbitration and Mediation
• Michael T. Hatting – Real Estate Law
• Thomas B. Heffelfinger – Native American Law
• Paul E. Kaminski – Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law
• David J. Krco – Real Estate Litigation
• Steven R. Kruger – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Tax Law
  • “Lawyer of the Year,” Trusts and Estates
• E. Joseph LaFave – Trusts and Estates
• Jennifer A. Lammers – Trusts and Estate Litigation, Tax Law
• Duane L. Paulson – Real Estate Law
• Kim M. Ruckdaschel-Haley – Trusts and Estate Litigation
• Mary E. Shearen – Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• Timothy A. Sullivan – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Real Estate Litigation
• David J. Zubke – Corporate Law

Lawyers recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America are earlier in their careers and have been in private practice for less than 10 years.

Best & Flanagan attorneys recognized in Ones to Watch are:

• Megan J. Kunze – Commercial Litigation
• Olivia J. Leyrer – Real Estate Law
• Kristin T. Trapp – Labor and Employment Litigation
• Savannah I.L. Welch – Family Law

Special recognition is given to Steve Kruger who was honored as “Lawyer of the Year” for his Minnesota Trusts and Estates practice. Best Lawyers highlights one individual in a particular practice area and location as the "Lawyer of the Year" for that specific recognition. These awards are based on who received the highest votes from their peers in a given year.

Special recognition is also given to Bill Asp, David Krco, Olivia Leyrer, Kristin Trapp, and Savannah Welch who were all recognized for the first time in their respective lists this year.

For more information on Best Lawyers or the selection process please visit their website.