August 2026 — Best Lawyers, a legal publication with over forty years of history as a peer-reviewed benchmark for legal distinction, recognized fourteen Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP (KBK) attorneys in its 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America.
Attorneys Laura W. Brill — named “Lawyer of the Year” for her Appellate Practice — Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky, Bert H. Deixler, Robert E. Dugdale, Philip M. Kelly, Richard B. Kendall, Janet I. Levine, Jeffrey H. Rutherford, Patrick J. Somers, and Alan Jay Weil were honored as “Best Lawyers” based on peer review by other leading lawyers in their respective practice areas, and Matthew P. Bernstein, Jong-min Choi, Nary Kim, and Michael J. McCarthy were recognized as “Ones to Watch.”
Among the “Best Lawyers” category, Ms. Brill was named “Lawyer of the Year” for her Appellate Practice and further recognized for her contributions in Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Entertainment Law – Motion Pictures and Television, Litigation – First Amendment, and Media Law. The publication honored Mr. Chemerinsky for his work in Commercial Litigation, and Mr. Deixler for Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Entertainment Law – Motion Pictures and Television, Entertainment Law – Music, and Litigation – Intellectual Property. Mr. Dugdale was recognized for his work in Criminal Defense: White-Collar, and Mr. Kelly earned honors for his Entertainment Law – Motion Pictures and Television practice.
Mr. Kendall was honored for his achievements in Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Entertainment Law – Motion Pictures and Television. Ms. Levine received recognition for her work in Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: General Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, and Litigation – Securities. Mr. Rutherford was recognized across the publication’s Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: General Practice, and Criminal Defense: White Collar categories. Mr. Somers was honored for his achievements in Commercial Litigation, and Mr. Weil for his work in Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants.
On the “Ones to Watch” front, Mr. Bernstein was named among Commercial Litigation and Entertainment and Sports Law honorees, and Mr. Choi earned spots on the Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property Law, and Litigation – Intellectual Property lists. Ms. Kim was honored for her work in Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property Law, and Litigation – Intellectual Property, while Mr. McCarthy was recognized for his achievements in Criminal Defense: White-Collar.
These profiles are published in full in the 33rd edition of The Best Lawyers in America and the seventh edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. To read their profiles and more about the firm, please click here.