Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business released its 2026 rankings of firms and attorneys on June 4. In the 2026 edition, Bass, Berry & Sims received 17 practice rankings and had 67 attorneys ranked, including a new top-tier ranking in Public Finance in Tennessee (the first year Chambers ranked this practice in this jurisdiction) and ranked attorneys in Illinois following the firm’s recent Chicago office launch.
Chambers USA 2026 Ranked Practices
This year, three of the firm’s practices were ranked in nationwide categories:
- Government Contracts: Highly Regarded – Band 1
- Healthcare: The Elite – Band 3
- International Trade: Export Controls & Economic Sanctions: Highly Regarded – Band 3
In the state-level jurisdictions, Bass, Berry & Sims earned the top Band 1 ranking in 12 practices in Tennessee. The firm was top ranked in one new Tennessee practice category this year – Public Finance. Additionally, the firm maintained a ranking in Healthcare in the District of Columbia.
The full list of state-level practice rankings for Bass, Berry & Sims in the 2026 guide is below:
- Banking & Finance – Band 1 (Tennessee)
- Bankruptcy/Restructuring – Band 1 (Tennessee)
- Construction – Band 2 (Tennessee)
- Corporate/M&A – Band 1 (Tennessee)
- Environment – Band 1 (Tennessee)
- Healthcare – Band 1 (Tennessee)
- Healthcare – Band 4 (District of Columbia)
- Insurance – Band 1 (Tennessee)
- Intellectual Property – Band 1 (Tennessee)
- Labor & Employment – Band 1 (Tennessee)
- Litigation: General Commercial – Band 1 (Tennessee)
- Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations – Band 1 (Tennessee)
- Public Finance – Band 1 (Tennessee)
- Real Estate – Band 1 (Tennessee)
Chambers USA 2026 Ranked Attorneys
In the 2026 Chambers USA guide, the firm had a total of 73 attorney rankings among the Nationwide, Illinois, District of Columbia, and Tennessee jurisdictions, including six attorneys who received dual practice rankings (*) in 2026.
Bass, Berry & Sims has six attorneys ranked in the USA: Nationwide jurisdiction:
- Richard Arnholt – Government Contracts
- Jason Gordon – Advertising: Transactional & Regulatory (* also ranked in Illinois)
- Thaddeus R. McBride – International Trade: Export Controls & Economic Sanctions
- Rob Newman – Advertising: Transactional & Regulatory (* also ranked in Illinois)
- Todd Overman – Government Contracts; Government Contracts: M&A *
- Sylvia Yi – Government Contracts: M&A
The following 58 firm attorneys were ranked in the following practice areas in Tennessee:
- Nicholas Bessette – Insurance
- Lillian Blackshear – Public Finance
- Robert L. Brewer – Intellectual Property
- Matthew M. Curley – Healthcare: Government Investigations & Fraud
- J. Page Davidson – Corporate/M&A
- John Dawson – Environment
- Brian Dobbs – Construction
- Felix R. Dowsley III – Banking & Finance
- Leslie Ford – Banking & Finance
- Mary Beth Fortugno – Healthcare: Regulatory
- Craig V. Gabbert, Jr. – Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Senior Statesperson)
- Tim K. Garrett – Labor & Employment
- B. Riney Green – Corporate/M&A (Senior Statesperson)
- Anna M. Grizzle – Healthcare: Regulatory
- Michael R. Hess – Healthcare
- Michael R. Hill – Healthcare
- Scott Holley – Banking & Finance: Regulatory
- Bob Horton – Labor & Employment
- Angela Humphreys – Healthcare
- Gene Humphreys – Bankruptcy/Restructuring
- J. James Jenkins Jr. – Healthcare
- Paul G. Jennings – Bankruptcy/Restructuring
- Eleanor (Nora) Katz – Immigration
- Howard H. Lamar III – Corporate/M&A
- Britt K. Latham – Litigation: General Commercial
- Jason Lewallen – Real Estate
- Travis Lloyd – Healthcare: Regulatory
- Mark G. Mamantov – Public Finance
- Mark Manner – Corporate/M&A (Senior Statesperson)
- Paige W. Mills – Intellectual Property
- J. Allen Overby – Corporate/M&A
- Tatjana Paterno – Corporate/M&A
- W. Brantley Phillips, Jr. – Litigation: General Commercial
- Mary Leigh Pirtle – Labor & Employment
- Erin Palmer Polly – Litigation: General Commercial
- Cynthia Y. Reisz – Healthcare; Healthcare: Regulatory *
- Lisa S. Rivera – Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations; Litigation: Government Investigations & Fraud *
- Brian D. Roark – Healthcare: Government Investigations & Fraud
- Todd J. Rolapp – Corporate/M&A (Eminent Practitioner)
- Glenn B. Rose – Bankruptcy/Restructuring
- Cynthia N. Sellers – Banking & Finance
- D. Mark Sheets – Real Estate
- Katherine (Katie) Smalley – Banking & Finance
- Richard R. Spore III – Real Estate
- Russell Stair – Public Finance
- Michael A. Stewart – Real Estate
- Steve Taylor – Insurance
- Ryan Thomas – Corporate/M&A
- Scott Thomas – Environment (retired March 2026)
- Shelley Thomas – Intellectual Property
- Overton Thompson III – Litigation: General Commercial
- T. Gaillard (Gil) Uhlhorn – Real Estate
- F. Mitchell Walker Jr. – Corporate/M&A
- Leigh Walton – Healthcare (Senior Statesperson)
- Elizabeth Warren – Healthcare: Regulatory
- Hunter Yoches – Labor & Employment
- Gregory T. Young – Environment
- Jessalyn H. Zeigler – Environment; Litigation: General Commercial *
With the recent launch of the Chicago office and growth in alignment with the firm’s strategic plan, Bass, Berry & Sims now has two attorneys ranked in Illinois:
- Jason Gordon – Media & Entertainment: Transactional (* also ranked Nationwide)
- Rob Newman – Media & Entertainment: Transactional (* also ranked Nationwide)
The firm had three attorneys ranked in the District of Columbia:
- Jeffrey Davis – Healthcare
- William T. Mathias – Healthcare
- Jennifer Michael – Healthcare
Four firm attorneys received the recognition of Senior Statesman – a designation given to an attorney who no longer works hands-on with the same intensity but who, by virtue of close links with major clients, remains pivotal to the firm’s success.
- Craig V. Gabbert, Jr.
- B. Riney Green
- Mark Manner
- Leigh Walton
Additionally, the firm’s managing partner, Todd Rolapp, was recognized as an Eminent Practitioner – the designation given to practitioners who are highly influential attorneys in a particular practice area that, due to managerial or client relationship commitments, are less active in day-to-day work but remain key players in the team.
The annual Chambers guide provides insight and analysis on the country’s legal profession. Recognition in Chambers is based on thousands of in-depth interviews by Chambers staff who research the strengths and reputations of attorneys across the United States. Rankings are assessed based on the following qualities: technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence, commitment, and other qualities most valued by clients.
About Chambers and Partners
Chambers USA ranks the leading lawyers and law firms across the USA based on in-depth market analysis and independent research, conducted by an experienced team of researchers. The Chambers’ market-leading ranking tables are compiled through assessment of a firm’s work and opinions from external market sources, with an emphasis on client feedback. Chambers rankings are designed to aid companies in their search to find a lawyer, attorney or law firm to hire for legal advice and work. More information can be found at https://chambers.com/.