Manatt partners Jill Dodd, Jim Lytle and George Soneff have been named “Lawyers of the Year” for 2017 by Best Lawyers in America. Each year, only one lawyer from each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the Lawyer of the Year.
The Lawyer of the Year honor signifies the high level of respect that a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the field, as honorees are selected based on exceptional voting averages received during Best Lawyer’s extensive peer-review assessments. The rigorous survey involves over five million total evaluations.
Jill Dodd
2017 San Francisco Litigation – Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year
Jill Dodd chairs the firm’s estate planning and personal representation practice, counseling very-high-net-worth individuals in all aspects of gift, estate and philanthropic planning. She has extensive experience designing and implementing a variety of sophisticated structures for individuals and families. She has been included as one of the Best Lawyers in America since 2005.
Jim Lytle
2017 Albany Government Relations Practice Lawyer of the Year
2017 Albany Health Care Law Lawyer of the Year
Jim Lytle is the partner in charge of the firm’s Albany office, where he oversees the firm’s New York State government, regulatory policy and government contracts practice and is a member of the firm’s health practice. He represents a broad array of clients before the legislature, the executive branch and the courts, both within New York State and beyond, generally regarding issues at the intersection of the public and private sectors for heavily regulated industries.
George Soneff
2017 Los Angeles Eminent Domain and Condemnation Lawyer of the Year
George Soneff has nearly 30 years of experience in complex litigation in state and federal courts, and administrative tribunals. He has an extensive background handling disputes related to all facets of real estate, with a wide range of clients including major real estate developers, utilities, energy companies, banks, and individuals from a variety of industries. Soneff frequently lectures on California Coastal Act litigation and a broad range of real property and insurance matters.