Best Lawyers in America Names 8 Manatt Professionals as Lawyers of the Year in its 2021 Report August 20, 2020 Best Lawyers in America has named eight Manatt attorneys as “Lawyer of the Year” for 2021—Michael Berger, Edward Burg, George Kieffer, Craig Moyer and James Schwartz in Los Angeles; Ellen Marshall in Orange County; Jill Dodd in San Francisco; and David Herbst in Silicon Valley. Michael Berger 2021 Litigation – Land Use and Zoning Lawyer of the Year, Los Angeles A partner in the firm’s appellate practice, Berger is one of California’s preeminent appellate lawyers, and one of the top land use and condemnation lawyers in the United States. His practice covers planning, zoning, eminent domain, various kinds of business litigation, landslides, contract, due process, equal protection, defective construction, nuisance, insurance and environmental law. Edward Burg 2021 Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law Lawyer of the Year, Los Angeles Edward Burg concentrates on real property litigation, inverse condemnation and eminent domain matters, and general trial and appellate practice. George Kieffer 2021 Administrative / Regulatory Law Lawyer of the Year, Los Angeles George Kieffer leads the firm’s government and regulatory practice. He represents companies before Los Angeles city and county and California state government entities in a wide variety of matters, including government contracts, procurement, transactions and policy issues. He has appeared as counsel before LA Metro, the County Board of Supervisors, and a variety of city and county agencies and departments. He has served as lawyer and advisor to both CEOs and general counsels, as well as public officials, and he oversees both litigation and business transactional matters. Craig Moyer 2021 Energy Law Lawyer of the Year, Los Angeles Craig Moyer is a member of the firm’s Management Committee and leads Manatt Energy and Environmental. His practice focuses on all aspects of environmental and energy law. Craig regularly provides crisis management advice and legal representation in high-profile matters, including those relating to releases of hazardous materials and workplace health and safety incidents. He has consistently affected rule modifications during the regulatory process and through litigation. James Schwartz 2021 Nonprofit / Charities Law Lawyer of the Year, Los Angeles Jim Schwartz's practice focuses on advising nonprofit organizations (and their officers, directors and trustees) with respect to matters relating to corporate governance, fiduciary duties and officer-director liability issues; on alliances and conversions in the healthcare industry, with an emphasis on regulated transactions; and on matters pertaining to charitable trust law. Ellen Marshall 2021 Banking and Finance Law Lawyer of the Year, Orange County Ellen Marshall focuses on business transactions, including capital markets, finance, mergers and acquisitions and securitization. She represents businesses in their acquisition and disposition of companies and business units. Ellen represents banks, investment funds and other companies involved in the mortgage, auto finance and other specialty finance business, including such financial products as reverse mortgages, equipment leases and patent royalties. Jill Dodd 2021 Nonprofit / Charities Law Lawyer of the Year, San Francisco Jill Dodd leads the firm’s estate planning and personal representation practice, focusing on gift, estate and philanthropic planning for very-high-net-worth individuals and families. She counsels very-high-net-worth individuals in all aspects of gift, estate and philanthropic planning. Jill has extensive experience designing and implementing a variety of sophisticated structures, including family limited partnerships, grantor retained annuity trusts, insurance trusts, complex grantor trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, charitable lead trusts and charitable remainder trusts, all designed to transfer assets to heirs and to charities in a tax‑efficient manner that respects the values of the families. She also acts as outside general counsel to charitable organizations of all types, including community foundations large and small; operating charities, such as museums and schools; and private family foundations. David Herbst 2021 Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law Lawyer of the Year, Silicon Valley David Herbst is a partner in Manatt's tax, employee benefits and executive compensation practice. David counsels public and private companies at the board, board committee and executive officer levels on a broad range of corporate governance, executive compensation and employee benefits matters. His practice emphasizes serving the needs of technology companies and financial institutions. Click here to see Manatt’s full list of attorneys recognized in the 2021 Best Lawyers in America report.
