Charlotte, NC – Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP is pleased to announce that 10 of its attorneys were named "Lawyer of the Year" by The Best Lawyers in America®, whose rankings are among the highest standard in the legal industry. The "Lawyer of the Year" recognition goes to the attorney with the best overall feedback from his or her peers for a specific practice area and geographic region.
Charleston, South Carolina
Elizabeth Gibbes was named "Lawyer of the Year" in corporate law. Elizabeth counsels foreign-owned companies that include those in the manufacturing, distribution, and commercial sales and services industries on corporate and business immigration issues, serving as outside "general counsel" or assisting with specific legal issues as they arise.
Charlotte, North Carolina
John Beyer was named "Lawyer of the Year" for personal injury litigation for defendants for the second time since 2018. John has 25 years of jury trial experience, including on personal injury cases, wrongful death cases, and property damage claims.
Michael Chen was named "Lawyer of the Year" for immigration law. Michael represents U.S. and foreign-owned companies, including clients in the biomedical, manufacturing and distribution, commercial sales, information technology, hospitality, and sports and entertainment industries. He is a leader on the Asia-Pacific desk as a member of Parker Poe’s Business Expansion + Location Solutions Team.
Chip Ford was named "Lawyer of the Year" in bankruptcy litigation. Chip brings more than three decades of experience representing institutional lenders, commercial mortgage loan servicers, bridge lenders, debt funds, and sophisticated creditor clients. His practice focuses on commercial debt recovery and loss mitigation, including loan restructuring and workouts, bankruptcy proceedings, and enforcement litigation such as foreclosure and receivership actions.
Tom Griffin was named "Lawyer of the Year" in environmental law and environmental litigation. It is the sixth time Tom has been voted the top attorney in either environmental law or litigation. He has helped clients navigate a variety of environmental hurdles and challenges transactions, including those related to PFAS and emerging compounds. He also serves as Parker Poe's managing partner.
Chip Holmes was named "Lawyer of the Year" in product liability litigation for defendants and health care litigation. It is the 12th straight year Chip has been voted the top attorney in a practice area related to litigation or insurance. He has more than 25 years of experience defending businesses and professionals and was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Daniel Peterson was named "Lawyer of the Year" in municipal litigation. Daniel helps cities and towns achieve their public policy objectives and defends them in all manner of litigation, from the onset of a claim to final judgment and appeal. He is a North Carolina Association of Municipal Attorneys board member and chairs Parker Poe's Government & Municipalities Industry Team in North Carolina.
Columbia, South Carolina
Sam Moses was named "Lawyer of the Year" in economic development law. Sam represents U.S. and international companies, including manufacturers, distributors, industrial developers, and renewable energy businesses. He advises on a variety of transactions and coordinates business expansion and incentives projects for companies throughout the United States. He is a co-leader of Parker Poe’s Business Expansion + Location Solutions Team.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Brian Darer was named "Lawyer of the Year" in bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law. Brian has more than 25 years of experience successfully representing creditors in hundreds of bankruptcies, foreclosures, and workouts. He is a North Carolina State Bar board certified specialist in business bankruptcy.
Chris Thomas was named "Lawyer of the Year" in trademark law. It is the fifth time Chris has been voted the top attorney in a practice area related to intellectual property since 2019. He concentrates his practice on intellectual property rights and disputes concerning them.
Other Recognition
In addition, 115 Parker Poe attorneys were recognized by Best Lawyers for 2026. You can find the full list and learn more about Best Lawyers' rankings here. You can also find a list of 23 Parker Poe attorneys that Best Lawyers named "Ones to Watch" here.
About Parker Poe
Businesses and local governments turn to Parker Poe to structure transactions, navigate regulations, and resolve disputes. Founded in 1884, the Southeast business law firm today has approximately 300 attorneys across offices in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Washington, DC.
Parker Poe is a member of two leading international legal networks: TerraLex and the Employment Law Alliance. TerraLex and the ELA have chosen Parker Poe to help guide clients through the challenges of global business.