In a significant acknowledgment of legal excellence, Oliver Maner LLP, one of Savannah’s oldest and most respected law firms, proudly announces that four partners have been named "Lawyer of the Year" in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. This recognition is part of a broader success for the firm, which had 19 lawyers listed in The Best Lawyers in America and five more on the “Ones to Watch” list, recognizing promising early-career attorneys.

Best Lawyers is a renowned, peer-reviewed publication that honors outstanding lawyers based on comprehensive peer evaluations.

"This recognition from our fellow legal professionals is a striking affirmation of our firm’s professionalism and the quality of our work," said Managing Partner Patrick T. O'Connor. "We appreciate the recognition of our lawyers and support staff every single day."

The Lawyer of the Year awards are presented to individual attorneys who received the highest overall peer feedback for a specific practice area and geographic region. The Oliver Maner lawyers named “Lawyer of the Year” for 2026 in their respective Savannah-based specialties are:
Patrick T. O'Connor: Mediation
Lee A. Summerford: Tax Law
Andrew M. Wilkes: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Paul Threlkeld: Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

Additionally, the following 19 Oliver Maner lawyers were recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for their notable professional achievements:
William P. Franklin Jr.: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
David H. Dickey: Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
I. Gregory Hodges: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Robert W. Schivera: Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Trusts and Estates
Patrick T. O'Connor: Bet-the-Company Litigation, Civil Rights Law, Litigation - Commercial, Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants, Litigation – Municipal, Mediation, Municipal Law
James P. Gerard: Litigation - Construction, Real Estate Law
Patricia T. Paul: Employment Law – Individuals, Workers' Compensation Law – Employers
Timothy D. Roberts: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate, Litigation – Trusts and Estates
Lee A. Summerford: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
Andrew M. Wilkes: Family Law, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
William J. Hunter: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Benjamin M. Perkins: Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Mass Tort Litigation and Class Actions – Plaintiffs
Paul Threlkeld: Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
George T. Major: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs
T. Lawrence Evans: Litigation - Banking and Finance, Litigation - Construction
R. Benjamin Lingle: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Bryan A. Schivera: Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
Douglas J. Giorgio III: Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
David Bobo Mullens III: Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

Five attorneys were also named to the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list, which spotlights rising legal professionals typically in their first 5 to 10 years of practice:
Jacob D. Massee: Labor and Employment Law – Employee, Municipal Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
David Bobo Mullens III: Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
I. William Drought III: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
William C. Phillips: Family Law, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Amelia C. Stevens: Municipal Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants