What to Know
- Bracewell earned Tier 1 rankings in five practice areas: Energy Regulation: Oil and Gas (tenth consecutive year); Energy Litigation: Electric Power; Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas (Mid-Market $0–500M); Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas (Large Cap $500M-Plus) (both new) and Dispute Resolution: General Commercial Disputes (Mid-Market $250–500M).
- Bracewell received rankings in 31 practice areas, including capital markets, project finance, commercial litigation, environment, restructuring, government relations and white-collar defense.
- The firm’s lawyers received 137 individual recognitions in 2026, including 19 Leading Lawyer, Leading Partner or Hall of Fame honors.
HOUSTON – Legal 500 United States 2026 has recognized Bracewell LLP as a leading US law firm across energy, finance and litigation, with rankings in 31 practice areas that reflect the firm’s strength on transactional, regulatory, policy and litigation matters.
“Bracewell is always my first call,” one client told Legal 500. “The team is knowledgeable and has significant experience and subject matter expertise,” said another. “As a client, you feel confident that Bracewell’s core strengths and capabilities will translate well into providing quality counsel and work product.”
Bracewell’s energy capabilities were a defining feature of this year’s results, with the firm earning rankings across virtually every major segment of the industry, including litigation, regulation, transactions, project finance, renewable energy and environmental law.
For the tenth consecutive year, Bracewell earned a Tier 1 ranking in Energy Regulation: Oil and Gas. The firm also received new Tier 1 rankings in Energy Litigation: Electric Power; Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas (Mid-Market $0–500M); and Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas (Large Cap $500M-Plus).
The 2026 results also reflect the firm’s depth in practices beyond energy, including a new Tier 1 ranking in Dispute Resolution: General Commercial Disputes (Mid-Market $250–500M), as well as strong recommendations in capital markets, commercial lending, corporate/M&A, environment, government relations, insurance, labor and employment, project finance, real estate and construction, restructuring, tax and white-collar criminal defense.
The firm’s lawyers received 137 individual recognitions, including 19 Leading Lawyer, Leading Partner or Hall of Fame honors. Stephen B. Crain, Eugene R. Elrod, Catherine McCarthy and G. Alan Rafte were named to the Hall of Fame. Leading Partner and Leading Lawyer practitioners include Bradley J. Benoit, Stephen L. Braga, Michael W. Brooks, Ryan S. Holcomb, Jeffrey R. Holmstead, Jason B. Hutt, Mark K. Lewis, Dee Martin, James “JJ” McAnelly III, Elizabeth L. McGinley, D. Kirk Morgan, Scott H. Segal, Danielle M. Varnell, Richard F. Whiteley and Timothy A. Wilkins.
2026 Legal 500 US Results
Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense
- Nicole Boeckmann
- Stephen L. Braga – Leading Lawyer
- Seth D. DuCharme
- Alamdar S. Hamdani
- Barbara S. Jones
- Thomas F. Kokalas
- Roslynn R. Mauskopf
- Thomas C. Moyer
- Matthew G. Nielsen
- David A. Shargel
- Jeffery B. Vaden
- Robert J. Wagman, Jr.
General Commercial Disputes (Mid-Market $250M-500M) – Tier 1
- W. Stephen Benesh
- Bradley J. Benoit
- Daniel S. Connolly
- Stephen B. Crain
- Rachel B. Goldman
- Jonathon K. Hance
- David A. Shargel
Securities Litigation: Defense
- W. Stephen Benesh
- Bradley J. Benoit
- Bryan S. Dumesnil
- Matthew G. Nielsen
- Tony L. Visage
Energy Litigation: Electric Power – Tier 1
- Bradley J. Benoit
- Michael W. Brooks
- Stephen B. Crain
- Rachel B. Goldman
- Tyler S. Johnson
- Deanna E. King
- Catherine P. McCarthy
- Boris Shkuta
Energy Litigation: Oil and Gas (Premium $500M-Plus)
- W. Stephen Benesh
- Bradley J. Benoit – Leading Partner
- Stephen B. Crain – Hall of Fame
Energy Regulation: Electric Power
- Michael W. Brooks
- Tyler S. Johnson – Next Generation Partner
- Deanna E. King
- Catherine P. McCarthy – Hall of Fame
- Charles R. Mills
- Joshua Robichaud
- Boris Shkuta – Leading Associate
Energy Regulation: Oil and Gas – Tier 1
- Michelle T. Boudreaux
- Michael W. Brooks – Leading Partner
- Annie Cook
- Eugene R. Elrod – Hall of Fame
- Mark K. Lewis – Leading Partner
- Catherine D. Little
- D. Kirk Morgan II – Leading Partner
- Mandi Moroz
- Boris Shkuta
Energy Transactions: Electric Power (Mid-Market $0-500M)
- Shannon Baldwin – Leading Associate
- Hans P. Dyke
- Todd Eckland
- Troy L. Harder
- Ryan S. Holcomb – Leading Partner
- Frank Lee
- Parker A. Lee
- Jason A. Lewis
- Laura D. Sheldon
- Danielle M. Varnell – Leading Partner
Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas (Mid-Market $0-500M) – Tier 1
- Lytch T. Gutmann
- Jason M. Jean
- Austin T. Lee
- Parker A. Lee – Next Generation Partner
- Benjamin J. Martin
- James “JJ” McAnelly III – Leading Partner
- G. Alan Rafte – Hall of Fame
Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas (Large Cap $500M-Plus) – Tier 1
- Parker A. Lee – Next Generation Partner
- James “JJ” McAnelly III
- G. Alan Rafte – Hall of Fame
Renewable Energy/Alternative Power
- Ryan S. Holcomb
- Laura D. Sheldon
- Danielle M. Varnell – Leading Partner
Environment: Litigation
- Seth M. Barsky
- Sara M. Burgin
- Jason B. Hutt
- Ann D. Navaro
- Shailesh Sahay
- David A. Super
- Whit Swift
- Timothy A. Wilkins
Environment: Regulatory
- Sara M. Burgin
- Kevin A. Ewing
- Jeffrey R. Holmstead – Leading Partner
- Jason B. Hutt
- Ann D. Navaro
- Matt Paulson
- Whit Swift
- Kevin M. Voelkel – Next Generation Partner
- Timothy A. Wilkins – Leading Partner
Environment: Transactional
- Kevin A. Ewing
- Jason B. Hutt – Leading Partner
- Taylor M. Stuart
- Kevin M. Voelkel
- Timothy A. Wilkins – Leading Partner
Capital Markets: Debt Offerings: Advice to Issuers and Advice to Underwriters
- Shannon Baldwin
- Todd W. Eckland
- Troy L. Harder
- Stephen C. McNamara
Capital Markets: Equity Offerings: Advice to Issuers and Advice to Managers
- Troy L. Harder
Commercial Lending: Advice to Bank Lenders
- Heather L. Brown
- Andrew C.J. Bueso
- Kate H. Day
- Dewey J. Gonsoulin, Jr.
- Leslie M. Hansen
- Stephanie Koo Song
- Alan R. Stewart
Commercial Lending: Advice to Borrowers
- Jeeseon Ahn
- Dylan W. Benac
- Heather L. Brown
- Andrew C.J. Bueso
- Kate H. Day
- Dewey J. Gonsoulin, Jr.
Project Finance
- Summer B. Greathouse
- Fernando Rodriguez Marin
- Nicolai J. Sarad
- Stephanie Koo Song
Restructuring (Including Bankruptcy): Corporate
- Jason G. Cohen
- William A. (Trey) Wood III
Government Relations
- Joseph A. Brazauskas
- E. Dee Martin – Leading Partner
- Scott H. Segal – Leading Partner
- Andrew Shaw
- Joshua C. Zive
Insurance: Advice to Policyholders
- Drew Taggart
- Carlton D. Wilde III
Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Transactional*
M&A: Middle Market ($500M-999M)
- Will Anderson
- Lytch T. Gutmann
- Jason M. Jean
- Benjamin J. Martin
Outsourcing*
Construction (Including Construction Litigation)
- Phillip L. Sampson Jr.
- Richard F. Whiteley – Leading Partner
US Taxes: Non-Contentious
- Gregory M. Bopp
- Bucky Brannen
- Elizabeth L. McGinley – Leading Partner
- Brian P. Teaff
* Firm practice ranking only
