Chambers USA recognized 43 Husch Blackwell attorneys in the 2021 guide released today, with four lawyers earning rankings for the first time. Chambers also ranked Husch Blackwell in 18 departments, with the firm’s Government Contracts practice earning a first-time ranking and its Healthcare practice earning an additional USA: Nationwide designation in the 2021 edition.
The firm earned 2021 rankings in the areas of Banking & Finance, Cannabis Law, Corporate/Commercial, Corporate/M&A, Environment, Government Contracts, Healthcare, Intellectual Property, Labor & Employment, Litigation: General Commercial, and Real Estate.
Client comments in the Chambers USA 2021 guide cite Husch Blackwell’s focus on solving client problems and providing excellent client service:
Banking & Finance (Wisconsin). Clients commend this “strong team” as being “well experienced and quick to respond.” Chambers pointed out the group’s “specialties include industrial revenue bonds and the representation of agent banks in syndicated loan negotiations.” Sources praise the team for its “excellent execution of matters.”
Cannabis Law (USA Nationwide). Chambers cited the firm’s “cross-disciplinary team” that “utilizes its well-established base in regulatory compliance to advise on a range of transactions and business structuring matters.” The team’s “particular strength is delivery of accurate and timely information,” says a client.
Corporate/Commercial (Nebraska). Chambers noted that the firm “offers notable proficiency in M&A, corporate governance and securities matters” and “has commendable experience working with clients from the renewable fuel, energy and agribusiness sectors. One pleased client notes that the firm’s lawyers do “an excellent job and have a good understanding of the issues.” Another appreciates that the team is “thorough, timely and responsive.”
Corporate/M&A (Kansas City, St. Louis, Wisconsin). This team “enjoys an outstanding reputation for its corporate expertise” and is “well placed to advise on large and complex transactions,” according to Chambers. The group is “well versed in a broad array of matters, including M&A, joint ventures, private equity transactions and licensing issues.” One source described the team as “hard-working and committed to their client’s needs.” Another client praised the team’s “ability to delegate to each other with full confidence that each team member was capable and competent in their specific area of expertise.”
Environment (St. Louis). Chambers said Husch Blackwell’s “established team with particular experience in litigation and regulatory compliance” has built up an “impressive client base in the agriculture, energy and chemical manufacturing industries,” with involvement “in CERCLA litigation, advising on disposal issues and remediation.”
*Government Contracts: The Elite (USA Nationwide). According to Chambers, the Husch Blackwell team is “noted for its expertise in advising on construction contracting matters,” and that it is “routinely called upon by government contractors to assist with significant issues, including bid protests before the GAO, contract administration matters and False Claims Act investigations.” One client said that this team has “an excellent government contracts group and have always been able to provide prompt and accurate legal analysis in the complicated world of federal government contracting.”
Healthcare (Texas, *USA Nationwide). Chambers said Husch Blackwell offers a “standout healthcare group representing clients in transactional and regulatory matters throughout Texas” with “expertise in healthcare fraud and abuse issues, governance and telemedicine.” Nationwide, the team is known for “significant experience in disputes such as litigation arising from Medicare fraud” and for its “expertise in transactions such as M&A, as well as advising on regulatory concerns arising from HIPAA and telemedicine issues. Clients say, “Husch is very well respected for its breadth and depth.” “They are responsive, thorough and willing to go the extra mile," says another source. "They’re great in terms of their depth of knowledge."
Intellectual Property (Missouri). Chambers said the firm “enjoys a fine reputation for its defense work and maintains a highly active presence across the patent space” and “also holds strong expertise in the area of trade secrets, becoming increasingly involved in data, contract and security disputes.”
Labor & Employment (Kansas City and St. Louis). Husch Blackwell was noted by Chambers for “outstanding labor and employment capabilities” and “significant litigation expertise in FLSA and wage and hour class and collective actions.” One client noted, “It’s a top-notch firm - the advice is always reliable and timely and I feel confident relying on it. The attorneys respond quickly and can handle litigation efficiently with thoughtful strategy.” Another client said, “We have found the team’s services to be innovative and tailored to the unique circumstances of each situation.”
Litigation/General Commercial (*Austin, St. Louis). Chambers said the firm’s “distinguished outfit” has an “impressive record of representing clients across the pharmaceutical, healthcare, transportation and agriculture industries.” Chambers also cited the firm’s “notable commercial litigation practice offering experienced handling of fraud, breach of contract and bankruptcy-related claims” and is “sought after by clients in the engineering, healthcare and financial services sectors, among others.” Clients regard the firm as “responsive and very good in the courtroom.” One client said, “They have experienced a lot of growth; they have strong practice areas and are great litigators.”
Real Estate (Colorado, St. Louis, Wisconsin). Chambers said that the group is “noted for its work on the financing and operation of sports facilities, as well as the full range of issues affecting mixed-use developments and clients in the railroad, healthcare and hospitality sectors.” Chambers also notes the team’s “additional strength in tax increment financing and real estate litigation” and “land use and zoning expertise.” Chambers also noted clients are “impressed by the ‘depth and breadth’ of the group’s offering.”
Colorado
Illinois
- Patrick S. Coffey – Healthcare – Band 4
Missouri
Kansas City
St. Louis
Nebraska
Texas
- Diane T. Carter – Healthcare – Band 3
- Scott L. Davis – Insurance – Band 4
- Joseph V. Geraci – Healthcare – Band 2
- David W. Hilgers – Healthcare – Senior Statespeople
- Hal Katz – Healthcare – Band 2
- Julian Rivera – Healthcare – Band 3
- David H. Timmins – Insurance – Band 4
- Eric J. Weatherford – Healthcare – Band 3
USA Nationwide
Utah
- David R. Rudd – Corporate/M&A – Band 2
Wisconsin
- Brad Dallet – Real Estate – Band 2
- Hal Karas – Real Estate – Senior Statespeople
- Philip R. Koutnik – Corporate/M&A – Up and Coming
- Eric E. Lenzen – Corporate M&A – Band 3
- Derek Taylor – Banking & Finance – Band 3
- Lynda R. Templen – Banking & Finance – Band 3
*Practices and attorneys recognized for the first time in Chambers USA
Chambers and Partners, which publishes Chambers USA, develops its rankings by utilizing a team of 170 full-time researchers and editors who conduct thousands of in-depth interviews with lawyers and their clients worldwide. The team identifies and ranks the world’s best lawyers and legal departments according to the criteria most valued by clients: legal knowledge and experience, ability, effectiveness and client service.