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COLUMBIA, S.C. – Best Lawyers in America® is honoring 34 Robinson Gray attorneys for 2026 – with 26 named to the main list and eight on its Ones to Watch List.

“It’s an honor to see so many of our attorneys recognized by such a respected publication,” said Cal Watson, the law firm’s managing member. “It speaks to the high standards we strive for — and the outstanding people behind our success.”

Among those recognized on the main list, three Robinson Gray attorneys earned an additional distinction — being named Lawyers of the Year for Columbia: Cal Watson in Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants, Matt Hill in Banking and Finance Law, and Paul Hoefer in Litigation – Banking and Finance.

Used by thousands of lawyers and corporations, The Best Lawyers in America is presented as a definitive guide to the legal profession in the United States.

Here are the 26 who made the main Best Lawyers list for Columbia, with the practice areas in which they are recognized:

• Grady Beard: Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
• Kevin Bell: Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
• Chris Boguski: Litigation – Construction
• Frank Ellerbe: Administrative/Regulatory Law, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Utilities Law
• Kevin Garrison: Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law
• Ben Gooding: Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Betsy Gray: Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Nick Haigler: Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
• Matt Hill: Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law
• Paul Hoefer: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law
• Becky Laffitte: Insurance Law, Litigation – Construction, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Transportation Law
• Gibbs Leaphart: Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
• Amanda Mellard: Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
• Bill Metzger: Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
• Michael Montgomery: Construction Law, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Kelly Morrow: Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
• Shannon Till Poteat: Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
• Beth Richardson: Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants, Litigation – Securities, Qui Tam Law
• Jasmine Smith: Appellate Practice
• Kerk Spong: Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Real Estate Law
• Bobby Stepp: Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation
• Tim Thompson: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Tax Law
• Monty Todd: Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Rob Tyson: Administrative/Regulatory Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• Court Walsh: Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Litigation – Construction
• Cal Watson: Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants

The “Ones to Watch” category exists to recognize lawyers who have shown outstanding excellence in private practice in the first decade of their careers.

Here are the eight named to that list at Robinson Gray for 2026, along with the practice areas in which they are cited:

• Molly Campolong: Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Real Estate Law
• Sarah Frierson: Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law, Professional Malpractice Law
• Maura Greg: Banking and Finance Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Real Estate Law
• Meredith Ann Krzyston: Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
• Haley Moorman: Litigation – Construction, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Transportation Law
• La’Jessica Stringfellow: Commercial Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Lisle Traywick: Administrative/Regulatory Law, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law
• Lizzie Weston: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Real Estate Law

This is the first time that Sarah Frierson, Maura Greg, Haley Moorman, and Lizzie Weston have been named to the Ones to Watch list.

Recognition by Best Lawyers is based on peer review. The process is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. For more information, go to https://www.bestlawyers.com/methodology.

About Robinson Gray Stepp & Laffitte, LLC

Located in the BullStreet District, Robinson Gray Stepp & Laffitte, LLC, is a South Carolina law firm that offers a tailored, hands-on approach. It provides business transactional and litigation representation in all state and federal trial and appellate courts in South Carolina. The firm’s 41 attorneys serve clients ranging from multi-national corporations to small businesses and individuals. For more, visit https://robinsongray.com/.