Kostelanetz Also Named “Top-Listed” Firm for Litigation and Controversy – Tax in New York
NEW YORK (August 25, 2025) — Best Lawyers in America® has recognized nearly half of all Kostelanetz attorneys for its 2026 edition, naming 20 Kostelanetz lawyers to its annual list in the firm’s key practice areas of tax law and tax litigation; white-collar criminal defense; commercial litigation; and trusts and estates.
Attorneys from all three of the firm’s offices in New York, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta are represented in Best Lawyers. Because nine of the firm’s New York office attorneys have been ranked for Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Best Lawyers has named the firm a “Top-Listed” firm for Litigation and Controversy – Tax in both New York state and the New York City metro area for 2026. This designation is given to firms that have the most recognized lawyers in a specific practice area and jurisdiction.
The Kostelanetz lawyers who have been selected by their peers for inclusion on the Best Lawyers in America list for 2026 are:
- Megan L. Brackney for Tax Law and Litigation and Controversy – Tax in New York.
- Caroline D. Ciraolo for Tax Law; Litigation and Controversy – Tax; and Criminal Defense: White Collar in Washington, D.C.
- Christopher M. Ferguson for Commercial Litigation and Litigation and Controversy – Tax in New York.
- Sharon L. McCarthy for Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Litigation and Controversy – Tax in New York.
- Claude M. Millman for Commercial Litigation in New York.
- Jay R. Nanavati for Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Tax Law, and Litigation and Controversy – Tax in Washington, D.C.
- Caroline Rule for Litigation and Controversy – Tax in New York.
- Michael Sardar for Litigation and Controversy – Tax in New York.
- Bryan C. Skarlatos for Tax Law; Litigation and Controversy – Tax; and Criminal Defense: White Collar in New York.
- Ian Weinstock for Trusts and Estates in New York.
- Todd Welty for Tax Law and Litigation and Controversy – Tax in Atlanta.
- Kevin M. Flynn for Tax Law and Litigation and Controversy – Tax in New York.
- Usman Mohammad for Litigation and Controversy – Tax in New York.
- Eric Smith for Litigation and Controversy – Tax in New York.
Six attorneys were also selected for the Best Lawyers’ “Ones to Watch” list:
- Abigail Burke for Tax Law; Litigation and Controversy – Tax; and Criminal Defense: White Collar in Washington, D.C.
- Michael Coverstone for Tax Law and Litigation and Controversy – Tax in Atlanta.
- William Greco for Tax Law and Litigation and Controversy – Tax in Washington, D.C.
- Yelena Niazyan for Litigation and Controversy – Tax in New York.
- William Stone for Tax Law and Litigation and Controversy – Tax in Atlanta.
- Michael Waalkes for Tax Law and Litigation and Controversy – Tax in Washington, D.C.
Kostelanetz has been recognized by Best Lawyers for more than a decade. This year, three of the firm’s partners were also named by the independent rankings agency as a “Lawyer of the Year” in New York and Washington, D.C. Caroline Ciraolo has been selected “Lawyer of the Year” for Litigation and Controversy – Tax in Washington, D.C., Sharon McCarthy has been named “Lawyer of the Year” for Litigation and Controversy – Tax in New York City, and Jay Nanavati is “Lawyer of the Year” for Tax Law in Washington, D.C.
Kostelanetz was also selected “Law Firm of the Year” for Litigation and Controversy – Tax by Best Lawyers for the 2021 and 2022 editions of “Best Law Firms.” In addition, the firm has been ranked nationally as a “Best Law Firm” in four categories: Tax Law; Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Litigation and Controversy – Tax; and Commercial Litigation.
“Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review,” Best Lawyers notes. “Our 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.”
As Best Lawyers also states, “Only about 5% of practicing U.S. attorneys earn a Best Lawyer distinction, underscoring the award’s exclusivity. Nearly 30,000 lawyers participated in the voting process, providing, this year alone, more than 3.4 million confidential evaluations to assess roughly 130,000 vetted nominees.”
For nearly 80 years, Kostelanetz LLP has built a global reputation as a law firm of choice for clients facing high-stakes controversies, negotiations with government agencies, and complex domestic and international tax planning decisions. Our attorneys have extensive experience in tax controversy, tax fraud defense, white-collar criminal defense, securities enforcement defense, trust and estate planning, transactional tax planning, and government investigations. We are regularly called upon to handle the most challenging and sensitive matters and internal investigations. Important parts of the firm’s practice also include commercial litigation and government procurement and contracting.
