Congratulations to our lawyers recognized for their excellence in 2024 and 2025!
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Congratulations to our lawyers recognized for their excellence in 2024 and 2025!
CWL is proud to congratulate our lawyers who were recognized in the 31st edition of The Best Lawyers in America® (2025) and as Super Lawyers (2024).® These prestigious awards celebrate legal professionals who have demonstrated unparalleled expertise and dedication in their fields.
Shawn Benton has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2025 list, in the practice area of Appellate Practice and Workers’ Compensation Law (Employer). Ms. Benton represents clients in the areas of Hawai‘i workers’ compensation law, appellate practice, and civil litigation.
Marc Cefalu has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2025 list in the practice area of Admiralty and Maritime Law, and recognized as a 2024 Super Lawyer in the practice areas of General Litigation, Banking Law, Transportation and Maritime Law, and Business Litigation. Mr. Cefalu represents financial institutions, developers, transportation, aviation and shipping entities, fishing industries, and business interests.
Mitch Griffin has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2025 list in the practice area of Admiralty and Maritime Law, and recognized as a 2024 Super Lawyer in the practice area of Transportation and Maritime Law. Mr. Griffin is one of the founding partners of CWL and represents clients in maritime and insurance matters and commercial litigation.
Rupert Hansen has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2025 list in the practice area of Admiralty and Maritime Law, and recognized as a 2024 Super Lawyer in the practice areas of Transportation and Maritime Law, and Environmental Litigation, and Business and Corporate Law. Mr. Hansen is one of the founding partners of CWL and represents a variety of business interest, including financial institutions, developers, entrepreneurs, superyacht owners, shipping lines, property owners, construction companies, manufacturers, and transportation matters.
Max Kelly has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2025 list, in the practice area of Admiralty and Maritime Law. Mr. Kelly represents clients in the areas of maritime, Longshore and Harbor Workers, insurance defense, asbestos, contract claims, creditors rights and debt collection, product liability, construction defect, and premises liability.
Lynn Krieger has been recognized as a 2024 Super Lawyer in the practice area of Transportation and Maritime Law. Ms. Krieger represents domestic and international clients in a variety of maritime and general liability matters, with additional experience in maritime transactional work.
Neil Lerner has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2025 list in the practice area of Admiralty and Maritime Law, and recognized as a 2025 Super Lawyer in the practice areas of Transportation and Maritime Law, Insurance Coverage, and Business Litigation. Mr. Lerner represents domestic and foreign insurers, maritime and transportation companies in business litigation involving unfair competition and misclassification, and clients in constitution law cases involving preemption, public trust, water and navigational rights.
Normand “Chip” Lezy has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2025 list, in the practice area of Insurance Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation (Defendants) and recognized as a 2024 Super Lawyer in the practice areas of Transportation and Maritime Law, Civil Litigation, and General Litigation. Mr. Lezy represents clients in the areas of maritime, Longshore and Harbor Workers, insurance coverage, insurer bad faith, and general litigation.
Galin Luk has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2025 list, in the practice area of Admiralty and Maritime Law. Mr. Luk represents clients in the areas of insurance defense, business disputes, contract actions, personal injury, construction defect, asbestos, environment, maritime, inland cargo claims, collections and lemon law defects.
Michael J. Nakano has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America 2025 list, in the practice area of Commercial Litigation and recognized as a 2024 super Lawyer in the practice area of Transportation and Maritime Law. Mr. Nakano represents clients in the areas of business litigation, maritime, trust and estate, Longshore and Harbor Workers, administrative law, general commercial litigation, and personal injury defense.
CWL is an award-winning law firm that provides litigation and transactional services to clients throughout the Western United States and around the world.