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We are pleased to feature the Akron lawyers who have been named to the Best Lawyers in America for 2005-2006.

These highly prestigious peer evaluations are based on surveys of more than 15,000 leading attorneys. Nationwide, fewer than three percent of all attorneys receive this honor. Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs ranks in the top ten Ohio law firms for the number of attorneys listed.

“We are honored to have so many of the firm’s attorneys listed as being among our country’s best lawyers,” said Nicholas T. George, President and CEO of Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, LLP. “Working with them on a daily basis, I know how dedicated they are to the interests of our clients. In addition, I appreciate the legal knowledge and expertise they share with all of the attorneys in the firm’s different practice groups.”

Peter T. Cahoon, Esq. Criminal Defense

Mr. Cahoon is co-chair of the Litigation Practice Group and President of the Akron Bar Association. He represents clients in trials and appeals of civil, domestic relations, and criminal matters in various Ohio counties. He has tried approximately 75 cases before juries, primarily felony matters, including three capital murder trials. He has defended criminal cases in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, including white collar matters such as bank fraud, insurance fraud, and R.I.C.O. cases. Mr. Cahoon has been listed in Best Lawyers since 2003.

Steven A. Dimengo, Esq. Tax Law

Mr. Dimengo heads the Taxation & Employee Benefits section of the Business Law Practice Group. His practice is primarily focused on consultation and representation with respect to Federal and Ohio tax law. He routinely advises clients on structuring transactions in a manner that minimizes tax liabilities. Mr. Dimengo has been listed in Best Lawyers since 2003.

James L. Fisher, Esq. Real Estate Law

Mr. Fisher focuses his practice on zoning, planning, land subdivision, brokerage, leasing, sale, purchases, and other aspects of real estate. He is a former member of the Planning and Economic Development Department of the City of Akron dealing with zoning and subdivision matters, and he wrote the draft of the zoning code that is presently in use. Mr. Fisher has been listed in Best Lawyers since 1995.

Nicholas T. George, Esq. Corporate, M&A, and Securities Law

Mr. George is the CEO and President of the law firm. He provides day-to-day consultation to a number of businesses throughout Northeast Ohio and is counsel to numerous commercial real estate developers. Mr. George has been listed in Best Lawyers since 2001.

Stephen M. Hammersmith, Esq. Financial Institutions and Transactions

Mr. Hammersmith practices in the areas of municipal law, commercial transactions and consumer finance law. He is a member of the American, Ohio State, and Akron Bar Associations. Mr. Hammersmith has been listed in Best Lawyers since 1997.

Patrick J. Keating, Esq. Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law

Mr. Keating is the managing partner of the Akron office and serves as a Vice President of the firm's Board of Managers. His primary area of practice includes bankruptcy, creditors' rights and Uniform Commercial Code matters, and he represents debtors, creditors, trustees and committees in cases under Chapters 7, 11, 12 and 13 of the Bankruptcy Code, as well as in the non-bankruptcy arena. He has been listed in Best Lawyers since 1997.

David Kern, Esq. Tax Law

Mr. Kern practices in the areas of taxation, employee benefits, corporate law, mergers & acquisitions, and estate and succession planning. Prior to joining Buckingham, Mr. Kern served as an intern with the Ohio Department of Taxation. He is a member of the Akron Tax and Estate Planning Council. He has been listed in Best Lawyers since 2003.

Robert W. Malone, Esq. Tax Law

Mr. Malone practices in the areas of taxation and employee benefits, business, mergers & acquisitions, and trusts & estates. He serves on the faculty of the University of Akron Master of Taxation Program and has written many articles which have appeared in The University of Akron Law Review, The University of Akron Tax Journal, CCH Financial and Estate Planning Guide, and the Ohio CPA Journal. He chairs the Federal Tax Committee of the Ohio State Bar Association and is a member of the Greater Akron Tax Club. He has been listed in Best Lawyers since 1999, as well as in the 1989-1990 and 1995-1996 editions.

Patricia A. Pacenta, Esq. Trusts and Estates

Ms. Pacenta has extensive experience in the areas of estate planning, business succession planning, charitable gift planning, and estate and trust administration. She is a member of the Probate and Trust Law sections of the American and Ohio State Bar Associations. In addition, she is a member of the Probate Section of the Akron Bar Association. She is a member and Past President of the Akron Tax and Estate Planning Council and a Fellow of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel. Ms. Pacenta has been listed in Best Lawyers since 1989.

Orville L. Reed, III, Esq. Personal Injury Litigation

With over 20 years of extensive trial experience, Mr. Reed focuses his practice on the representation of major self-insured and manufacturing concerns in personal injury and commercial litigation. He is a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, and the Ohio Trial Lawyers Association. He has been listed in Best Lawyers since 1989.

Thomas R. Trotter, Esq. Financial Institutions and Transactions Law

Mr. Trotter is the Co-Chair of the Business Law Practice Group. His practice is focused on public finance, including tax and securities law analysis. In addition, he has experience in bond counsel, underwriter counsel, issuer counsel, bank counsel, trustee counsel and borrower counsel for general and special obligation bonds and notes, economic development bonds, health care facility revenue bonds, and exempt facility bonds. He is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and has been listed in Best Lawyers since 1996.

Patrick J. Weschler, Esq. Trusts and Estates

Mr. Weschler is experienced in all aspects of estate planning including business succession planning, estate administration, and exempt organization tax law. He has written articles on estate planning topics and is a frequent speaker on trusts and estates issues for various organizations and clients. He is the past chair of the firm's Trusts & Estates Practice Group and is a member of the American and Akron Bar Associations Probate Section. He has been listed in Best Lawyers since 2003.