Twenty-five attorneys from the northern New England law firm Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC (DRM) have been recognized in the 2025 editions of The Best Lawyers in America®. Four of the firm’s lawyers were recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” honorees, and five were named to the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America 2025 list. Lawyers are neither required nor allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, recognition by Best Lawyers® is considered a singular honor.
Four DRM lawyers were recognized as Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” honorees for 2025. These include Burlington, Vermont-based attorneys Christopher D. Roy, litigation – land use and zoning, R. Prescott Jaunich , land use and zoning law, and Tristram J. Coffin, criminal defense: white-collar. St. Johnsbury, Vermont-based John H. Marshall was recognized for environmental law in the Montpelier area. “Lawyer of the Year” honors are awarded annually to only one lawyer per practice area in each region with extremely high overall feedback from their peers, making it an exceptional distinction.
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America are recognitions given to attorneys who are early in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice. Included in Best Lawyers Ones to Watch® in America for 2025 are Burlington lawyers: Joshua D. Leckey, communications law; Evan J. O’Brien, commercial litigation; and Monica Allard, commercial litigation. Shannon K. Lenzini, of the firm’s St. Johnsbury office, was recognized in the corporate law category. Krista Gay of DRM’s Brattleboro Office was recognized for labor and employment law – management, and litigation.
Burlington-based attorneys recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for 2025 include: Andre D. Bouffard, bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights / insolvency and reorganization law, commercial litigation, and litigation – bankruptcy; Tristram J. Coffin, antitrust law, white collar criminal defense; Kathleen H. Davis, corporate law; William J. Dodge, real estate law, and land use and zoning law; Timothy C. Doherty Jr., white collar criminal defense; Marc B. Heath, commercial litigation, and construction litigation; R. Prescott Jaunich, land use and zoning law, and real estate law; Walter E. Judge, Jr., commercial litigation; Peter B. Kunin, litigation – intellectual property, copyright law, and trademark law; Robert B. Luce, commercial litigation, and personal injury litigation – plaintiffs; Johan W. E. Maitland, employment law – management, and labor law – management; Jennifer E. McDonald, construction litigation, insurance litigation, commercial litigation, and medical malpractice law – defendants; Paul H. Ode, corporate law and mergers and acquisitions law; Wm. Roger Prescott, tax law, and litigation and controversy – tax; Christopher D. Roy, litigation – land use and zoning, and litigation – real estate; Timothy S. Sampson, real estate law, land use and zoning law, construction law; and David J. Sylvester, corporate law, and mergers and acquisitions law.
Best Lawyers also recognized Brattleboro attorney Timothy E. Copeland, employment law – management, labor law – management, and litigation – labor and employment.
In the Lebanon office, the Purely Peer Review® organization recognized Willemien Dingemans Miller, trusts and estates; and Elizabeth K. Rattigan, employment law – management, and litigation – labor and employment.
Five St. Johnsbury attorneys were also recognized for 2025: Kimberly M. Butler, commercial transactions/UCC law and business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships); James C. Gallagher, personal injury litigation – defendants; John H. Marshall, energy law and environmental law; Mary K. Parent, business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships), commercial transactions/UCC law, and corporate law; and James G. Wheeler, corporate law, real estate law, and trusts and estates.
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers in America® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers recognitions are compiled based on an exhaustive Purely Peer Review evaluation. More than 116,000 industry leading lawyers are eligible to vote (from around the world), and we have received more than 17 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world.
From offices located in Vermont and New Hampshire, the legal services provided by DRM attorneys include bankruptcy and business restructuring, business law, captive insurance, renewable energy, telecommunications, health law, intellectual property, labor and employment, litigation, white collar defense and government enforcement, real estate and land use, environmental, tax, and trusts and estates, plus legislative services and executive director support through the firm’s Government and Public Affairs group.
