All Burnette Shutt & McDaniel attorneys honored in new edition of Best Lawyers in America
It’s a clean sweep! We’re thrilled that every attorney at Burnette Shutt & McDaniel is honored in the just-released 2026 edition of Best Lawyers in America and its companion guide, Best Lawyers: One to Watch.
Additionally, firm co-founder Nekki Shutt again was named Lawyer of the Year honors for the Columbia area in Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. It’s her sixth overall Lawyer of the Year award. She also displayed amazing versatility, earning Best Lawyers honors in nine practice areas overall.
Most of the Burnette Shutt & McDaniel honorees were included in at least two practice areas. Though employment law and litigation account for many of the awards, the attorneys are recognized across more than a dozen practice areas, including civil rights, criminal law, commercial litigation, personal injury, land use and zoning, education law, family law, and qui tam whistleblower law.
“This incredible showing is a testament to the high regard our peers in the legal community have for our firm,” firm co-founder Malissa Burnette said. “To have every single attorney honored, and to have the honors come in such a wide variety of practice areas, speaks volumes about our reputation.”
The attorneys and their practice areas:
Malissa Burnette: Civil Rights Law, Employment Law – Individuals, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Education Law, and Mediation.
David E. Rothstein: Employment Law – Individuals
Nekki Shutt: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law Lawyer of the Year, Litigation – ERISA, Civil Rights Law, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Individuals, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Qui Tam Law.
Kathleen McDaniel: Land Use and Zoning Law, Administrative/Regulatory Law, Litigation – Environmental, Food and Beverage Law, and Real Estate Law.
Jack Cohoon: Employment Law – Individuals and Litigation – Labor and Employment.
Stuart Andrews: Qui Tam Law and Health Care Law.
Ashley Pennington: Criminal Defense: General Practice.
Janet Rhodes: Litigation – Labor and Employment and Employment Law – Individuals.
Grant Burnette LeFever – Ones to Watch: Civil Rights Law, Labor and Employment Law – Employee, Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Education Law, and Family Law.
Sarah J.M. Cox – Ones to Watch: Appellate Practice, Labor and Employment Law – Employee, and Litigation – Labor and Employment, and Education Law, Family Law.
Lydia Robins Hendrix – Labor and Employment Law – Employee, and Litigation – Labor and Employment Law.
Burnette Shutt & McDaniel attorneys have been included Best Lawyers for more than 20 years. Andrews was first honored in 2003, and Burnette has been recognized yearly since 2005. The firm’s attorneys have regularly won Lawyer of the Year honors since 2011. Additionally, from the time of the firm’s founding, Burnette Shutt & McDaniel has been cited in every edition of Best Law Firms in America. The 2025 edition of Best Law Firms will be released in November.
About Best Lawyers
The selection process for Best Lawyers in America and Ones to Watch, which recognizes attorneys who have practiced for less than 10 years, includes evaluations from other attorneys in the same cities and practice areas. It also includes independent research. The attorney with the highest overall peer feedback is designated as the Lawyer of the Year.