What to Know
- Bracewell earned its 12th consecutive Band 1 ranking in Nationwide Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation) and a new Band 1 in Nationwide Energy: Electricity (Finance), extending the firm’s recognized leadership across the full energy spectrum.
- Texas Banking & Finance, Texas Environment and Texas Public Finance each earned Band 1 rankings for the 19th, 10th and 3rd consecutive years respectively, reflecting Bracewell’s enduring strength across the state’s most demanding practice areas.
- Four new practice rankings — including Nationwide International Arbitration and New York Banking & Finance — and six lawyers elevated to Band 1 reflect the firm’s continued geographic and practice expansion.
HOUSTON – Chambers USA 2026 has recognized Bracewell LLP as a leading firm across the energy, finance and infrastructure industries, reflecting the firm’s role advising clients on complex transactional, regulatory, policy and litigation matters in some of the most demanding sectors in the US economy.
“Bracewell is our go-to for complex matters,” one client told Chambers, while another praised the firm’s “exceptional depth of knowledge, business understanding and negotiation skills.”
Bracewell received seven Band 1 practice rankings in 2026, including a new Band 1 designation in Nationwide Energy: Electricity (Finance), reflecting the firm’s standing across the full energy spectrum. Bracewell was also ranked Band 1 in the following areas:
- Nationwide Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation) – 12th consecutive year
- Nationwide Government Relations: Specialist Energy, Natural Resources & Environment – 2nd consecutive year
- Nationwide Offshore Energy – 4th consecutive year
- Texas Banking & Finance – 19th consecutive year
- Texas Environment – 10th consecutive year
- Texas Public Finance – 3rd consecutive year
Bracewell also earned four new practice rankings in 2026: Nationwide International Arbitration (Highly Regarded), New York Banking & Finance, Washington Intellectual Property and Texas Insurance. Ten lawyers earned new individual rankings, and six were elevated to Band 1.
The 2026 results also reflect the firm’s depth in practices beyond energy and finance. Bracewell earned Band 2 rankings in both New York and Texas for Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations — with individual practitioners recognized across Houston, New York and Washington, DC — alongside continued recognition in Texas Appellate Litigation, Texas Bankruptcy & Restructuring, Texas Healthcare, Texas Intellectual Property and Texas Real Estate.
In addition, 27 Bracewell lawyers were recognized at the highest levels. Band 1 practitioners include Bucky Brannen, Heather Brown, Annie Cook, Stephen Crain, Eugene Elrod, Kevin Ewing, Jonathan Frels, Warren Harris, Jeff Holmstead, Wilson Jones, Jonathan Leatherberry, Mark Lewis, Catherine Little, Cathy McCarthy, Charley Mills, Kirk Morgan, Glenn Opel, Victoria Ozimek, Matt Paulson, Alan Rafte, Danielle Varnell, Barron Wallace, Tim Wilkins and Trey Wood. Greg Bopp and Mark Evans were recognized as Eminent Practitioners, and Barbara Jones as a Senior Statesperson.
2026 Chambers USA Results
Practice Rankings
Nationwide
- Climate Change
- Derivatives
- Energy Transition
- Energy: Electricity (Finance) – Band 1
- Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation)
- Energy: Electricity (Transactional)
- Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation) – Band 1
- Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional)
- Environment
- Government Relations: Federal
- Government Relations: Specialist Energy, Natural Resources & Environment – Band 1
- Intellectual Property: Patent Trial and Appeal Board
- International Arbitration: Highly Regarded
- Offshore Energy – Band 1
- Oil & Gas Litigation
- Projects: Oil & Gas
- Projects: Power & Renewables: Transactional
- Projects: PPP
- Public Finance
District of Columbia
- Environment
New York
- Banking & Finance
- Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Highly Regarded)
Texas
- Banking & Finance – Band 1
- Bankruptcy/Restructuring
- Capital Markets: Debt & Equity
- Corporate/M&A: The Elite
- Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation (Houston & Surrounds)
- Environment – Band 1
- Healthcare
- Insurance
- Intellectual Property
- Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets
- Labor & Employment
- Litigation: Appellate
- Litigation: General Commercial (Houston & Surrounds)
- Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
- Public Finance – Band 1
- Real Estate
- Tax
- Technology: Outsourcing
Washington
- Intellectual Property
Individual Rankings
Nationwide
Capital Markets: Debt & Equity: Central US
- Troy L. Harder
Climate Change
- Jeffrey R. Holmstead
Derivatives
- Michael W. Brooks
- Scott Le Bouef
- Charles R. Mills
Derivatives: Enforcement
- Charles R. Mills – Band 1
Energy: Electricity (Finance)
- Todd W. Eckland
- J. Anthony Terrell
Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation)
- Michael W. Brooks
- Deanna E. King
- Catherine P. McCarthy – Band 1
Energy: Electricity (Transactional)
- Ryan S. Holcomb
Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation)
- Michelle T. Boudreaux
- Michael W. Brooks
- Eugene Elrod – Band 1
- Mark K. Lewis – Band 1
- D. Kirk Morgan II – Band 1
Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional)
- Jason M. Jean
- James “JJ” McAnelly III
- G. Alan Rafte – Band 1
Energy: PHMSA Specialists
- Annie Cook – Band 1
- Catherine D. Little – Band 1
- Mandi Moroz – Associate to Watch
Government Relations: Federal
- E. Dee Martin
- Scott H. Segal
- Andrew Shaw
- Joshua C. Zive
Intellectual Property: Patent Trial and Appeal Board
- Christopher “Kit” L. Crumbley
International Arbitration: Counsel
- James P. Duffy IV
- Martin Gusy
Offshore Energy
- Kevin A. Ewing – Band 1
- Ty Johnson
- Danielle M. Varnell
Oil & Gas Litigation
- Stephen B. Crain – Band 1
Projects
- G. Alan Rafte
Projects: Power & Renewables: Transactional
- Laura D. Sheldon – Up and Coming
- Danielle M. Varnell – Band 1
District of Columbia
Environment
- Kevin A. Ewing
- Jeffrey R. Holmstead – Band 1
- Jason B. Hutt
- Ann D. Navaro
- Brittany M. Pemberton
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
- Stephen L. Braga
Georgia
Environment
- Catherine D. Little
New York
Litigation: General Commercial
- Rachel B. Goldman
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
- Nicole Boeckmann
- Seth D. DuCharme
- Barbara S. Jones – Senior Statesperson
Tax
- Elizabeth L. McGinley
Texas
Banking & Finance
- Andrew C.J. Bueso – Up and Coming
- Heather L. Brown – Band 1
- Kate H. Day
- Mark C. Evans – Eminent Practitioner
- Dewey J. Gonsoulin Jr
- Stephanie Koo Song
Bankruptcy/Restructuring
- Jason G. Cohen
- William A. “Trey” Wood III – Band 1
Capital Markets: Debt & Equity
- Troy L. Harder
Construction
- Richard F. Whiteley
Corporate/M&A
- Lytch T. Gutmann
Environment
- Sara M. Burgin
- Matt Paulson – Band 1
- Whit Swift
- Timothy A. Wilkins – Band 1
Healthcare
- Carrie Douglas
- Wilson G. Jones – Band 1
- Nancy LeGros
- Brett W. Rector
Insurance
- Carlton D. Wilde III
Intellectual Property
- Constance Gall Rhebergen
Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets
- Jonathon K. Hance
Labor & Employment
- Amber K. Dodds – Up and Coming
- Amy Karff Halevy
Litigation: Appellate
- Warren W. Harris – Band 1
- Walter A. Simons – Up and Coming
Litigation: General Commercial (Austin & Surrounds)
- W. Stephen Benesh
Litigation: General Commercial (Houston & Surrounds)
- Bradley J. Benoit
- Stephen B. Crain
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
- Matthew G. Nielsen
- Jeffery B. Vaden
Public Finance
- Elizabeth Rippy Bowes
- Robert R. Collins III
- Cristy Edwards
- Jonathan K. Frels – Band 1
- Summer B. Greathouse
- Jonathan C. Leatherberry – Band 1
- W. Glenn Opel – Band 1
- Victoria Ozimek – Band 1
- Julie Melton Partain
- Brian P. Teaff
- Barron Wallace – Band 1
Real Estate
- K. Brock Bailey
- Tamara L. McKinzie
- Aaron P. Roffwarg
- Christie Latimer Westmoreland – Up and Coming
Tax
- Gregory M. Bopp – Eminent Practitioner
Tax: State & Local
- Bucky Brannen – Band 1
Washington
Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation
- Douglas F. Stewart
