Five Buckingham Attorneys Named 2016 Best Lawyers® ‘Lawyer of the Year’

Five of Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, LLC attorneys were recently named 2016 Best Lawyers ® “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective practice areas.

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. This peer-review publication began designating “Lawyers of the Year” in the U.S. in high-profile legal practice areas in 2009. One lawyer in each practice and designated metropolitan area is honored with the title, making this accolade particularly significant. Lawyers are selected based on impressive voting averages received during their peer-review assessments.

Buckingham’s “Lawyers of the Year” include:

(Pictured l –r: Joseph J. Feltes, John F. Hill, John P. Slagter, Cathy C. Godshall and Peter T. Cahoon)

Peter T. Cahoon: Criminal Defense, White-Collar
Cahoon joined the firm in 1998 as a litigation partner. He focuses his practice on criminal defense, domestic relations (family law) and government investigations of companies and individuals. He represents licensed professionals such as attorneys, physicians, pharmacists and nurses in disciplinary investigations and proceedings. Cahoon has tried numerous cases to judges, juries and hearing panels throughout northeast Ohio.

Joseph J. Feltes: Health Care Law
Feltes joined the firm in 1978 and currently serves on the firm’s Executive Committee. He is a healthcare attorney with 37 years’ experience representing hospitals, physicians, nurses, other providers, suppliers, as well as commercial payers.  Hospital CEOs, CFOs and in-house counsel look to Joe to handle serious and complex credentialing, competency, and disciplinary matters, and to assist them in successfully navigating through the maze of federal and state regulations.

Cathy C. Godshall: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Godshall joined the firm in 1976 as an associate and was elected partner in 1985. She is a corporate tax attorney with extensive experience in the area of nonqualified deferred compensation. She is frequently retained by clients to bring their plans into compliance with the complex tax rules that apply to such arrangements. Godshall often serves as general counsel for both for profit and tax exempt clients.

John F. Hill: Personal Injury Litigation, Plaintiffs
Hill, a courtroom lawyer, joined Buckingham in 2012 and currently, serves as Chair of the Litigation Practice Group. He represents business owners, with a focus on doctors, lawyers, and other professionals, in cases involving business interference, shareholder disputes, and insurance and other contract disputes. Hill also provides out-of-court counseling for law firms, physicians and other businesses on matters involving, liability, insurance, employment, confidentiality, trade secret and other general business cases.

John P. Slagter: Litigation, Real Estate
Slagter joined the firm in 1997 and currently serves as the firm’s Managing Partner and is a member of the Real Estate & Construction Practice Group. As a real estate attorney he focuses his practice on all aspects of real estate law with a specific emphasis on land use and zoning where he develops solutions to land use dilemmas for developers, contractors and governmental entities.