“Heather Rider Hammond is celebrated as five-time “Lawyer of the Year”
Eleven Gravel & Shea attorneys were recognized for excellence in their field by the peer-reviewed publication, Best Lawyers. Heather Rider Hammond, an employment attorney and Shareholder, earned the honorable distinction of “Lawyer of the Year” for the fifth time. In addition, she and ten other Gravel & Shea attorneys received recognition as “Best Lawyers,” with Cassandra LaRae-Perez and Navah Spero receiving that accolade for the first time. Celeste Laramie is listed as “One to Watch.”
Heather Rider Hammond, Shareholder at Gravel & Shea, has been recognized as a “Lawyer of the Year 2024” by Best Lawyers for her work in Litigation – Labor and Employment. Hammond earned her B.A. from Middlebury College, cum laude, and her J.D. from Vermont Law School, summa cum laude. Heather represents the firm’s corporate clients in all aspects of the employment relationship, while frequently speaking on a wide array of employment topics to various employer groups. Heather’s services range from the defense of employment-related claims in legal and administrative proceedings to counseling management on compliance issues and best practices. Hammond received this award in 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023, and 2024.
Gravel & Shea would also like to congratulate the following lawyers named to the 2024 The Best Lawyers in America list:
- Peter S. Erly: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, and Securities Regulation
- Timothy M. Eustace: Litigation – Real Estate
- Michelle N. Farkas: Real Estate Law
- Heather Rider Hammond: Employment Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment
- William “Chip” A. Mason, VI,: Corporate Governance Law and Corporate Law
- Robert H. Rushford: Real Estate Law
Jerome F. O’Neill was awarded “Best Lawyer” for the 30th year and is listed in the categories of Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: General Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Mediation, and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. Robert B. Hemley was recognized for the 35th year and celebrated, once again, in the categories of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: General Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, First Amendment Law, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs, Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs.
For the first time, attorneys Cassandra LaRae-Perez, who practices Food and Beverage Law, and Navah Spero, in Litigation – Trusts & Estates, were recognized as “Best Lawyers.”
In addition, Celeste E. Laramie is a repeat rising star on the list of Best Lawyer’s “Ones to Watch” list for her work in Litigation – Environmental and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs.
Best Lawyers is the oldest peer-reviewed publication company in the legal profession and celebrates its 30th edition this year. Best Lawyer’s list of outstanding lawyers is compiled by conducting extensive peer-review surveys where thousands of lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers.
For more information about Gravel & Shea, please visit www.gravelshea.com
About Gravel & Shea
Gravel & Shea is a full-service law firm in Burlington, Vermont, providing its clients legal services in a wide variety of disciplines, including commercial transactions, civil litigation, real estate, intellectual property, energy, land use and environmental regulation, estate planning, mergers and acquisitions, personal injury litigation, employment law, and family law.
