June 15, 2026
–Press Release
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Boston, MA – Sullivan & Worcester announced that its practice groups and attorneys have been ranked and recommended in the Legal 500 United States 2026. The firm’s Real Estate practice was newly ranked Tier 1 in the “Real estate – mid-market ($0-500m)” category and the firm maintained rankings across a variety of practice areas. Partners Nicole Crum and John Steiner were newly ranked as Leading Partners and Ryan Rosenblatt as a Next Generation Partner.
Peers and more than 300,000 corporate counsel were surveyed and interviewed globally in the past 12 months to assess law firms’ overall visibility and reputation, culminating in detailed rankings and editorial. The Legal 500 is an independent guide, and firms and individuals are recommended purely on merit.
Sullivan's lawyers received the following rankings:
Leading Partners: The Legal 500’s Guide to Outstanding Lawyers Nationwide
Benjamin Armour - M&A: Middle-Market (Sub-$500m); M&A: middle-market ($0-250m)
Ameek Ashok Ponda - Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
Nicole Crum - Mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds
Lewis Segall - M&A: Middle-Market (Sub-$500m); M&A: middle-market ($0-250m)
John Steiner - Real estate – mid-market ($0-500m)
Douglas Stransky - International Tax
Joel Telpner - Fintech
Next Generation Partners: The Legal 500’s Guide to Up-and-Coming Lawyers Nationwide
Ryan Rosenblatt - General commercial disputes – mid-market ($250-500m)
Sarah Wellings - Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
Practice Areas Ranked and Attorneys Recognized
Corporate Governance
“Our lead partner, Nicole Crum, who leads the investment industry practice, is exceptional. She demonstrates strong industry knowledge yet is very personable and anticipates what we need to know or what we should consider doing to handle any matter. The team roll up their sleeves and provide recommendations as to how we as a board should handle any matter. Strong service commitment and work ethic!”
“The team we have at Sullivan & Worcester has served our company for years and knows the management team, staff as well as our board members. They are extremely responsive and proactive and anticipate what we should be aware of, concerned about, excited about, and how to handle oversight, processes and protocols to ensure we are carrying out our fiduciary duties. The partners are experts in this industry.”
Leading Partner: Nicole Crum
Recommended Lawyers: Howard Berkenblit, David Leahy
Dispute Resolution/General Commercial Disputes
“Diverse skillset. Client centric. Transparency. Urgency provided on all matters.”
“I have worked with Gerry Silver for over 15 years and have found his pragmatic approach to complex matters refreshing. He understands our business, culture and market, and will give me his opinion in a digestible manner.”
Next Generation Partner: Ryan Rosenblatt
Recommended Lawyers: Gerry Silver, Patrick Dinardo, Laura Steinberg, Michael Sullivan, Amy Zuccarello, Erika Todd, Christopher Shields, Anna Lea McNerney
Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Design
“The level of expertise is top shelf. David Guadagnoli seems to know all of ERISA and IRS rulings.”
“David Guadagnoli and Amy Sheridan both have superior knowledge in their respective areas. I value the ability to raise issues whether simple or complex. The firm takes the same diligent approach across all spectrums of complexity.”
Recommended Lawyers: David Guadagnoli, Amy Sheridan
Environment: Transactional
Fintech
“Sullivan & Worcester is one of the finest firms with which I have worked.”
“The lawyers are excellent, and the firm consistently provides the highest quality of customer service.”
Leading Partner: Joel Telpner
Recommended Lawyers: Natalie Lederman, Benjamin Armour, Scott Kaufman, Harvey Bines, Christopher Curtis
Land Use/Zoning
Recommended Lawyers: Gregory Sampson, Ashley Brooks, Victor Baltera, Karen Kepler, Ashley Tan
M&A: Corporate and Commercial: Venture Capital and Emerging Companies
Recommended Lawyers: Scott Kaufman, Lewis Segall, Benjamin Armour, Michael Student
M&A: Middle-Market ($0-250m)
“The partner Lewis Segall has been working with our company for 15 years and we have a good working relationship with him. He knows our history and very attentive to our needs.”
“Lewis Segall is very attentive to our needs. We very much value him.”
Leading Partners: Benjamin Armour, Lewis Segall
Recommended Lawyers: Natalie Lederman
Mutual/Registered/Exchange-Traded Funds
“Sullivan & Worcester's practice is defined by its deep expertise in investment funds and its ability to deliver clear, commercially grounded advice across the full fund lifecycle—from formation and structuring to regulatory compliance and complex transactions.”
“The team is highly experienced, collaborative, and excel in efficient execution and clear communication.”
Leading Partner: Nicole Crum
Recommended Lawyers: David Leahy, David Mahaffey, Rachael Schwartz
Real Estate
Leading Partner: John Steiner
Recommended Lawyers: Ashley Brooks, Karen Kepler, Gregory Sampson, Sharon Leifer, Louis Monti, Spencer Stone, Ashley Tan
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
“We have built multiple complex and sophisticated REIT platforms over the years and worked with many top-tier REIT specialists, but Sullivan’s REIT practice is by far the best, with Sarah Wellings.”
Leading Partner: Ameek Ashok Ponda
Next Generation Partner: Sarah Wellings
Recommended Lawyers: Angela Gomes, Louis Monti, Shu Wei, Cameron Cosby
International Tax
“The international collaboration with S&W is exceptional.”
“What really stands out is their willingness to engage, openness to different ideas and opinions, clearly expressed expectations, and clients' objectives.”
Leading Partner: Douglas Stransky
Recommended Lawyers: Lewis Greenwald, Eric Rietveld
Tax > US Taxes: Contentious
Recommended Lawyers: Richard Jones, David Nagle, Daniel Ryan, Caroline Kupiec
Tax > US Taxes: Non-Contentious
“Sarah Wellings is, quite simply, the best lawyer we have ever worked with. Her expertise extends far beyond tax and REIT matters, encompassing governance, financing, and complex commercial issues. Decades of experience and technical mastery make her an indispensable partner. Sarah is our central point of contact who makes everything seamless. Her in-house counsel background gives her a unique client perspective: she anticipates needs, solves problems before they arise, and delivers concise, well-structured updates that simplify even the most intricate issues. She coordinates effortlessly with all parties involved. Her judgment is exceptional. Sarah strikes the perfect balance between comprehensive academic rigor and practical, business-oriented advice. She combines technical REIT/tax excellence with commercial instincts, ensuring every recommendation is both legally sound and strategically smart. Her ability to translate complex law into clear, actionable guidance is unmatched. Sarah is incredibly responsive without ever sacrificing quality. She treats our matters as her own, demonstrating a rare ownership mindset and collaborative spirit. Her integrity is uncompromising, giving us absolute confidence in her counsel. In short, Sarah Wellings defines legal excellence: reliable, commercially minded, and client-focused. Working with her feels like being in the safest possible hands; she consistently exceeds expectations and orchestrates complex transactions with clarity and precision.”
Recommended Lawyers: Ameek Ashok Ponda, Richard Jones, Douglas Stransky, Sarah Wellings
About Sullivan
Sullivan & Worcester (Sullivan) is a premier international law firm with lawyers in Boston, London, New York, Tel Aviv and Washington, D.C. Sullivan’s clients, including Fortune 500 companies, leading financial services firms and asset managers, boards of directors, real estate companies, and emerging businesses, rely on Sullivan’s ability to navigate complex legal and operational landscapes, the impeccable judgment of its lawyers, and its commitment to best-in-class client service.
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