Best Lawyers names two Lanier Ford attorneys as 2026 Lawyers of the Year
Jeffrey Todd Kelly and George Edwards Knox, Jr. Named 2026 Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year" in the Huntsville Area.
August 21, 2025 --Two Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne PC attorneys were recently recognized by Best Lawyers as the 2026 "Lawyer of the Year" in the Huntsville area:
J. Todd Kelly for Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants.
George E. Knox Jr. for Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants.
Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the "Lawyer of the Year," making this a significant and coveted accolade. These lawyers are selected based on particularly impressive voting averages received during the peer review assessments.
Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism, and their integrity.
For more than four decades, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Lawyers are not required nor allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, recognition by Best Lawyers is considered a singular distinction.
About Todd Kelly
Mr. Kelly’s practice encompasses a broad range of civil litigation, with a particular focus on medical malpractice and appellate law. He has been recognized by his peers and included in The Best Lawyers in America for appellate practice every year since 2018. He also holds an AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating for legal ability and ethical standards. Over the course of his career, Mr. Kelly has successfully handled more than 100 appeals, with over 50 published decisions rendered in favor of his clients.
In addition to the "Lawyer of the Year" award, Jeffrey Todd Kelly was also listed in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® in the following practice areas:
- Appellate Practice
About George Knox
Mr. Knox has extensive experience representing clients in both trial and appellate courts throughout Alabama, as well as in federal courts. His appellate work includes presenting oral arguments before the Alabama Supreme Court and submitting briefs to the United States Supreme Court.
While his practice is primarily focused on professional liability litigation, Mr. Knox also regularly handles matters involving personal injury, wrongful death, products liability, and commercial litigation. His broader service areas include Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Professional Liability, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Products Liability, and Commercial Litigation.
Mr. Knox has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America every year since 2007 and has been named “Lawyer of the Year” three times: for Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (2018 and 2021) and for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants (2020). He was also listed as an Alabama Super Lawyer in 2010 and 2011. In addition, he holds an AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell, reflecting the highest level of professional excellence and ethical standards.
