This list is excerpted from the 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, the preeminent referral guide to the legal profession in the United States. Published since 1983, Best Lawyers lists attorneys in 77 specialties, representing all 50 states, who have been chosen through an exhaustive survey in which thousands of the nation's top lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The 2007 edition of Best Lawyers, which was published in September, is based on more than 1.7 million evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

James B. Brown · Cohen & Grigsby

Robert A. Creo
Impartial Dispute Resolution Services

Louis B. Kushner · Rothman Gordon

Roslyn M. Litman · Litman Law Firm

David Ward Murphy · MANA

Antitrust Law

Thomas L. Allen · Reed Smith

Daniel I. Booker · Reed Smith

Debra H. Dermody · Reed Smith

David L. McClenahan
Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham

Wendelynne J. Newton
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney

Thomas L. VanKirk
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney

Appellate Law

David A. Brownlee · Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham

James C. Martin · Reed Smith

W. Thomas McGough, Jr. · Reed Smith

Richard B. Tucker III · Tucker Arensberg

How to choose an attorney

Free advice from the Allegheny County Bar Association

Many people believe they need an attorney's services only to solve a problem or to get out of a difficult situation. But the best time to see an attorney is often before you find yourself in legal trouble. By eliminating potential problems, preventive law can save you time, money and worry. Some circumstances that may require professional legal assistance:

• Buying or selling real estate.
• Signing a lease or contract with major financial provisions.
• Marriage, divorce or adoption.
• When a lawsuit is brought against you, or you want to bring a lawsuit.
• If you are arrested or charged with a crime.
• Starting a business.
• Planning for the distribution of your property upon your death, including a will.
• Preparing a living will.
• When you have been injured, either on the job or in an accident, or as result of another person's negligence, or because of a defective or unsafe product.

There are several sources that you can use to locate and select an attorney.

• Recommendations from friends, family members and co-workers can be helpful, particularly if they have had a legal question similar to yours.
• The Lawyer Referral Service, operated by the Allegheny County Bar Association. You will be referred to an attorney who can help you, and you will receive a 30-minute consultation for about $25. Then you can decide if you want to retain the lawyer. Call 412/261-5555.
• Neighborhood Legal Services Association offers free legal assistance, in civil matters only, to individuals who meet federal poverty guidelines. Call 412/255-6700.
• The Public Defenders Office, funded by Allegheny County, offers free legal assistance in criminal matters only to individuals who meet certain income guidelines.
• The Pro Bono Center, sponsored by the Allegheny County Bar Association, provides attorneys to help meet the needs of individuals in Allegheny County who meet certain income guidelines. Call 412/402-6677.
• Legal directories, such as the Martindale-Hubble Law Directory, can be found in many public libraries. Such directories contain biographical information on attorneys in each state.

Information courtesy of the Allegheny County Bar Association. For information go to www.acba.org.