August 17, 2016 – Sherman & Howard would like to congratulate John Birkeland, Rebecca Anderson Fischer and Charlotte Wiessner on their designation as a 2017 Best Lawyers in America© “Lawyer of the Year.” Best Lawyers designates “Lawyers of the Year” in high-profile legal specialties in large legal communities. Only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is being honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.” The lawyers being honored as “Lawyers of the Year” have received particularly high ratings in surveys by earning a high level of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity.

John Birkeland was recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” in the area of Tax Law in Denver. He has more than 40 years of experience representing individual and business taxpayers in transactional tax planning and IRS disputes. He has published extensively in the areas of real estate tax planning and the taxation of small- and medium-sized business entities. He is also an expert on the Colorado and Federal tax law relating to Conservation Easements. John is a past president of the Tax Section of the Colorado Bar Association and of the Denver Tax Association.

Rebecca Anderson Fischer was recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” in the area of Real Estate Law in Denver. Her practice includes the development of resort, ranch, residential, and mixed–use communities, including matters involving land acquisitions and sales, land use issues, construction financing, construction and design contracts, hotel acquisitions and sales, state and federal sales and marketing regulations, common interest community documents and compliance, and commercial and retail leasing transactions. She has also advised lenders in due diligence investigations, state and local law entitlement questions, and loan documentation for wind and solar energy developments in Colorado.  She was also recognized by Best Lawyers as “Lawyer of the Year” in Real Estate Law in Denver in 2015.

Charlotte Wiessner was recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” in the area of Insurance Law in Denver. She has more than 30 years of experience representing private and public owners in drafting design and construction contracts, advising on insurance matters and litigating and arbitrating construction and insurance claims.  She is a frequent author and speaker on issues impacting the construction industry and in 2014 was honored by Best Lawyers as “Lawyer of the Year – Denver” in the area of Construction Law and in 2016 included by Best Lawyers in top “Women in the Law.”

About Best Lawyers in America Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey. Over 55,000 leading attorneys cast more than 6.7 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”

About Sherman & Howard

Sherman & Howard L.L.C. assists its clients in most aspects of law affecting businesses and public institutions. Sherman & Howard’s approximately 180 attorneys currently practice law from 10 offices in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Denver, Colorado Springs, Steamboat Springs, and Aspen, Colorado; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada; and St. Louis, Missouri. In 2017 the firm will celebrate its 125 year anniversary.

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