Five Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm attorneys honored in 2026 edition of Best Lawyers®

Five Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm attorneys have been recognized in the latest edition of Best Lawyers®.

Founding Partner Emeritus Steven H. Garfinkel, Managing Partner Hannah F. Little as well as Partners William R. Hummel, Meredith W. Barnette and Nam Douglass were all honored for their work in immigration law in The Best Lawyers in America® in 2026.

The Best Lawyers in America® was first published in 1983. The organization’s methodology is “designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.” The survey process is “sophisticated, conscientious, rational and transparent,” in order “to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services.”

Only about 5% of lawyers were recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers®, according to the organization.

The five honorees have been practicing immigration law for more than 105 years, combined. Little, Hummel and Douglass are all certified as Specialists in Immigration Law by the North Carolina State Bar, the highest level of specialization attainable in N.C.

With 10 attorneys — five of whom are certified as Specialists in Immigration Law by the North Carolina State Bar — and more than 35 experienced paralegals and administrative personnel, Garfinkel Immigration is one of the largest law firms in the Southeast United States dedicated exclusively to the practice of immigration law.

In its 28th year, Garfinkel represents Fortune 100 companies and businesses of all sizes in the U.S and across the world. The Firm also recently launched Healthcare, Education and Religious Worker Specialty Practice Groups which focus exclusively on serving its many clients in those industries, and assists individuals with investor and family-based immigration matters, as well.

Garfinkel Immigration has consistently been honored as a Tier 1 firm in Charlotte for Immigration Law by Best Law Firms® and with a top-level Band 1 designation in the prestigious Chambers USA’s Immigration in North Carolina Legal Rankings. The Firm’s attorneys are regularly recognized by Super Lawyers, Who’s Who Legal, Business North Carolina (BNC) Legal Elite and for their pro bono work.

Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm, a WBENC certified, majority-owned women’s business, builds strong relationships with its clients based on trust and performance, leveraging creative approaches and industry-leading expertise to provide insight and legal advice. The Firm’s top priority is providing high quality legal service to the businesses and individuals it serves.

In addition to its legal expertise, Garfinkel is known for its responsiveness and emphasis on excellence, as well as its deep commitment to corporate social responsibility.

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