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Morris James is proud to announce that Best Lawyers of America has named Shannon Frazier, Jim Gallagher, and Gretchen Knight as the “Lawyer of the Year” for 2026 in their respective Delaware practices.
The individuals honored as “Lawyer of the Year” have received particularly high ratings from other leading attorneys for their professionalism, acumen, and integrity. Each designated metropolitan and practice area only awards one individual its “Lawyer of the Year” designation.
Shannon Frazer advises and offers third-party legal opinions on Delaware statutory trusts, common law trusts, limited liability companies (including special purpose entities), series entities, partnerships, and corporations in the areas of formation, operation, and governance. Shannon also co-chairs the firm’s Small Businesses & Start-Ups practice, which provides a full range of legal services to assist Delaware small business owners in organizing and transitioning their ideas to full-fledged businesses. In her work with financial clients, Shannon has served as counsel to state and national banking institutions, advising them on a wide range of transactions, including asset-backed securitization, structured finance, project finance, equipment finance, traditional leveraged lease, trust preferred, and cross-border financial transactions.
Jim Gallagher maintains a comprehensive business and tax practice. He is experienced in preparing, reviewing, and negotiating documents for the purchase and sale of assets, stock, or other equity interests, as well as commercial and employment-related contracts. Jim also counsels clients on diverse trust and estate matters, from implementing transfer tax minimization strategies to using powers of attorney and healthcare directives to coordinating an estate plan with existing retirement plans and insurance policies. Jim is well-versed in estate administration, trust reformation, and the relocation of trusts to Delaware. Jim has also developed a thorough understanding of federal and state healthcare regulatory compliance issues, which accentuates his ability to counsel healthcare industry clients on business and tax matters.
Gretchen Knight chairs Morris James’ family law practice. With more than 30 years of experience, she brings a wealth of knowledge to her practice, harnessing her legal insight and resources to allow her clients to move forward with dignity and confidence. Gretchen has built an outstanding reputation for her transactional work, which involves developing contracts and agreements, including separation agreements, pre/post-marital agreements, and domestic partnership settlements.
Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected peer-reviewed publication in the legal profession. For over four decades, its lists of outstanding attorneys have been compiled by surveying thousands of leading lawyers who confidentially evaluate their peers within the same geographical and legal practice area. 48 Morris James attorneys were selected for inclusion in the 2026 edition.
Only about 5% of practicing U.S. attorneys earn a Best Lawyer distinction, underscoring the award’s exclusivity. In each practice and metro area, one attorney also earns the title of “Lawyer of the Year,” awarded to the individual with the highest overall peer feedback.
