Samuel Franklin, Christian King and Harlan Prater Named to 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America Guide
September 18, 2024
Lawdragon has named Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC partners Samuel H. Franklin, M. Christian King and Harlan I. Prater IV to its 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America guide. The list recognizes “the best litigators the U.S. has to offer” and features trial attorneys across more than 100 law firms.
Recognized by Lawdragon for his commercial and appellate work, Chris King has extensive experience handling a wide array of high-stakes litigation with clients throughout the country. In 2022, he was recognized at the Burton Awards in Washington, DC, for a Law360 article he co-authored on developing minority partners. King also holds a Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” honor for his work in securities litigation. Additionally, he is an American College of Trial Lawyers fellow and serves as chair of Lightfoot’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committee.
Sam Franklin is a Lightfoot co-founding partner. During his nearly 50 years of practice, Franklin has handled numerous jury trials across a wide range of areas, from personal injury and wrongful death cases to complex business disputes. Among many high-profile matters over the years, he argued for Auburn University when the state of Alabama prioritized K-12 over higher education in the proration funding crisis. Franklin is an American College of Trial Lawyers fellow and former president, as well as former president of the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association.
Prater has devoted his three decades of practice to high-stakes civil trial work. A Fellow of both the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, he has served as national and regional counsel for various product manufacturers. Prater is one of 15 Alabama lawyers selected as members of the Product Liability Advisory Council.
Founded in 2005, Lawdragon is a New York-based legal media company that publishes online news and editorial features, including its well-known guides to and rankings of the nation’s leading lawyers.
