Kevin Kelehan, partner with Columbia-based law firm Carney, Kelehan, Bresler, Bennett & Scherr LLP, was named the Best Lawyers 2017 construction law “Lawyer of the Year” in Baltimore. Best Lawyers is the oldest peer-review publication in the legal profession.

“Lawyer of the Year” recognitions are awarded to individual attorneys with the highest overall peer feedback for a specific practice area and geographic location. Only one lawyer is recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for each specialty and location.

In addition to receiving “Lawyer of the Year,” Kelehan was also selected by his peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers construction law and real estate law practice areas. Thomas Meachum, partner with Carney, Kelehan, Bresler, Bennett & Scherr LLP, was also selected for inclusion in the publication’s business organizations practice area.

• Kelehan practices real estate law, representing lenders and borrowers throughout the acquisition and development process and has an active construction law practice, representing several of the region’s contractors, and serves as a resource to national firms for both local representation and government contracting projects. He lives in Columbia.

• Meachum focuses on zoning and development law, general real estate, employment law, estate administration and litigation and alcohol beverage licensing. He also advises real estate clients and provides general counsel to companies and individual employees on employment matters. He lives in Westminster.

Best Lawyers, which is based on a peer-review survey, analyzed 7.3 million evaluations and listed 54,905 attorneys in the 2017 edition. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed. Corporate Counsel magazine called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”

Carney, Kelehan, Bresler, Bennett & Scherr LLP has provided a broad range of legal services to businesses, individuals and families throughout Maryland for more than four decades. Headquartered in Columbia, Carney Kelehan offers a wide spectrum of legal services, particularly real estate development and construction, land use and zoning, education, estate administration and probate work, personal injury, arbitration, mediation, employment law, business, labor, and litigation in state and federal courts. Carney Kelehan also has offices in Annapolis, Westminster and Salisbury. (www.carneykelehan.com)