As it enters its 22nd year of business, Gartland Thacker DelCotto PLLC is honored that three of its attorneys have received prestigious The Best Lawyers in America awards. The firm owner and founder, Laura Day DelCotto, was named Best Lawyers 2026 Bankruptcy Lawyer of the Year in the 31st Edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the practice area of Litigation – Bankruptcy. Michael J. Gartland was named in The Best Lawyers in America in the practice area of Creditor/Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation – Bankruptcy. Dean A. Langdon was named in The Best Lawyers in America© in the practice area of Creditor/Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Litigation-Bankruptcy.
Best Lawyers is an elite global network of legal professionals recognized through trusted, peer-reviewed distinction. For over four decades, its Purely Peer Review methodology has upheld the principle that recognition should be earned through the opinions of fellow attorneys, not marketing influence or paid listings.
Each year, more than 13 million confidential evaluations are collected worldwide, contributing to one of the legal industry’s most rigorous and trusted vetting processes. Only about 5% of lawyers in the United States and 3% globally are recognized, reflecting the selectivity and credibility of the results. Proprietary safeguards are in place to reduce bias and uphold the accuracy of the peer feedback.
For the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, more than 26 million evaluations were analyzed. The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America recognitions were determined based on more than 5.4 million evaluations.
“Law Firm of the Year” awards are presented to a single firm in each practice area on a national scale. Selection is based on several criteria, including attorney feedback, firm size and presence, prior “Lawyer of the Year” honors, the number of lawyers recognized in the relevant practice area and supporting information submitted by the firms.
“Lawyer of the Year” accolades are reserved for one individual per practice area in each metropolitan region, based on the highest aggregate peer feedback. This designation represents a rare and distinguished honor.
No fees are accepted for consideration or inclusion, maintaining the integrity and independence of all recognitions.
Our attorneys have been selected for The Best Lawyers in America© list since 2011.
To learn more about Gartland Thacker DelCotto PLLC and its commitment to the lifetime success of its clients please visit www.dlgfirm.com for more information.