Legal Elite

Highlighting distinguished attorneys across Utah, the Legal Elite awards spotlight leaders who exemplify professionalism and community commitment in the legal field.

Date: TBD

Time: TBD

Location: TBD

Last Day to Nominate

May 18, 2026

Award Overview

The Legal Elite by Utah Business spotlights high-achieving Utah lawyers across practice areas who are contributing significantly to their firms, communities and the legal industry.

Honorees are selected using a point system that considers title, years in the industry, community involvement and more. Additionally, they are celebrated through editorial coverage in the July issue of Utah Business, on Utahbusiness.com and on our social channels.

Purpose

Utah’s legal community is robust. The professionals leading this community are resilient, tackling challenges head-on every day. They deserve an annual celebration recognizing the talent in the legal community.

Key honoree qualities

Professional excellence
Community impact
Integrity, ethics and character
Leadership

Why nominate?

Targeted visibility with the right audience
Local market credibility that matters
Stronger referral network positioning
Competitive differentiation
Recruiting in a regional talent market
More meaningful storytelling in marketing content

The last day to submit a nomination is May 18, 2026

A maximum of five lawyers per firm can be included in the Legal Elite.

See Last Year's Winners

Submit a Nomination

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Past Honorees

Christopher Snow

Shareholder & Director | Clyde Snow & Sessions

What people are saying: “As a primarily management-side attorney, Christopher often receives referrals from plaintiff-side attorneys against whom he has appeared in cases, which evidences not only his quality but his fairness and high character that he brings to each case.”

Melanie Clark

Partner | Foley & Lardner LLP

What people are saying: “Melanie consistently achieves outstanding results, even in the most challenging and contentious situations, proving time and again her ability to navigate complex legal matters with precision and resolve.”

Thomas R. Taylor

Shareholder | Dentons Durham Jones Pinegar

What people are saying: “Thomas is very knowledgeable in M&A law. He always works hard to meet deadlines and to understand the entirety of the situation not just the part he may be working on.”

Amber Harezlak

Partner | Kirkland & Ellis LLP

What people are saying: “Amber is incredibly attentive, detail-oriented and always willing to collaborate with us on any requests we have. We love, love, love working with Amber and truly appreciate feeling like we’re in the best of hands.”

R. Jeremy Adamson

Shareholder | Buchalter

What people are saying: “Jeremy is one of Utah’s elite lawyers. He built an excellent litigation department at Kunzler Bean and is now the head of the employment practice group at Buchalter’s Utah office. He has excellent client relations and courtroom skills.”

Kelli J. Larson

Family Law Team Lead | Pearson Butler LLC

What people are saying: “Beyond her professional competence, Kelli’s warmth and genuine friendliness transformed the experience into something personal and supportive — much like a trusted friend guiding me through a difficult journey.”

What people are saying: “Thomas is very knowledgeable in M&A law. He always works hard to meet deadlines and to understand the entirety of the situation not just the part he may be working on.”

Amber Harezlak

Partner | Kirkland & Ellis LLP

R. Jeremy Adamson

Shareholder | Buchalter

Kelli J. Larson

Family Law Team Lead | Pearson Butler LLC

About the nomination process

Who can submit a nomination?

Anyone can nominate a Legal Elite candidate, but all nominees will be vetted with their firms.

Is there a fee to submit a nomination?

There is no fee to nominate.

What is the nomination process like?

To submit a nomination, click on the Submit a Nomination button on this page. You will fill out a form that requires basic information about the nominee, as well as details about their contributions to the industry and community involvement.

How are honorees selected?

Nomination form answers are assigned point values. Honorees are selected based on who has the most points in the final aggregated list. Points are assigned to information, including the number of years in industry, pro bono work, community service and more. The number of honorees selected will depend on the final scores.

What information should be included in the nomination?

Great nominations are accurate and provide specific details about the contributions and impact of the nominee.

Do multiple nominations for a candidate improve their chances of being selected?

No. Honorees are selected based on merit rather than popular vote. It is best to compile all the information into one well-written nomination.

Submit a Nomination

Photos from past awards

Sponsorship Opportunities

Utah Business awards provide a dynamic platform for celebrating the achievements, innovations and contributions of professionals and organizations across Utah. Our events are meticulously designed to recognize excellence and inspire growth within the business community.

Sponsors are an integral part of our events strategy.

Sponsorship packages are available at all levels of impact and budget, ranging from comprehensive exposure to element-specific branding. Options include:

Company logo on all print and digital advertising throughout marketing campaign
Company logo on event landing page.
Table sponsorship
Exhibit table
Company logo on honoree videos and award plaques
Use of event logo

Want to connect with this one-of-a-kind group of leaders?

Visit utahbusiness.com/advertise for more information.