August
2025
Best Lawyers in America® 2026 Selects Attorneys Charles F. Gfeller and Melicent Thompson for Inclusion by their Peers
Congratulations to Gfeller Laurie LLP founding partner Charles F. Gfeller and managing partner Melicent B. Thompson who were selected by their peers in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026. Charlie was included in the categories of Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Insurance and Melicent was included in the categories of Litigation – Insurance and Reinsurance Law. More than 23 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 80,000 leading lawyers included in the 32nd edition.
Charlie practices primarily in the areas of complex civil and commercial litigation, insurance coverage, products liability, and risk management. Charlie represents and/or has represented the following types of clients on a local, regional, and national basis: ski areas and ski resorts; ice arenas; National Hockey League, National Football League, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer teams and facilities, stadiums, stadium operators, and stadium concessionaires; zip line operators; indoor rock climbing facilities; marine-based recreational operators; fitness centers (including franchisees); equine facilities and race tracks; auto race tracks; golf courses and golf clubs; triathlon and other extreme competition organizers and operators; schools, colleges and universities; fairs, festivals, and carnivals; other recreational facilities, and manufacturers of recreational products, providing both risk management and litigation services.
Melicent has more than two decades of experience as a litigator and counselor to corporations and educational institutions. Her broad litigation experience in Connecticut and Georgia state and federal courts includes business disputes, employer, professional and executive liability claims, defense of educational and financial institutions, and general liability issues. Her insurance coverage law practice encompasses all areas of coverage advice in both the first- and third- party contexts and related litigation services, including declaratory judgment actions, defense of bad faith claims and reinsurance matters.
Now with 34 attorneys in seven offices in the Northeast and Denver, Gfeller Laurie LLP provides AmLaw 100 quality legal services with a more efficient and agile business model. The firm is comprised of experienced and tenacious litigators who represent clients in complex litigation spanning a variety of business markets and jurisdictions, both nationally and internationally.
