The American Lawyer has shortlisted Patterson Belknap Litigation Partner and Pro Bono Practice Chair Michael Buchanan as a finalist for “Attorney of the Year” in its 2025 Industry awards. The prestigious annual awards “recognize outstanding achievements and contributions made by lawyers, law firms, and legal departments across various practice areas and specialties.”

A former federal prosecutor and skilled trial lawyer, Mr. Buchanan advises corporate and individual clients in sensitive white collar defense and investigations as well as cybersecurity matters. He has tried numerous complex civil and criminal cases to verdict. In November 2024, Mr. Buchanan and the Patterson Belknap team, which included Andrew Haddad, Alex Mahler-Haug, Joyce Addae, and Sean O’Shea, secured a groundbreaking $42 million verdict on behalf of three former detainees who were tortured at the Abu Ghraib prison during the Iraq war. This was the first case brought by Abu Ghraib survivors to have made it to trial, and the first verdict holding a government contractor legally responsible for torture at the infamous prison. The landmark victory came after 16 years of litigation, including more than fifteen attempts to have the case dismissed, five appeals, and a mistrial following a hung jury. Mr. Buchanan’s leadership on the case is emblematic of Patterson Belknap’s long history of public service and the firm’s 20^th Anniversary of 100% pro bono participation in 2024.

Congratulations to the other lawyers who are also shortlisted for the Attorney of the Year award. 

To read a profile on Mr. Buchanan by The American Lawyer, please click here.

The American Lawyer Industry Awards winners will be announced at a ceremony in New York on November 13. The full list of 2025 awards nominees, as well as additional information about the awards can be found here.