Partner Brent Hannafan Named to the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Civil Rights & Plaintiff Employment Lawyers

Brent Hannafan, a partner at Litson PLLC, has been selected for the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Civil Rights & Plaintiff Employment Lawyers guide. Honorees are chosen through submissions, journalistic research, and editorial vetting by a board of peers, and the guide recognizes 500 lawyers nationwide who represent workers and individuals in civil rights and employment matters.

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Hannafan has tried more than 30 jury trials across criminal and civil matters. Before joining Litson, he was a partner and co-chair of the trial practice group at a national plaintiffs’ firm, representing clients in employment discrimination, civil rights, and complex civil litigation. As lead trial counsel in Graham Chase Robinson’s case against the actor Robert De Niro, he secured a $1.2 million jury verdict.

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A former federal prosecutor, Hannafan served as Chief of the Criminal Division for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Tennessee from 2017 to 2023, overseeing all federal criminal investigations and prosecutions in the district. He received the Department of Justice Director’s Award and taught trial advocacy to federal prosecutors at the DOJ’s National Advocacy Center for 13 years.

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“Some of the most meaningful work of my career has been representing people whose rights were violated,” said Hannafan. “I’m grateful to Lawdragon for the recognition, and to the clients who trusted me with their cases.”

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“Brent has tried cases as a prosecutor, a defense lawyer, and a plaintiffs’ lawyer, and juries respond to him in every one of those roles,” said Alex Little, Managing Partner. “This recognition reflects what our clients already know.”

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The selection adds to a year of national recognition for the firm, which was ranked in the 2026 edition of Chambers USA for Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations. The full Lawdragon guide is available at lawdragon.com.