CFDB Achieves Record Number of Chambers & Partners Rankings in 2026 USA Guide

June 4, 2026  

Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres (“CFDB”) is pleased to announce that the Firm has received the most practice and individual attorney rankings in our six-year history in the Chambers & Partners USA Guide 2026. The recognition reflects CFDB’s continued growth and its commitment to delivering exceptional legal services across multiple disciplines. CFDB is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing certified women-owned law firms.

Chambers & Partners is one of the world’s leading legal directories, ranking law firms and individual attorneys based on extensive research, including client interviews and peer assessments. Being recognized by Chambers is widely regarded as among the highest distinctions in the legal profession.

CFDB received rankings in two Illinois practice areas:

• Banking & Finance
• Corporate/M&A & Private Equity

The following partners were recognized for their individual excellence:

• Andrew Gilbert, Corporate/M&A (Illinois),
• Jessica Fairchild, Corporate/M&A (Illinois),
• Kyle Shires, Corporate/M&A (Illinois), recognized as Up and Coming
• Ari Krigel, Real Estate (Illinois)
• David L. Reifman, Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Illinois)
• Mariah DiGrino, Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Illinois)
• Rob Isham, Banking & Finance (Illinois, Colorado)
• Kerby Kniss, Banking & Finance (Illinois), recognized as Up and Coming in Illinois, marking her first appearance in the guide

Earlier this year, Michael Frisch was ranked for Crypto-Asset Disputes in the Chambers & Partners FinTech 2026 guide, further underscoring the Firm’s depth in emerging areas of law.

“This recognition is a tremendous honor and a reflection of the caliber of work our attorneys deliver to clients every day,” said Jessica Fairchild, Partner and Co-Founder of Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres. “To see so many of our colleagues recognized individually, and to earn our strongest showing yet as a Firm, speaks to the culture of excellence we have built together in a relatively short period of time.”

“When we founded this Firm six years ago, we set out to build something special — a firm where talented attorneys could do their best work and clients could receive the highest level of service,” said Drew Beres, Partner and Co-Founder of Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres. “These rankings validate that vision and motivate us to continue raising the bar. We are incredibly proud of every attorney who earned this distinction.”