Barnes & Thornburg Bolsters Tax and Insurance Recovery Capabilities with Addition of Six Lawyers in Atlanta and Florida

Austin Bersinger, Matthew Hall and David Sandefer joined the firm’s Insurance Recovery Group, while Jeffrey Luechtefeld, Sean Gannon and John Nail joined its Tax practice. Bersinger, Luechtefeld, Gannon, Nail and Sandefer are all based in Atlanta, while Hall is located in Florida.

“Austin, Matt and David bring a deep coverage experience that complements our very strong coverage practice. Jeff, Sean and John add a tax controversy practice to provide additional expertise to our clients,” said Managing Partner Andrew J. Detherage. “Their arrival highlights our ongoing investments in high-caliber talent to meet growing client demand and deepen our offerings across key practice areas and jurisdictions. Given the spate of top-tier partner additions in the past three months, 2026 is already proving to be a banner year in expanding the firm’s national platform.” 

Gannon, Luechtefeld and Nail bring significant experience in tax controversy and litigation, having represented clients in numerous IRS examinations, administrative appeals, and complex disputes before the U.S. Tax Court and federal courts. Collectively, they have advised Fortune 500 companies, private equity firms, and closely held businesses on high stakes matters involving transfer pricing, intangible asset valuation, tax credits, and other technical issues. Gannon and Luechtefeld also previously served as special trial attorneys with the IRS Office of Chief Counsel and later held leadership roles in Big Four tax controversy practices.

“This new group reflects the strength of the firm’s continued momentum nationwide and in Atlanta,” said John T.L. Koenig, office managing partner in Atlanta. “In this fast-growing market, clients increasingly expect deep knowledge and seamless access to national resources. All of these new lawyers are highly regarded practitioners who can now deliver on both fronts, positioning us to better serve clients in Atlanta and beyond.”  

The move comes on the heels of Barnes & Thornburg adding a distinguished 12-lawyer Insurance Recovery team in multiple offices — including partner Rachel Hudgins in Atlanta — underscoring the firm’s continued investment in high-demand practice areas and its broader national platform. The firm also recently added M&A partner Princess Fuller in Atlanta.

“We are excited to join a firm that is clearly investing in developing a national tax platform, particularly amid today’s rapidly evolving regulatory environment,” said Luechtefeld. “The firm’s impressive bench of attorneys and immensely collaborative approach provide us with the foundation we need to take our own practices and client service to the next level. We look forward to growing together alongside our new colleagues.”

Bersinger and Hall represent clients in complex insurance recovery and commercial litigation matters, including coverage disputes and claims strategy. Their experience spans all stages of disputes, from pre-claim counseling and negotiations through trial and appeal, and includes handling complex coverage denials, bad faith claims, and related business litigation. Throughout their careers, they have secured substantial recoveries for clients and successfully defended against multimillion-dollar claims. In addition, they regularly advise leadership teams on risk management, policy review, and claim presentation across a range of industries. 

“The firm’s existing insurance recovery practice and its nationwide reach made this a compelling opportunity for us,” said Bersinger. “We are thrilled to join this group and continue to build with them.” 

About Barnes & Thornburg

Barnes & Thornburg operates 26 offices across the United States, enabling more than 850 lawyers to serve clients nationwide. As one of the 100 largest law firms in the country, we provide seamless coast-to-coast coverage for high-stakes litigation, complex transactions and innovative IP matters. Our national reach and knowledge of local markets help clients conduct business confidently wherever opportunities arise.