Nine Bailey & Glasser, LLP lawyers were named to the 2026 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide. The Bailey Glasser lawyers included in this year’s guide include partners Samira Z. Bode, Tony L. Clacker, Sallie Gilbert, Elliott McGraw, Lorren Patterson, Travis A. Prince, Christopher D. Smith, and Nicholas A. Warden, and associate Elizabeth L. Stryker.

In recognition of this year’s honorees, Lawdragon’s announcement states:

We’re thrilled to introduce The 2026 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation. They are the future of the law. And, in many respects, the now. The world has accelerated, with everything bigger, faster and more intense. That – and one or two other factors – have pressurized the practice of law, which is now a big business whether you’re a plaintiff personal injury lawyer in Texas, an M&A dealmaker in New York or a civil rights litigator in Washington, D.C. . . . .

There are thousands of lawyers like these in every firm and type of practice in the world. And we applaud this year’s Lawdragon 500 X crew for their own accomplishments and as representatives of the dream of becoming a lawyer. A good lawyer. A great lawyer. They chose to believe in themselves and the law.

To view the full 2026 Lawdragon 500 X – The  Next Generation announcement and list here.

Meet the 2026 Bailey Glasser honorees:

Samira Z. Bode is a partner in Bailey Glasser’s nationally recognized Mass Torts Practice Group. Ms. Bode is a rising force in mass torts and civil rights litigation, known for her tenacious and compassionate advocacy for survivors of abuse and victims injured by dangerous products. Ms. Bode is a key member of the firm’s team that represents thousands of survivors of childhood sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers in Maryland, Illinois, and several other states across the country. These cases, filed under newly expanded statutes of limitations, are part of a national reckoning with systemic abuse long buried by institutional silence. 

Tony L. Clackler is a partner in Bailey Glasser’s Electronically Stored Information (ESI) Practice Group based in Washington, D.C., and focuses his practice on consumer rights litigation, product liability, mass torts, class actions, and complex litigation. Mr. Clackler is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) and a Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) and serves as Bailey Glasser’s Chief Information Security Officer. Most recently, Mr. Clackler was a member of the team that secured a confidential settlement in the nationwide consolidated litigation of numerous safety issues related to Davol/C.R. Bard’s Composix® Kugel® mesh patches. Reuters reported that the settlement amounted to $1.7 billion for the plaintiffs. Mr. Clackler was also a member of the first bellwether matter to go to trial in this matter, helping to secure a $4.8 million jury verdict for the plaintiff.

Sallie Gilbert is a partner in Bailey Glasser’s Commercial & Environmental Litigation Practice Group where she represents business clients in complex litigation matters such as breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference, fraud, fraudulent transfer actions, and claims under federal and state statutes. Her work includes navigating complex construction, agricultural, and environmental matters in all phases of litigation, including at trial.

Elliott McGraw is a litigator and partner in Bailey Glasser’s Commercial & Environmental Litigation Practice Group based in our Washington, D.C. office. Ms. McGraw's practice focuses on complex commercial disputes in state and federal courts across the country, including a focus on representing institutional investors and asset managers, as both plaintiffs and defendants, in contract and tort-based claims arising from financial fraud, accounting malpractice, and corporate malfeasance. 

Lorren Patterson is a partner in Bailey Glasser's Corporate Practice Group where she handles mergers and acquisitions, business reorganizations, equity and debt financings, commercial contracting, compliance, and commercial real estate. Ms. Patterson also advises on entity formation, governance, and general corporate matters. She is based out of California and Washington, D.C.

Travis A. Prince is a partner in Bailey Glasser’s Personal Injury Practice Group and a trial lawyer whose practice spans personal injury, civil rights, asbestos litigation, and medical malpractice. Mr. Prince's work includes fighting for justice for those impacted by the effects of asbestos exposure, such as his the representation of a 63-year-old nonsmoker diagnosed with lung cancer after asbestos exposure at Fairmont State University and multiple hospitals as a nursing student.

Christopher D. Smith is a partner in Bailey Glasser’s Civil Defense Practice Group handling high-profile litigation and appellate matters. Mr. Smith has appeared in numerous cases before appellate courts (including the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia), including high-profile election law matters and appeals involving complex class action issues and in matters involving challenges to West Virginia’s longstanding vaccine laws, where he was quoted in The New York Times. He was also a featured panelist at the 2025 Public Health Law Conference in Seattle, Washington where he spoke on the panel “Pro-Vaccine Advocacy at the State Level: Legislative and Judicial Trends.”

Elizabeth L. Stryker is a lawyer and member of Bailey Glasser’s Electronically Stored Information & Technology Practice Group, where she plays a critical role in coordinating e-discovery strategies in large-scale, multimillion-dollar litigation across the firm. Ms. Stryker’s practice also includes representing plaintiffs in product liability, medical malpractice, and mass tort cases. Recently, Ms. Stryker was part of the Bailey Glasser trial team recognized as Law360’s “Legal Lions of the Week” for securing the dismissal of Johnson & Johnson’s third attempt to use bankruptcy to resolve 90,000 talc injury claims, defeating a proposed $10 billion settlement plan. Ms. Stryker writes frequently on technology topics, including the use of artificial intelligence. 

Nicholas A. Warden is a partner in the firm’s Commercial & Environmental Litigation Practice Group, where he handles complex commercial disputes, including agriculture and business litigation. Mr. Warden is a key litigator in the firm’s Boise, Idaho office, which was recognized in 2025 and 2026 by Chambers & Partners in the category of Litigation: General Commercial. Mr. Warden handles a great amount of litigation in the agribusiness sector, including for a global agricultural retailer.

We applaud all lawyers across the country who earned spots on this list, we thank Lawdragon for the recognition.