U.S. News & World Report ranked four SD&M practice areas in its Austin first-tier rankings. The first-tier practice areas include legal malpractice defense, natural resources law, oil and gas law, and personal injury defense. The “Best Law Firms” rankings are presented by U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers. The rankings can be found in the October issue of U.S. News & World Report. They are also published in Best Lawyers, copyright 2010 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.