Wilkinson Stekloff is proud to be featured by The American Lawyer’s Litigation Daily in the first of a two-part series by Ross Todd, examining how the firm has grown into the nation’s premier trial boutique over its first decade. The article offers an in-depth look at the alternative fee model and trial-first philosophy that have defined the firm—and its success—since Founding Partners Beth Wilkinson and Brian Stekloff left their previous positions in Big Law. Ten years in, the firm has grown to nearly 50 lawyers and 30 staff, with a client roster that includes household names such as the NFL, the NCAA, Microsoft, Bayer, and Cargill. Central to the firm’s growth and development has been its commitment to flat-fee arrangements over the billable hour, which frees the firm to focus entirely on what it does best: trying high-stakes cases. That approach, Beth explained, “gives clients and their CFOs a level …
Wilkinson Stekloff Wins Big at Benchmark Litigation’s 2026 U.S. Awards
March 12, 2026
Wilkinson Stekloff was honored with multiple awards at Benchmark Litigation’s 2026 U.S. Awards ceremony on March 11 in New York City. The firm was named “Trial Firm of the Year” for an unprecedented third consecutive year. Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson was inducted into Benchmark’s “Hall of Fame.” Partner Rakesh Kilaru won “Antitrust Litigator of the Year.” And the NCAA’s groundbreaking $2.8 billion NIL settlement received an “Impact Case Award.” Beth Wilkinson and fellow Founding Partner Brian Stekloff were also finalists in the respective categories of “Trial Lawyer of the Year” and “Product Liability Litigator of the Year”—distinctions each earned in previous years—and the firm was shortlisted again for “D.C. Firm of the Year” and “Boutique Firm of the Year,” having captured the latter in both 2017 and 2019. Beth Wilkinson’s appearance in Benchmark Litigation’s Hall of Fame is a fitting tribute to one of the nation’s preeminent trial lawyers, having …
Wilkinson Stekloff Featured in Washington Lawyer Cover Story for Its Innovative Approach to Associate Development
March 2, 2026
Wilkinson Stekloff is proud to be featured by the Washington Lawyer, the official publication of the D.C. bar, in its latest cover story titled “Redefining the New Associate Experience.” The article offers an in-depth look at how the firm—celebrating its 10th anniversary this year—has built a distinctive model to achieve its primary mission: developing the next generation of trial lawyers. Bucking the conventions of traditional big law practice, Wilkinson Stekloff’s approach offers a compelling model grounded in hands-on experience, early responsibility, and a culture that prizes mentorship over hierarchy. “There are a lot of great attributes, qualities, and development that you can get in Big Law, but it’s hard to develop those skills for a trial because you need a lot of repetition.” says Beth Wilkinson, one of the firm’s founding partners. “So, a lot of young attorneys don’t get that trial experience.” “Brian Stekloff, the firm’s other founding partner, …
Crain’s New York Business Recognizes Three Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Among Notable Women in Law
February 23, 2026
Wilkinson Stekloff is proud to announce that Partners Keri Arnold, Moira Penza, and Ralia Polechronis have been recognized by Crain’s New York Business among its Notable Women in Law. This honor from one of New York’s premier business publications celebrates women leaders in the legal profession who demonstrate excellence in their practice while serving as role models and mentors for the next generation of attorneys. Keri Arnold is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers with more than twenty years of experience defending Fortune 500 corporations in high-stakes litigation. A true trial attorney, she has served as first-chair counsel in over a dozen cases tried to verdict on behalf of major pharmaceutical, tobacco, and energy companies. Keri currently represents a 3M Company in the sprawling AFFF multidistrict products liability litigation—the most significant PFAS matter in the country—and Exxon Mobil in its massive climate change litigation. She also serves …
Law360 Names Wilkinson Stekloff Practice Group of the Year in Competition/Antitrust and Sports & Betting Categories
February 18, 2026
Wilkinson Stekloff has been honored by Law360 as a Practice Group of the Year—an award that celebrates “the attorney teams behind litigation wins” that “resonated throughout the legal industry”—in both the Competition/Antitrust and Sports & Betting categories. This marks the first time the firm has won two PGOTY honors in the same cycle, underscoring landmark results across trials, appeals, and complex resolutions in 2025. The firm was previously recognized by Law360 in Competition/Antitrust in 2023 and Sports & Betting in 2020. Law360’s features spotlighted Wilkinson Stekloff’s many victories for the NCAA—beginning with securing approval of the groundbreaking $2.8 billion name-image-and-likeness (“NIL”) settlement, which resolved antitrust claims from multiple plaintiff classes against the NCAA and five major athletic conferences, enabling schools to directly compensate student-athletes for their participation in athletics. Despite a complex process that required lead defense negotiator Rakesh Kilaru to defend the deal at multiple hearings before it received …
Wilkinson Stekloff Celebrates 10 Years with a Look Back at 2025 Achievements
February 2, 2026
As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we remember our beloved colleagues and friends Elizabeth Keys and Sarah Lee Best, whose lives were among those tragically lost in the airplane crash above Reagan National Airport a year ago. Liz and Sarah left an enduring mark on our firm and on all of us as individuals. We have kept them in our hearts and minds and always will. To honor their memories, we endowed scholarships in their names at their law school alma maters, Georgetown and Pennsylvania. With the support of our clients and colleagues, those scholarships have been fully funded and will aid new generations of lawyers in carrying on Liz’s and Sarah’s legacies. Continuing our tradition of excellence, in 2025 Wilkinson Stekloff again achieved landmark results spanning a variety of high-stakes matters, further entrenching the firm as the premier trial litigation boutique in the nation. Our recent successes include: As …
Benchmark Litigation Shortlists Wilkinson Stekloff Across Six Categories for 2026 U.S. Awards
January 9, 2026
Wilkinson Stekloff has been shortlisted for Benchmark Litigation’s 2026 U.S. Awards, marking the firm’s third consecutive year as a finalist for Boutique Firm of the Year, D.C. Firm of the Year, and Trial Firm of the Year––an award the firm won in both 2024 and 2025. Founding partners Beth Wilkinson and Brian Stekloff are again shortlisted for “Trial Lawyer of the Year” and “Product Liability Litigator of the Year”, respectively, while Partner Rakesh Kilaru is a first-time finalist, for “Antitrust Litigator of the Year.” These nominations further add to the firm’s impressive Benchmark profile, which includes being named a “Top 20 Trial Firm” and “Top Boutique Firm”, ranked “Tier 1” in both Antitrust and Commercial litigation, and coming “Highly Recommended” in Washington, D.C. Rakesh also recently joined Beth and Brian among Benchmark’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and seven Partners have earned Litigation Star status. Benchmark’s recognition follows a string of …
Wilkinson Stekloff Announces Promotions for Roxana Guidero to Partner; Alysha Bohanon and Jenna Swarbrick to Counsel
December 17, 2025
Wilkinson Stekloff is pleased to announce multiple promotions that will become effective January 1, 2026. Roxana Guidero has been promoted to Partner, while Alysha Bohanon and Jenna Swarbrick (née Pavelec) have each been promoted to Counsel. “Roxana, Alysha, and Jenna are exceptional trial lawyers,” said Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson. “I’ve had the privilege of trying multiple cases alongside each of them and have seen firsthand their judgment and resolve when the stakes are highest. They are fearless advocates who have earned our clients’ trust. They are also beloved colleagues who embody the spirit of our firm. They set the standard for what it means to be a teammate and always make everyone around them better. I couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments, and their advancement further brightens our firm’s future.” Since rejoining the firm in 2024, Roxy has played a pivotal role in delivering headline results for the firm’s clients. …
Wilkinson Stekloff Welcomes Eleven Associates to the Firm
November 12, 2025
Wilkinson Stekloff is pleased to announce that 11 associates have joined the firm in our Washington, D.C. office—our second consecutive year welcoming a double-digit associate class. This class consists of highly accomplished attorneys who share a passion for trial work and a commitment to pro bono service. They bring a wealth of experience from clerkships across the country, including at the state, federal district, and federal appellate court levels, as well as distinguished academic achievements from the nation’s most prestigious law schools. “Developing the next generation of trial lawyers remains central to our mission,” said Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson. “I am thrilled to welcome another large and accomplished class who have demonstrated a strong interest in and enthusiasm for building their careers in the courtroom. We look forward to introducing them to our clients who will continue to benefit from our growing depth of skilled and dedicated attorneys.” Founding Partner …
Rakesh Kilaru Named Among Top 100 Trial Lawyers by Benchmark Litigation, Joining Founding Partners Beth Wilkinson and Brian Stekloff
October 31, 2025
Wilkinson Stekloff partner Rakesh Kilaru has been named for the first time to Benchmark Litigation’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers—a select group of attorneys venerated by clients and peers alike for their mastery in the courtroom. He joins Founding Partners Beth Wilkinson and Brian Stekloff, both staples on the prestigious list, rivaling the representation of Big Law firms. Beth Wilkinson, one of the nation’s pre-eminent trial lawyers, continues to receive widespread acclaim for her unmatched ability to deliver when the stakes are highest. In recent years, she has led Microsoft, the NFL, and Altria to billion-dollar courtroom victories. She was recently set to serve as lead trial counsel to HPE in defending its $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks against a federal court challenge from the DOJ, until the case resolved favorably for HPE on the doorstep of trial, allowing the deal to close. Beth is widely revered for her ability …