WASHINGTON – Wilkinson Stekloff is racing into its fourth year after notching a series of high-profile victories, led by a large and diverse group of partners. In 2018, all of Wilkinson Stekloff’s partners participated in trials and case-dispositive hearings, and several other attorneys achieved significant on-their-feet experience, including through pro bono cases. The firm earned repeated recognition for the depth and successes of its bench and added a new crop of talented litigators to its roster. Wilkinson Stekloff won three trials in 2018, each of which was first-chaired by a different partner: On April 27, 2018, Wilkinson Stekloff, led by Brian Stekloff, Jeremy Barber, and Lori McGill, won a unanimous defense verdict for Bayer and Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals in Russell v. Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the second state-court Xarelto bellwether trial in the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas. On May 21, 2018, Wilkinson Stekloff, led by Kosta Stojilkovic …
Experienced Litigator Julie Rubenstein Promoted To Wilkinson Stekloff Counsel
December 18, 2018
WASHINGTON– Wilkinson Stekloff today announced that Julie Rubenstein has been promoted to Counsel effective January 1, 2019. Since joining Wilkinson Stekloff as an associate, Rubenstein has used her breadth of experience representing corporate and individual clients to secure major victories for Wilkinson Stekloff’s clients. Rubenstein most recently helped the NCAA obtain a defense jury verdict in a month-long defamation trial in Todd McNair v. NCAA. She led oral arguments on several key issues, including jury instructions, and she successfully defended against Plaintiff’s motion to compel. Her promotion is a testament to the firm’s investment in its next generation of leading attorneys and its emphasis on getting those attorneys into the courtroom. “Wilkinson Stekloff is a powerhouse firm because all attorneys – associates, counsel, and partners – are encouraged and empowered to contribute meaningfully to all aspects of our trial work,”said Ms. Rubenstein. “I am honored to work at a firm …
Appeals Court Upholds Major Antitrust Win for Wilkinson Stekloff Client Georgia Pacific
December 11, 2018
WASHINGTON,D.C. — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit unanimously upheld a major trial court win for Wilkinson Stekloff client Georgia Pacific, affirming the dismissal of a high stakes antitrust class action lawsuit involving over $10 billion in claimed damages. Georgia Pacific hired Wilkinson Stekloff to handle all aspects of summary judgment briefing and trial after the trial court certified Plaintiffs’ proposed class. The Wilkinson Stekloff team, led by Beth Wilkinson, Alexandra Walsh, Brant Bishop, and Rakesh Kilaru, developed an evidentiary record focused on the absence of any evidence against Georgia Pacific, and filed independent briefs challenging Plaintiffs’ expert witnesses and seeking summary judgment. In June 2017, the court issued a Daubert opinion that imposed key limits on the testimony Plaintiffs’ witnesses could offer at trial, adopting several of Wilkinson Stekloff’s arguments. On August 3, 2017, Wilkinson Stekloff won summary judgment for Georgia Pacific. The court’s decision came …
Wilkinson Stekloff Secures Victory in Pro Bono Custody and Divorce Trial
October 5, 2018
Washington, D.C. — Following a six-day trial, Wilkinson Stekloff associates Cali Cope-Kasten and Hal Brewster secured a favorable judgment in a pro bono custody and divorce case in D.C. Superior Court. The Court awarded Wilkinson Stekloff’s client primary residential custody and joint legal custody, with tiebreaker decision making authority, of her five minor children. The judge also found that Wilkinson Stekloff’s client was entitled to an equitable lien on all major marital assets and awarded her a monetary judgment of more than a quarter-million dollars, along with ongoing child support that will help her establish financial independence in her new life. Wilkinson Stekloff’s client separated from her husband in 2016 after multiple instances of abuse within the family. After she filed for divorce, her estranged husband filed a countersuit in which he sought primary custody of their five children, so this is when she started looking into suitable law firms …
Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Secure Complete Dismissal of Securities Fraud Class Action
September 5, 2018
WASHINGTON – The Wilkinson Stekloff Team, led by Founding Partners Brant Bishop and Beth Wilkinson and partner Kosta Stojilkovic, won complete dismissal of a securities fraud class action case in the Eastern District of Virginia for client MAXIMUS Inc. In August 2017, MAXIMUS was sued under sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, based on allegations that the company, along with several members of its executive team, had made false or misleading statements on earnings calls and in SEC filings concerning MAXIMUS’s performance on a major contract with the British government. Led by Brant Bishop, Wilkinson Stekloff moved to dismiss the amended complaint with prejudice, arguing that plaintiffs failed to plead facts giving rise to an inference that MAXIMUS acted with scienter, or an intent to defraud. Wilkinson Stekloff also argued that plaintiff failed to plead materiality as to certain alleged misstatements or omissions, and also …
Wilkinson Stekloff’s Kosta Stojilkovic, Kieran Gostin Named to Law360’s “Rising Stars”
July 30, 2018
WASHINGTON – Wilkinson Stekloff’s Kosta Stojilkovic and Kieran Gostin were named to Law360’s “Rising Stars of 2018,” an honor for “attorneys under 40 whose legal accomplishments transcend their age.” Kosta Stojilkovic was recognized for his trial work, while Kieran Gostin was recognized for his work on products liability matters. “Kosta and Kieran’s well-deserved recognition underscores our firm’s philosophy of empowering younger attorneys to showcase their talent, regardless of age or seniority,” said Wilkinson Stekloff Founding Partner Sean Eskovitz. “Kosta and Kieran are litigation superstars, bringing great intellect, judgment, and energy to everything they do, and we are proud that they are leading the way for the next generation of trial lawyers.“ Law360’s Rising Stars for 2018 were selected from over 1,200 submissions and are “based on their career accomplishments in their respective disciplines.” Most recently, Kosta obtained a complete defense verdict in McNair v. NCAA, a high-profile defamation case. At …
Three Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Named “Top Women in Litigation” by Benchmark
July 19, 2018
WASHINGTON – Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Beth Wilkinson, Alexandra Walsh, and Lori Alvino McGill were ranked among Benchmark Litigation’s “Top 250 Women in Litigation,” all of whom “share the distinction of being recognized as top players in their respective fields.” Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson was also named among the “Top 10 Female Litigators” in the country. Benchmark’s “Top 250 Women in Litigation” rankings recognize women who “have earned their place amongst the leading female litigators by participating in some of the most impactful litigation matters in recent history as well as by earning the hard-won respect of their peers and clients.” “Benchmark’s recognition of Beth, Alex, and Lori as leaders in our field is a great honor, reflecting the firm’s strong female leadership in a male-dominated industry,” said Wilkinson Stekloff Managing Partner Brant Bishop. “We’re proud to call Beth, Alex, and Lori our partners, and feel strongly that our firm’s diversity …
Wilkinson Stekloff Selected As Industry-Leading “Best Midsize Law Firm To Work For”
WASHINGTON – Vault named Wilkinson Stekloff the sixth best midsize law firm to work for in its 2019 Law Firm Rankings. Among other accolades, Vault ranked Wilkinson Stekloff second for compensation, third for diversity, and fourth for pro bono. These rankings are based on the results of a survey distributed to associates at each law firm, reflecting associates’ views about their firms. In addition, Vault selected Wilkinson Stekloff for its “Top 150 Under 150” list, which recognizes “outstanding law firms with fewer attorneys, but no less expertise, than the global megafirms that often dominate rankings and headlines.” Vault is well-known for its influential rankings, ratings, and reviews of thousands of top employers. “Wilkinson Stekloff has built a culture of empowering younger attorneys and delivering exceptional results for our clients,” said Wilkinson Stekloff Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson. “I am proud to work with such a diverse team of star litigators, and …
Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Rakesh Kilaru, Kosta Stojilkovic Named to Benchmark Litigation’s “40 & Under Hot List”
July 3, 2018
WASHINGTON –Rakesh Kilaru and Kosta Stojilkovic have been recognized as leading litigation attorneys in Benchmark Litigation’s 2018 “40 & Under Hot List,” an annual ranking that “commemorates the most notable up-and-coming litigation attorneys in the United States” who “have established themselves in their respective fields and are set to enjoy bright futures.” “Kosta and Rakesh are true litigation superstars,” said Wilkinson Stekloff founding partner Sean Eskovitz. “They bring extraordinary intellects, judgment, and energy to all of their matters. Wilkinson Stekloff is committed to developing the next generation of great trial lawyers, and they are leading the way.” Kosta and Rakesh joined Wilkinson Stekloff from the federal government. Kosta was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, where he tried financial crime and public corruption cases. Rakesh served as a Special Assistant to the President and Associate Counsel in the Office of White House Counsel. Since joining Wilkinson …
Bloomberg Big Law: Wilkinson Stekloff “Remakes Old Model” of Trial Firms
June 11, 2018
Feature article explores benefits of Wilkinson Stekloff’s unique billing model and commitment to diversity WASHINGTON – Wilkinson Stekloff “is restructuring how legal work is done,” writes Stephanie Russell-Kraft in a June 7 Bloomberg Big Law profile of the firm, by forging a new model that eschews the billable hour, empowers younger lawyers, and emphasizes diversity. Wilkinson Stekloff was founded in early 2016 by a group of partners, including Beth Wilkinson and Alexandra Walsh, formerly of Paul Weiss, and Sean Eskovitz, formerly of Munger Tolles & Olson. Since then, the firm has grown to almost 50 attorneys and has won several high-profile cases, garnering the firm recognition from Chambers & Partners, Benchmark, and Law360. When creating the firm, Wilkinson Stekloff’s Founding Partners prioritized eliminating the billable hour. Doing so, Russell-Kraft notes, means “lawyers feel less pressure to monitor how they’re spending each minute of the day, and clients feel more comfortable …