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 …
Trial Court Throws Out $250 Million False Designation Verdict, Refuses to Impose Permanent Injunction Against Wilkinson Stekloff Clients
June 28, 2018
WASHINGTON – The trial judge in Zenimax Media et al. v. Oculus VR et al. today threw out plaintiffs’ biggest win at trial—a $250 million award for false designation—and granted judgment as a matter of law to Wilkinson Stekloff’s clients on that claim. U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade also denied plaintiffs’ motion to enjoin the use of disputed technology in the Oculus Rift headset, allowing Oculus VR to market and sell its products without restriction. In addition, the judge granted defendants’ motion for sanctions. Wilkinson Stekloff represents all defendants in the case, including Oculus VR and its parent company Facebook. The moves come sixteen months after the jury delivered a mixed verdict, rejecting plaintiffs’ lead claim of trade secret misappropriation, but awarding $500 million on other claims against Oculus VR and two of its executives. Today’s ruling cuts that award in half, and eliminates all damages assessed against the executives. …
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 …
Wilkinson Stekloff Selected As Industry-Leading “Best Law Firm For Female Attorneys”
May 29, 2018
WASHINGTON – Wilkinson Stekloff was named the fifth best law firm for female attorneys among all firms with 20 to 149 lawyers in Law360’s 2018 Glass Ceiling report. Though women represent just over one-third of all attorneys in private practice, Law360 recognized Wilkinson Stekloff for its strong female leadership, including two female name partners, and for achieving gender parity among the firm’s attorneys. “Having a diverse workforce is not just the right thing to do, but it also enhances the strength and quality of our firm, including our ability to deliver victories in the courtroom,” said Wilkinson Stekloff Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson. “Wilkinson Stekloff’s diversity may make our firm the exception, not the rule — but it certainly is the model of the future.” “When we started this firm over two years ago, we agreed that diversity in all forms was an important and essential virtue of the firm,” said …
Wilkinson Stekloff Secures Victory for NCAA in Defamation Suit by former USC Football Coach
May 21, 2018
WASHINGTON – Wilkinson Stekloff, led by Partners Kosta Stojilkovic and Rakesh Kilaru, and Counsel Kori Bell, won a complete victory for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in a lawsuit brought by former University of Southern California (USC) assistant football coach Todd McNair. The jury concluded that the NCAA had not defamed McNair in a Committee on Infractions report issued in 2010. McNair filed this lawsuit seven years ago, shortly after the Committee on Infractions report was upheld by a separate appeals committee. Apart from many other findings against USC, the Committee found that McNair knew about the improper benefits that star running back Reggie Bush had received while at USC, and failed to provide truthful information about them. In his lawsuit, McNair alleged that the statements about him in the report were false and defamatory, and he sought over $27 million in damages for that claim. He also brought …
Wilkinson Stekloff Wins Another Decisive Victory for Bayer in Xarelto Trial
April 27, 2018
Wilkinson Stekloff’s Brian Stekloff Led the Team to Its Fourth Xarelto Win Washington, D.C. – Wilkinson Stekloff, led by Founding Partner Brian Stekloff, won the second state-court bellwether trial over the blood-thinner Xarelto when the jury rejected claims against Bayer AG and Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Lori Alvino McGill and Jeremy Barber also served as counsel for Bayer in the trial. The plaintiff in the Russell case alleged that Bayer and Janssen were liable for claims that the Xarelto label did not adequately instruct doctors on the risks of bleeding associated with the anticoagulant Xarelto. According to Law360, the Philadelphia jury “rejected claims that warnings labels for the … drug left out key information about the increased risk the drug posed when combined with antiplatelet medications.” Previously, Wilkinson Stekloff secured two full defense verdicts for Bayer in similar cases in the federal multi-district litigation in …
Independent Review Panel Releases Interim Report on Integrity Issues Facing Professional Tennis
April 25, 2018
Wilkinson Stekloff Assists Panel Reviewing Allegations of Match-Fixing and Betting-Related Corruption Washington, D.C. – An Independent Review Panel tasked with reviewing betting-related integrity issues facing professional tennis released its interim report and record of evidence and analysis, finding that “tennis faces a serious integrity problem” and that “no level of professional tennis is immune from betting-related and other breaches of integrity.” The interim report specifically notes that “the problem is particularly acute and pervasive at the lower levels.” Wilkinson Stekloff Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson served on the three-person panel, which was appointed by the organizations responsible for governing professional tennis, including the ATP, the WTA, the ITF, and the Grand Slam Board. Wilkinson Stekloff Founding Partner Sean Eskovitz provided substantial assistance during the course of the review. The independent panel was commissioned after a 2016 report from BuzzFeed and the BBC alleged “evidence of widespread match-fixing by players at the …
Benchmark Names Beth Wilkinson Trial Lawyer Of The Year
February 23, 2018
Wilkinson Stekloff’s Work On Georgia-Pacific Case Also Recognized By Benchmark WASHINGTON – Wilkinson Stekloff Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson has been named Trial Lawyer of the Year by Benchmark Litigation 2018. Benchmark Litigation also awarded Wilkinson Stekloff the National Impact Case Award for its role in winning summary judgment for Georgia-Pacific in a multi-billion dollar class action in Chicago federal court alleging Sherman Act violations by the largest manufacturers in the containerboard and corrugated products industries. The Trial Lawyer of the Year award is the latest in a series of accolades honoring Beth and Wilkinson Stekloff, which Benchmark named the 2017 “Boutique Firm of the Year.” Since founding Wilkinson Stekloff less than two years ago, Beth has notched a string of standout trial victories, been honored and recognized for her and Wilkinson Stekloff’s various successes, and built the firm into a boutique powerhouse while mentoring the next generation of trial lawyers. …
Wilkinson Stekloff Adds James Rosenthal as Partner
February 21, 2018
Rosenthal brings his extensive complex litigation experience and class-action expertise to top boutique trial firm WASHINGTON – Wilkinson Stekloff today announced the addition of James Rosenthal as a partner in its Washington, D.C. office. Rosenthal is an experienced class action litigator who has handled numerous complex and high-stakes matters, most recently as Vice President & Associate General Counsel at Altria Client Services. “While I was in house counsel, I had the opportunity to retain Wilkinson Stekloff lawyers to try class actions, and I was always impressed with their brilliant trial skills, creativity, and teamwork,” said Rosenthal. “In a very short period of time they have built a top-tier high stakes litigation boutique, and I am thrilled to join them in my return to private practice.” During his six years at Altria Client Services, James managed the class action litigation facing the Altria family of companies, including Philip Morris USA. During his tenure, Philip …