Matthews Johnson is latest high-profile addition to top boutique trial firm WASHINGTON – Wilkinson Stekloff today announced the addition of Tamarra Matthews Johnson as a partner in its Washington, D.C. office. In just 18 months, Wilkinson Stekloff has grown to nearly 40 lawyers, and quickly established itself as the leading boutique trial firm in the country. Matthews Johnson, an experienced litigator at both the appellate and trial level, joins the firm as partner. Throughout her career, she has tried complex civil and criminal cases, and clerked for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Tamarra is the firm’s tenth partner, and seventh former Supreme Court clerk. “I could not be more excited to re-enter private practice as a partner of Wilkinson Stekloff,” said Ms. Matthews Johnson. “I’m thrilled to be able to call such an impressive group of trial lawyers my colleagues—and the firm’s innovative approach to trying cases is a …
Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Kosta Stojilkovic Named One of DC’s Rising Stars
August 29, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Law Journal announced the selection of Wilkinson Stekloff partner Kosta Stojilkovic to its annual list of D.C. Rising Stars. Kosta joined the firm in August 2016. Since then, he has served as trial counsel for Facebook in its largest jury trial to date—a $6 billion trade secrets dispute—and has represented the NCAA and the NFL in other high-profile matters. Prior to joining Wilkinson Stekloff, Kosta was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, and clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts. “Kosta is a skilled litigator and an invaluable member of our team here at Wilkinson Stekloff, so it’s no surprise that he has been named one of D.C.’s Rising Stars,” said Sean Eskovitz, a founding partner of the firm. “We’re thrilled to see one of our lawyers recognized for his hard work, tenacity, and exceptional litigation skills.” In compiling its list, the …
Wilkinson Stekloff Adds More Firepower, Including Two Supreme Court Clerks, to Associate Ranks
August 21, 2017
WASHINGTON – Wilkinson Stekloff, the boutique trial litigation firm launched just eighteen months ago, announced Monday that it will add seven new attorneys to its current roster of highly skilled and accomplished associates. Two of the new hires recently finished coveted clerkships on the U.S. Supreme Court. The group will add even more firepower to the firm’s already-impressive team of diverse and talented young lawyers. No longer a start-up, the firm dubbed by Benchmark as “Boutique Law Firm of the Year,” has grown to 38 lawyers, with offices in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and New York. “We are thrilled to welcome these talented lawyers to the Wilkinson Stekloff team,” said Sean Eskovitz, a founding partner of the firm. “When we started Wilkinson Stekloff, we set out to build a firm that attracts top talent and helps young lawyers grow into superlative trial litigators. These seven are among the best and …
Wilkinson Stekloff Secures Victory in D.C. Child Custody Trial
August 14, 2017
Washington, D.C. – On August 11, Wilkinson Stekloff associates won a pro bono custody case in D.C. Superior Court, securing primary residential custody and tiebreaker legal custody for our client over her two young children. Wilkinson Stekloff’s client separated from her husband two years ago after suffering months of domestic abuse. In January 2017, her ex-husband (the Plaintiff) filed a lawsuit in which he sought primary custody of their two children, falsely claiming that she had effectively kidnapped the children when she moved from the District of Columbia to Maryland without giving him notice. Wilkinson Stekloff took on this representation as part of its ongoing partnership with the D.C. Volunteer Lawyers Project. At trial, the Wilkinson Stekloff team developed an evidentiary record proving that it was not in the children’s best interest for the Plaintiff to have primary custody. Wilkinson Stekloff presented five witnesses, including an expert, who established that the …
Wilkinson Stekloff Wins Two High Stakes Antitrust Cases in Two Months for Georgia-Pacific and the NFL
August 4, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Wilkinson Stekloff has won two major antitrust cases before trial for Georgia Pacific LLC and the National Football League. On August 3, Wilkinson Stekloff won summary judgment for Georgia Pacific LLC in an antitrust class action lawsuit involving over $10 billion in claimed damages. The court’s decision came just one day after it preliminarily approved a settlement in which Georgia Pacific’s co-defendants agreed to pay over $350 million. Plaintiffs in this case were direct purchasers of containerboard products who claimed that Georgia Pacific and several other major containerboard producers conspired to restrict the supply of containerboard, and thus increase its price, between 2004 and 2010. After the district court certified Plaintiffs’ proposed class, Georgia Pacific hired Wilkinson Stekloff to handle all aspects of summary judgment briefing and trial. The Wilkinson Stekloff team, led by Beth Wilkinson, Alexandra Walsh, and Brant Bishop, developed an evidentiary record focused on …
Vault Names Wilkinson Stekloff One Of The Best Midsize Firms To Work For
July 18, 2017
WASHINGTON – Wilkinson Stekloff today was named by Vault as one of the best midsize firms to work for, in the publication’s new 2018 Midsize Quality of Life Rankings and Top 150 Under 150 list. Coming in at #6 overall, Wilkinson Stekloff boasted strong marks in all categories in the review including compensation, diversity, firm culture, quality of life, and overall satisfaction. “We joined together to launch a different kind of firm, one that successfully serves our clients with tight-knit teams of smart, innovative, and highly skilled litigators committed to delivering excellent results,” said founding partner Beth Wilkinson. “Our record in courtrooms across the country speaks for itself and our commitment to training the next generation of trial lawyers by giving them early responsibility will ensure that we continue to excel.” The Midsize Quality of Life rankings are based on the results of a survey distributed to associates at each …
NCAA Taps Beth Wilkinson as Lead Trial Counsel for Jenkins case
June 14, 2017
NCAA has hired Beth Wilkinson and Wilkinson Stekloff to lead the trial team in Jenkins v. NCAA, a class action antitrust suit challenging NCAA rules preserving amateurism for student-athletes. In a press release announcing the engagement, NCAA Chief Legal Officer Donald Remy said, “Beth’s unparalleled track record of success throughout her career in high-profile cases, as well as her past representations in antitrust matters and of the sports and higher education communities, make her especially well-suited to lead the defense of the association as the litigation proceeds. We welcome Beth and her colleagues to the team of talented attorneys from Skadden representing the Association, as well as the excellent counsel representing the NCAA conferences.” For more on this announcement read here. Contact: media@wilkinsonstekloff.com
Wilkinson Stekloff Secures Second Decisive Victory for Bayer in Xarelto Trial
June 13, 2017
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Wilkinson Stekloff won the second bellwether trial on June 12, 2017 in the multi-district litigation over the blood thinner Xarelto. Beth Wilkinson, a founding partner of Wilkinson Stekloff, led the defense to victory on behalf of Bayer and Janssen in the second of four bellwether trials in the MDL. The complete defense verdict came just two hours after closing arguments. This latest victory comes just six weeks after Wilkinson obtained a complete defense verdict in the first bellwether trial in the litigation. The lawsuit alleged that Bayer, and Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals, were liable for claims that the Xarelto label did not adequately instruct doctors on how to minimize the risk of bleeding associated with the anticoagulant Xarelto. In this trial, the plaintiff passed away due to a brain bleed. Wilkinson Stekloff represented Bayer, with Beth Wilkinson serving as lead trial counsel. David Dukes …
Beth Wilkinson Named American Lawyer’s Litigator of the Week and a Law360 Legal Lion for Win in Bellwether Trial for Bayer’s Xarelto
May 5, 2017
WASHINGTON, May 5, 2017 – Beth Wilkinson was named American Lawyer’s Litigator of the Week and a Law360 Legal Lion. The accolades come after Beth successfully led a team of lawyers in defense of Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals in a key bellwether trial over the blood thinner Xarelto. A federal jury in New Orleans deliberated for about one hour before unanimously deciding in favor of Bayer. On the victory, Wilkinson said, “If you can make your case really clear, so the jury from opening to closings knows what you’re saying, it makes it easier to go back and come to a consensus.” “When doctors come in and say this medication works and is important, it makes it very difficult for plaintiffs to prevail.” Wilkinson will stay on as lead counsel in the next Xarelto trial in New Orleans, scheduled for May 30. Beth Wilkinson is a founding partner at Wilkinson Stekloff. …
Wilkinson Stekloff Wins Bellwether Xarelto Trial For Bayer
May 4, 2017
Beth Wilkinson, co-founding partner of Wilkinson, Walsh + Eskovitz, led the defense team to victory. WASHINGTON – The Wilkinson, Walsh + Eskovitz trial team led by Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson secured a major victory for Bayer in the first bellwether trial in a multi-district litigation involving the drug Xarelto. The lawsuit alleged that Bayer, and Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals, were liable for claims that the Xarelto label did not adequately instruct doctors on how to minimize the risk of bleeding associated with the anticoagulant Xareltot. The nine-member jury in New Orleans returned a unanimous defense verdict roughly one hour after closing arguments. Wilkinson served as lead counsel on the case and delivered both opening and closing arguments at trial. David Dukes of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough and Richard Sarver of Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman & Sarver also served as trial counsel for Bayer and Janssen, respectively. The …