Wilkinson Stekloff has been recognized by The Legal 500 as a Tier 1 firm in Dispute Resolution: Leading Trial Lawyers. WS is one of only seven firms in the United States to achieve this high honor in the newly released 2022 edition of the publication. In addition, The Legal 500 named WS Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson to the Hall of Fame within the same category. This recognition is reserved for individuals who, “have received constant praise from their clients for continued excellence,” and “are at the pinnacle of the profession.” WS is the leading trial litigation boutique in the country, demonstrating a depth of talent and dexterity of skill unmatched by firms of any size. In the past six years, the firm has tried over 20 cases to verdict, winning the vast majority. The Legal 500 is based on research gathered by experienced lawyers and journalists from the law firms …
Clayton Wiggins Joins Wilkinson Stekloff
April 25, 2022
Wilkinson Stekloff is pleased to announce Clayton Wiggins has joined the firm as an Associate in the Washington, D.C., office. Clayton most recently served as a prosecutor and appellate counsel in the United States Marine Corps. As a prosecutor, Clayton tried four contested criminal cases before juries and was lead counsel on ten felony-level guilty pleas. As an appellate counsel, he briefed and argued multiple cases before the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. Clayton was named the Department of the Navy’s Military Justice Officer of the Year for 2021. Prior to law school, Clayton deployed for seven months with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit in support of military exercises and contingency operations in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. He received his J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School and B.S., B.A. cum laude, and M.A. from the University of Tennessee.
Wilkinson Stekloff Partner and “Trial Ace” Grace Hill Featured in Law 360
April 20, 2022
The legal press has taken notice of Wilkinson Stekloff’s newest partner, former federal prosecutor Grace Hill, most recently with an article in Law 360 about her decision to move from public service to private practice. Grace’s reputation for excellence in the courtroom, and her more than seven years of experience as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, make her an extraordinarily valuable addition to the firm’s team. And we are proud that Wilkinson Stekloff’s culture — with an emphasis on flexible scheduling and women in leadership — played a role in convincing Grace to bring her talents to the firm. During her time with EDVA, Grace tried seven complex criminal cases to a jury and argued a Fourth Circuit appeal. She has prosecuted a wide range of white-collar cases, including offenses involving bribery and public corruption, CIPA equities, government contract fraud, FCPA, investment fraud, securities fraud, …
Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Moira Penza Writes for Law 360 on Her First Case as a Civil Defense Attorney
April 8, 2022
In a recent article for Law 360 Pulse, WS Partner Moira Penza reflects back on lessons learned serving as co-lead counsel on a multibillion-dollar class action, her first case after joining the firm in 2019. While technical expertise and legal acumen are top priorities in every case, Moira understood from her time as a federal prosecutor that interpersonal dynamics can have a profound effect on the outcome of a case, and that building credibility with all players in the trial would be key to securing a satisfying result for her client. Moira discusses the importance of helping jurors feel heard, drawing on the unique experience of local counsel, and building the morale of the legal team, among other recommendations. Moira has always been generous about sharing her professional insights with colleagues, and we are pleased to see them in print. Read the full article here.
Former Federal Prosecutor Grace Hill Joins Wilkinson Stekloff
April 5, 2022
Wilkinson Stekloff is pleased to announce that Grace Hill has joined the firm as a partner. Grace most recently served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) in the Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Unit. During her time with EDVA, Grace tried six complex criminal cases to a jury and argued a Fourth Circuit appeal. She has prosecuted a wide range of white-collar cases, including offenses involving bribery and public corruption, CIPA equities, government contract fraud, FCPA, investment fraud, securities fraud, insider trading, bank fraud, and tax fraud. “Grace is a talented lawyer with considerable experience on a number of high-profile cases,” said Wilkinson Stekloff Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson. “She is a wonderful addition to the firm as we remain focused on growing our bench of trial lawyers capable of handling any case for our clients.” “Grace will be an asset to our team in …
Moira Penza Named to City & State’s Law Power 100 List for Third Consecutive Year
March 14, 2022
City & State has named Partner Moira Penza to the New York Power 100 List for the third consecutive year. The 2022 list takes an in-depth look at the most powerful New Yorkers in the legal field that stand out for their political activity and civic engagement. Moira is noted for the “impressive experience under her belt stemming from her time as a federal prosecutor.” Since joining Wilkinson Stekloff in 2019 Moira has continued to handle high profile cases, including most recently representing Altria Group Inc. in an adversarial administrative proceeding before the FTC.
Five Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Included in 2022 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America
March 9, 2022
Lawdragon has named five Wilkinson Stekloff partners to its 2022 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America. The 500 honorees were selected through submissions, journalistic research, and input from editorial advisors. The annual distinction covers the best of the best in all practice areas. The Wilkinson Stekloff 2022 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers are Beth Wilkinson, Brian Stekloff, Rakesh Kilaru, James Rosenthal, and Kosta Stojilkovic.
Wilkinson Stekloff Lawyers Named to LCLD 2022 Class
March 4, 2022
Wilkinson Stekloff is pleased to announce its selection of three rising leaders to participate in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellows and Pathfinder Programs. LCLD prepares future generations of diverse talent for the highest positions of leadership, and their programs are a premier professional development platform designed for diverse, high-potential attorneys. This year, Wilkinson Stekloff is sponsoring Partner Ralia Polechronis as a Fellow and Associates Julian Jiggetts and Anastasia Pastan as Pathfinders. Lawyers selected for the LCLD programs demonstrate leadership skills, impact in their organization, engagement within the community, and commitment to diversity and inclusion. Participants will receive professional and personal development opportunities, leadership training, and relationship-building opportunities, including access to LCLD members and alumni throughout the year-long program. Ralia is an experienced litigator who represents Fortune 500 companies in bet-the-company litigation ranging from antitrust, products liability, contract disputes and general commercial litigation. Before joining Wilkinson Stekloff, she served as the Executive Director and General Counsel of …
Wilkinson Stekloff Secures Dismissal of FTC Antitrust Complaint Against Altria Group
March 2, 2022
Wilkinson Stekloff served as lead trial counsel for Altria Group, Inc. in an adversarial administrative proceeding before the FTC. The FTC alleged that Altria and JUUL Labs, Inc. (JLI) violated the antitrust laws through Altria’s purchase of a minority interest in JLI and was seeking to require Altria to divest. On February 24, 2022, a ruling by Chief Administrative Law Judge D. Michael Chappell dismissed in their entirety claims by the FTC that Altria and JLI violated antitrust laws through Altria’s $12.8 billion purchase of a 35% interest in JLI. The FTC sought to require Altria to divest its interest in JLI in a three-week-long adversarial administrative proceeding last summer. At trial, Beth Wilkinson handled opening statements and examined multiple high-profile witnesses, including Altria’s current and former CEO, Altria’s general counsel, and both sides’ economic experts. Moira Penza led the presentation of the scientific evidence and examined Altria’s scientists. The Wilkinson Stekloff trial team also …
Rakesh Kilaru Appears on CNN’s The Lead to Discuss the Vetting Process of Potential Supreme Court Nominees
February 2, 2022
Partner Rakesh Kilaru appeared on CNN’s The Lead to discuss how White House lawyers are likely approaching the vetting process underway for President Biden’s potential Supreme Court nominees. “A president always wants to be ready for a Supreme Court nomination, and so I’m sure lawyers in the White House have taken a close look at a lot of potential candidates,” Rakesh said. “What I imagine is happening now is a lot of fast-moving action to try to figure out who the right person is from a political and from a legal perspective. In particular, by making sure there are no red flags in the background.” Prior to joining Wilkinson Stekloff, Rakesh clerked for Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan and served as Special Assistant to the President and Associate Counsel in the Office of White House Counsel. During his time at the White House, Rakesh played a lead role in the selection process for President …