Wilkinson Stekloff has been named a Top 20 Trial Law Firm in the highly anticipated 2023 Benchmark Litigation guide. Along with this prestigious recognition, the firm is also ranked as Tier 1 for General Commercial Litigation and recognized as a Top Boutique and Highly Recommended firm. Benchmark Litigation is considered the definitive guide to the world’s leading litigation firms and lawyers. The rankings are determined through six months of research, which includes extensive interviews with clients. In addition to top-tier firm rankings, Wilkinson Stekloff founding partner Beth Wilkinson was named a Top 100 Trial Lawyer. This elite group consists of partners who have been selected by peers and clients as the best of the best in the practice of trial law, with the representative work to exemplify this status. This recognition comes on the heels of Beth being named a Top 10 Female Litigator by Benchmark Litigation for the second …
Experienced Trial Attorney Keri Arnold Joins Wilkinson Stekloff
October 5, 2022
Wilkinson Stekloff is pleased to announce that Keri Arnold has joined the firm as a partner. With over 20 years’ experience defending companies in product liability, environmental and complex commercial litigation, Keri has tried over a dozen cases to verdict. “Keri is a talented litigator with a great depth of experience handling difficult and technical cases,” said Wilkinson Stekloff Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson. “She is an ideal fit for our team and for our clients, who know they can look to us to take on their most challenging matters.” Over the course of her career, Keri has served as first chair trial counsel on behalf of major pharmaceutical, tobacco and energy companies. Her experience includes handling bellwether cases, class action suits and high-stakes personal injury and wrongful death matters, many of which have involved complex medical and scientific evidence. “Keri will be a tremendous asset to clients facing class action …
The Washingtonian Honors Beth Wilkinson with Top Lawyers Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award
September 21, 2022
Beth Wilkinson has been honored by the Washingtonian with the Top Lawyers Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award. This recognition is reserved for Washington, D.C.-based lawyers noted as a Top Lawyer by the publication for at least 10 of the past 15 years. The annual Top Lawyers list is put together strictly through a peer voting process where hundreds of local lawyers are asked whom they would trust if they needed legal counsel themselves. The names included on this “Lifetime Achievement” honor roll are noted as the best among their peers. Among her many accolades, Beth is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member of the American Law Institute (ALI), and a Legal 500 Leading Trial Lawyer. She has been named a Litigator of the Year by The American Lawyer, a Law360 Trial Ace and Trial MVP, and a National Law Journal Winning Litigator. Chambers and Partners …
Beth Wilkinson Named Top 10 Female Litigator by Benchmark Litigation for 2022
August 4, 2022
For the second year in a row, Beth Wilkinson has been named a Top 10 Female Litigator by Benchmark Litigation. While Benchmark honors the Top 250 female litigators across the US each year, the publication also recognizes the elite top 10 leading lawyers of that iconic cohort. The Benchmark Top 10 Female Litigator list identifies the most prominent individuals, nominated on the strength of historical and unwavering peer and client review, as well as proven achievements. The firm celebrates Beth’s unparalleled record of victories in the courtroom and congratulates her on this latest recognition.
Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Cali Cope-Kasten Featured in Law.com’s “How I Made Partner” Series
July 19, 2022
For its series asking top-tier lawyers about their path to promotion, Law.com recently featured Wilkinson Stekloff partner Cali Cope-Kasten. Cali reflects on the key to successful business development — “doing excellent work” — and the impact founding partner Beth Wilkinson has made on her development as a trial attorney: “She has been a champion for me and for so many young women at our firm. She helped me develop a reputation with our clients by giving me opportunities early in my career to have a seat at the table in client meetings and encouraging me to stand up and speak up to present my work every chance I got. And watching her engage with judges and juries has been an incredible learning experience that has provided me with inspiration to develop my own style.” Cali made partner in early 2022 following the critical role she played in Clark v. Monsanto …
Wilkinson Stekloff Helps Secure Win Blocking Arizona “Fetal Personhood” Law
July 13, 2022
A federal district court has granted a preliminary injunction preventing a 2021 law that grants “personhood” rights to fetuses, embryos, and fertilized eggs from being used to prohibit abortion care in Arizona. The emergency motion for an injunction was filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ACLU of Arizona, and Wilkinson Stekloff LLP on behalf of the Arizona Medical Association, the Arizona National Council of Jewish Women, Arizona NOW, and two abortion providers, Dr. Paul Isaacson and Dr. Eric Reuss. “The district court decision blocking the enforcement of Arizona’s personhood law helps protect Arizonans from civil and criminal penalties stemming from the provision of abortion care,” said Wilkinson Stekloff partner Ralia Polechronis. “Before this significant ruling, confusion and fear created by this vague provision were resulting in Arizonans being deprived of access to essential and time-sensitive healthcare. We are proud to have achieved this meaningful victory …
Business Insider Names Cali Cope-Kasten 2022 Rising Star of the Courtroom
June 22, 2022
Cali Cope-Kasten has been named a 2022 Rising Star of the Courtroom by Business Insider. The prestigious list profiles 15 up-and-coming litigators who have represented clients in blockbuster trials and class actions around the country. An embodiment of Wilkinson Stekloff’s mission to develop the next generation of trial lawyers, Cali has earned this recognition at the age of 33, years before most of her fellow recipients. Late last year, Cali played a critical role examining several witnesses in Clark v. Monsanto, the first case involving a child plaintiff in the litigation over whether the herbicide Roundup causes Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. After a single day of deliberation, a jury delivered the first-ever verdict for Monsanto. Describing her experience with Business Insider, Cali shared that “jurors told her afterward that her questioning of a weed scientist about how often Roundup was typically used was key to their understanding of the case.” Brian Stekloff, who has known Cali …
Wilkinson Stekloff Welcomes Hannah Bedard
June 14, 2022
Wilkinson Stekloff is pleased to announce that Hannah Bedard has joined the firm as an associate. Previously, Hannah was an associate at Kirkland & Ellis in Washington, D.C. She has worked on a variety of complex civil litigation matters, including patent, trade secret, contract, and False Claims Act cases. Hannah has experience in all stages of litigation and has represented clients in motions for injunctive relief, summary judgment, and post-trial relief. She has also been a member of numerous appellate teams. In addition to her litigation work, Hannah maintains an active pro bono practice. She has represented clients in federal appellate courts, state courts, and agencies. Among other successes, she represented an incarcerated defendant before the Seventh Circuit and secured his release by persuading the court that his Fourth Amendment rights had been violated. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she served as an executive editor …
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.