Wilkinson Stekloff helped position Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to complete its $14 Billion acquisition of Juniper Networks, as the United States Department of Justice dropped its challenge to the deal and agreed to resolve the case. When the government sued to block the deal in January, HPE turned to Wilkinson Stekloff. Led by Beth Wilkinson, Kosta Stojilkovic, Roxy Guidero, and Jenna Pavelec, the team prepared for trial on an expedited basis, conducting dozens of depositions and working with economic experts on quantitative analyses of the market. Owen Gallogly, Kellen McCoy, Cassie Chee, and Dan Epps also contributed to the case. Trial was set to begin on July 9. Instead, days after the submission of pre-trial briefs and other substantive filings, and a week before opening statements, the Department of Justice agreed to a resolution that maintains the vision of the deal and will facilitate increased competition in wireless networking. Judge …
Wilkinson Stekloff Recognized Again by Law360 and the American Lawyer for 9th Circuit Victory on Behalf of Microsoft
May 12, 2025
For a second consecutive week, Law360 and the American Lawyer have recognized Wilkinson Stekloff in their weekly features. Law360’s Legal Lions of the Week and AmLaw’s Litigator’s of the Week Runners-Up and Shout-Outs acknowledge the Ninth Circuit’s decision affirming Wilkinson Stekloff’s victory at trial defending Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Wilkinson Stekloff’s appellate team was headed by Rakesh Kilaru — who led the briefing effort and argued the appeal for Microsoft before the Ninth Circuit in December 2023 — and Beth Wilkinson — whom the American Lawyer previously recognized as Litigator of the Week for the trial court win — and also included partners Kieran Gostin and Sarah Neuman, and associate Jenna Pavelec. A Sidley Austin team led by Will Levi, along with Rick Beckner and Daniel Hay, was also essential to Microsoft’s success before the court of appeals. In July 2023, Wilkinson Stekloff secured a groundbreaking victory on behalf …
The 2024 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll Recognized 16 Wilkinson Stekloff Attorneys
May 2, 2025
The District of Columbia Courts, in partnership with the D.C. Access to Justice Commission and the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, recognized 16 Wilkinson Stekloff attorneys on its 2024 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll. Established in 2011, the Honor Roll recognizes attorneys who have dedicated 50 or more hours to pro bono service, with those performing 100 or more hours receiving High Honors distinction. These honorees make a significant impact by providing critical legal assistance to indigent individuals, under-resourced small businesses, and vital community-based nonprofits. The Wilkinson Stekloff attorneys recognized include: Tania Martinez, Associate (High Honors)Mikaela Meyer, Associate (High Honors)Logan Page, Associate (High Honors)Dhruti Patel, Associate (High Honors)Jenna Pavelec, Associate (High Honors)Quinton Weinstein, Associate (High Honors)Jeremy Barber, PartnerKieran Gostin, PartnerRakesh Kilaru, PartnerSarah Neuman, PartnerMatthew Skanchy, CounselAnthony Ferrara, AssociateElizabeth Keys, AssociateKellen McCoy, AssociateDeon McCray, AssociateJasper Primack, Associate Pro bono representation is woven into the fabric of Wilkinson Stekloff. Since its founding …
Wilkinson Stekloff Secures Pro Bono Win in Second Amendment Case
January 21, 2025
Wilkinson Stekloff secured a favorable settlement for a pro bono client whose firearm license was unconstitutionally revoked by the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). In the summer of 2019, our client applied for a firearm registration certificate and a concealed pistol license. He complied with every step of D.C.’s rigorous application process, and satisfied each of D.C.’s stringent statutory and regulatory requirements. After reviewing his applications and all relevant facts, MPD rightfully approved both applications. Yet just six months later, MPD revoked both his firearm registration certificate and concealed pistol license based on his history of arrests alone— even though those arrests had not resulted in any convictions and the most serious charges against him had been dropped by the government after further investigation revealed that he had not committed the crimes of which he had been accused. Wilkinson Stekloff filed a lawsuit under Section 1983, arguing that MPD’s revocation …
11 Wilkinson Stekloff Attorneys Recognized in 2023 D.C. Pro Bono Honor Roll
June 17, 2024
D.C. Courts, in partnership with the D.C. Access to Justice Commission and the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, honored 11 Wilkinson Stekloff attorneys in its 2023 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll. The Honor Roll, which is jointly sponsored by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and the Superior Court of D.C., recognizes attorneys who provide 50 or more hours of pro bono services or 100 or more hours of service for the High Honors category. These honorees played a vital role in providing desperately needed legal representation to those living in poverty and/or to disadvantaged small businesses and community-based nonprofits that are critical to the economic well-being of our community. The Wilkinson Stekloff attorneys recognized include: Matthew Skanchy, Counsel (High Honors) Hannah Bedard, Associate (High Honors) Elizabeth Keys, Associate (High Honors) Robert Laird, Associate (High Honors) Logan Page, Associate (High Honors) Jeremy Barber, Partner Rakesh Kilaru, Partner Anastasia Pastan, Counsel Anthony Ferrara, Associate Mikaela Meyer, Associate Jenna Pavelec, …
Seven Associates Join Wilkinson Stekloff
January 17, 2023
Wilkinson Stekloff is pleased to announce the addition of seven associates. The new class includes a Rhodes Scholar, a former SCOTUS law clerk, and five other highly accomplished attorneys who all share a commitment to trial work and pro bono service. “Our firm is committed to developing the next generation of trial lawyers and giving them meaningful trial experience and client exposure. We are excited to welcome this talented group to our team,” said Beth Wilkinson, founding partner, Wilkinson Stekloff. “We are proud to have this new class join our firm, and look forward to their many contributions and supporting them in their professional development as they start this next chapter of their careers,” said Founding Partner Brian Stekloff. The new WS associates include: Emily Clarke Before joining the firm, Emily was a law clerk to the Honorable D. Michael Fisher of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third …
Wilkinson Stekloff Wins Early Release for Client in Pro Bono Compassionate Release Case
July 2, 2020
Washington, D.C. — Wilkinson Stekloff associates Meghan Cleary, Jenna Pavelec, and Matthew Skanchy, with assistance from partner Rakesh Kilaru, associate Betsy Henthorne, and paralegals David Walsh and Jack Satti, recently secured the early release from prison of their pro bono client Steven Pantoja, after he had been incarcerated for almost 30 years. Mr. Pantoja, now 46, had been in custody since he was just 17 years old when Wilkinson Stekloff’s successful efforts in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia led to a reduction of Mr. Pantoja’s sentence and his prompt release from prison to rejoin his family. The Wilkinson Stekloff team had sought emergency relief under the First Step Act, which allows federal courts to grant early release from prison where “extraordinary and compelling” reasons support a sentence reduction. In their emergency motion, Wilkinson Stekloff forcefully argued that “extraordinary and compelling” reasons supported Mr. Pantoja’s …
Wilkinson Stekloff Celebrates Another Outstanding Year of High Stakes Trials and Accolades for the Next Generation of Trial Lawyers
December 30, 2019
WASHINGTON –Wilkinson Stekloff enters its fifth year having cemented its status as the premier trial litigation boutique in the country. 2019 featured three high-stakes, high-pressure trials, in which different partners served as lead trial counsel and eight partners in total had stand-up roles. The firm continued to receive accolades for its successes in delivering results to its clients while deepening its diverse bench of go-to litigators.
Wilkinson Stekloff Adds Five New Associates
November 12, 2019
WASHINGTON — Wilkinson Stekloff today announced the addition of five new associates in its Washington D.C. office. Samiyyah Ali, Alysha Bohanon, Jenna Pavelec, Benjamin Raker, and Caitlin Callahan join Wilkinson Stekloff’s team of expert litigators as the firm nears its fourth year. “We are thrilled to welcome Samiyyah, Alysha, Jenna, Benjamin, and Caitlin to the Wilkinson Stekloff family,” said Sean Eskovitz, Wilkinson Stekloff Founding Partner. “As our firm continues to grow, the diversity of our new associates’ experiences and training will further empower us to continue delivering the best results for our clients.” Samiyyah Ali comes to Wilkinson Stekloff after completing three clerkships, most recently on the Supreme Court for Justice Sonia Sotomayor. She previously clerked for Judges Sri Srinivasan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and Judge Amul Thapar of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Before clerking, Samiyyah worked at Williams & …