Lawdragon has honored nine Wilkinson Stekloff partners in its inaugural 500 Leading Litigators in America guide dedicated to those attorneys who excel representing principally corporations and other organizations in litigating claims. Honorees were selected from a record number of submissions and independent research focused on recent cases and defense verdicts or settlements, as well as attorneys whose sustained excellence in trials is nothing short of remarkable. The Wilkinson Stekloff partners recognized include: Beth Wilkinson Brian Stekloff Jeremy Barber Kieran Gostin Rakesh Kilaru Moira Penza Ralia Polechronis James Rosenthal Kosta Stojilkovic
2021 Year In Review
WASHINGTON — In 2021, despite ongoing pandemic-related delays and challenges, the Wilkinson Stekloff team continued to litigate with the intensity and success that has cemented our reputation as the leading trial boutique in the country. In a year where trials remained scarce, WS tried two high-profile cases in 2021: WS served as lead trial counsel for Altria Group, Inc. in an adversarial administrative proceeding before the FTC. The FTC alleged that Altria and JLI violated antitrust laws through Altria’s purchase of a minority interest in JLI. At trial, Founding Partner 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. WS Partner Moira Penza examined Altria’s scientists, and WS Partner James Rosenthal played a central role in strategy and legal briefing. After a single day of deliberation in October 2021, a jury delivered the first-ever verdict for Monsanto in litigation over whether the herbicide Roundup causes …
Wilkinson Stekloff Celebrates Another Outstanding Year of High Stakes Trials and Accolades for the Next Generation of Trial Lawyers
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 Celebrates Banner Year of High Stakes Trial Wins By Next Generation Of Trial Lawyers
WASHINGTON – Wilkinson Stekloff is racing into its fourth year after notching a series of high-profile victories, led by a large and diverse group of partners. In 2018, all of Wilkinson Stekloff’s partners participated in trials and case-dispositive hearings, and several other attorneys achieved significant on-their-feet experience, including through pro bono cases. The firm earned repeated recognition for the depth and successes of its bench and added a new crop of talented litigators to its roster. Wilkinson Stekloff won three trials in 2018, each of which was first-chaired by a different partner: On April 27, 2018, Wilkinson Stekloff, led by Brian Stekloff, Jeremy Barber, and Lori McGill, won a unanimous defense verdict for Bayer and Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals in Russell v. Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the second state-court Xarelto bellwether trial in the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas. On May 21, 2018, Wilkinson Stekloff, led by Kosta Stojilkovic …
Wilkinson Stekloff Secures Victory in D.C. Child Custody Trial
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 …
Experienced Trial Attorney Jeremy Barber Elected To Wilkinson Stekloff Partnership
Wilkinson Stekloff is thrilled to announce the election to our partnership of experienced trial attorney Jeremy Barber. Jeremy’s background includes four years of service as an Assistant United States Attorney and four years as Senior Nominations Counsel in the Office of Legal Policy at the U.S. Department of Justice. Jeremy has successfully represented numerous clients in private practice, and he played an instrumental role in Wilkinson Stekloff’s first trial, for Altria Group’s subsidiary, Philip Morris USA. Jeremy joined Wilkinson Stekloff as Counsel in January 2016. His passion, skills, and dedication to client service are a welcome addition to the Wilkinson Stekloff partnership.