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 …
2021 Year In Review
January 26, 2022
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 …
Crain’s New York Selects Partners Moira Penza and Ralia Polechronis as “Notable Women in Law”
December 21, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Wilkinson Stekloff is pleased to congratulate Partners Moira Penza and Ralia Polechronis on being named 2022 Notable Women in Law by Crain’s New York Business. The elite list of 119 lawyers includes women in all areas of law in New York City and surrounding counties who have been practicing for at least ten years and have attained a leadership role at their firms. Crain’s writes that honorees were chosen “not only for their skills and accomplishments in the courtroom, but for their leadership outside of it.” Moira Penza is an accomplished litigator with a record of success winning high-stakes civil and criminal trials. Her work has been recognized through industry accolades such as Bloomberg Law’s 2021 They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40; Benchmark Litigation’s 2021 40 and Under Hot List; and Law 360’s list of 2020 Rising Stars in the prestigious “Trials” category. Moira is a lifelong …
Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Moira Penza Quoted in Coverage of High-Profile Trials
October 1, 2021
Journalists regularly call on Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Moira Penza to serve as a source for their reporting. Moira’s extensive experience on cases receiving intense media attention, and her knowledge of trial strategy, enable her to provide context and insight that helps reporters accurately communicate important nuances of trials to their readers. Over the past two months, Moria has provided substantive commentary on strategy in the R. Kelly trial to outlets including NPR, The Daily Beast, CNN, and, most recently, The New York Times, in which she provided analysis of the defense’s cross-examination technique. Moira brings this same deep experience in courtroom strategy to her work on behalf of Wilkinson Stekloff clients, and the firm is fortunate to have her on the team.
Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Kieran Gostin, Rakesh Kilaru, and Moira Penza named to Benchmark Litigation’s 2021 40 & Under Hot List
July 21, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Benchmark Litigation has honored three Wilkinson Stekloff partners on its exclusive “40 & Under Hot List” of the most notable up-and-coming litigators in the U.S. Kieran Gostin, Rakesh Kilaru, and Moira Penza were noted as being among the best and brightest young law firm partners in the country, based on Benchmark research taking into account their work on noteworthy recent cases and input from clients and peers. Benchmark is hailed as the Definitive Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys. “We are proud to see our partners recognized for their hard work and dedication to achieving great results for our clients,” said Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson. “As a firm, we’re committed to developing the next generation of trial lawyers. Kieran, Rakesh, and Moira exemplify that emerging leadership and are outstanding role models within the firm.” Kieran has been included on the list for the second year in …
Bloomberg Law Recognizes Partners Moira Penza and Rakesh Kilaru in They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40
July 15, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following a nationwide competition, Bloomberg Law honored Wilkinson Stekloff partners Moira Penza and Rakesh Kilaru in its inaugural edition of They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40, recognizing them as “stellar young lawyers” who “represent the best of the future of the legal profession.” In choosing whom to honor, Bloomberg Law spent months reviewing nominees’ records of success for their clients, as well as leadership contributions to their firms and communities, their thoughts on what they’re most proud of as attorneys, lessons learned as first-year attorneys, how they define success, their most influential mentors, and feedback from clients. Moira and Rakesh stood out as top-notch litigators, “innovators and pro bono advocates.” The group of honorees was also recognized for their diversity and inclusion efforts, investing “time into making the legal profession a better reflection of our world.” Moira Penza was recognized for her trial work at Wilkinson …
Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Moira Penza Named to Crain’s New York Business 40 Under 40 List
March 23, 2021
Washington, D.C. – Crain’s New York Business named Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Moira Penza to its annual 40 under 40 list, recognizing the most accomplished New York City-based professionals under age 40 across all sectors of the business world, including law, finance, real estate, technology, healthcare innovation, hospitality and the arts. Announcing her selection to 2021’s 40 under 40 class, Crain’s called Moira “very much a legal star” and praised her ability to relate to juries and witnesses while also proving to be “a canny legal strategist” who can “go for the jugular when necessary.” In an interview with Crain’s, Moira said one of the secrets to her success is that adversaries do not always expect her to “be as fierce” as she “definitely can be.” “She has ingenuity, creativity and doggedness,” Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson said to Crain’s about Moira. “She has great confidence, but she also has humility. Jurors can …
Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Moira Penza Named to City & State’s Law Power 100 List
March 16, 2021
Washington, D.C. – City & State named Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Moira Penza to its New York’s Law Power 100 list, which recognizes the most influential attorneys in the industry. This is Moira’s second recognition by City & State on the Power 100 list. City & State acknowledged Moira as “a rising star in New York’s legal world” and highlighted her lead roles in several high profile litigations including an $8 billion antitrust case against Allergan and Summer Zervos’s defamation case against Donald Trump. “I am grateful to have been recognized by City & State for two consecutive years,” said Moira Penza. “I look forward to continuing my work on high-stakes civil and criminal trials alongside my colleagues at Wilkinson Stekloff.” Prior to joining Wilkinson Stekloff, Moira served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York where she successfully led numerous criminal prosecutions, including the groundbreaking …
Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Moira Penza and Ralia Polechronis Awarded Notable Women in Law by Crain’s New York Business
December 23, 2020
Washington, D.C. – Crain’s New York Business has named Wilkinson Stekloff partners Moira Penza and Ralia Polechronis to its Crain’s New York Business 2021 “Notable Women in Law” list. Crain’s selected attorneys based on their skills, sense of justice, and professional achievements. Moira and Ralia were also recognized for their pro bono work and commitment to helping their communities. Crain’s highlighted Moira’s high-profile litigation practice which builds upon her resume as a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Crain’s explained, “She’s been fielding an independent review of the Washington Football Team’s policies amid allegations of workplace misconduct. . .She’s also representing Altria in a series of. . .lawsuits arising out of its investment in Juul.” “I am honored to be recognized for my high-profile litigation experience and for the key role Wilkinson Stekloff plays in pro bono advocacy,” said Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Moira Penza. “It …
Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Moira Penza Named Law360 Rising Star for Trials
July 17, 2020
Washington – Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Moira Penza was named one of Law360’s 2020 Rising Stars. The award recognizes Moira as a lawyer “under 40 whose accomplishments transcend” her age and describes how she “knocked it out of the park last summer when she prosecuted the leader of a shadowy New York self-help group [Nxivm] for sex trafficking in a six-week trial, then went to private practice and was hired to lead Allergan into an antitrust battle.” In an interview with Law360, Moira discussed her role as lead prosecutor in the Nixvm case and the challenges she faced during trial. “Managing that role in a case that I was so invested in, having brought it from start to finish and having come to care for the women who had been victimized, [was] really like being thrown in the deep end. So when I survived and it could not have gone better …