Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Rakesh Kilaru and Kieran Gostin Named to Benchmark Litigation “40 & Under Hot List”

WASHINGTON – Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Rakesh Kilaru and Kieran Gostin were named to the 2020 Benchmark Litigation “40 & Under Hot List.” Benchmark recognized them as leading and notable up-and-coming litigation partners in the United States. This marks the third consecutive year Rakesh has been recognized by Benchmark. Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson said, “Rakesh and Kieran continue to demonstrate what it means to be stellar attorneys and exemplary role models. I am proud to see their hard work and dedication to achieving the greatest result for their clients in the courtroom being honored and recognized. We are thrilled to have them as part of our team and look forward to their future accomplishments.” Benchmark recognized Rakesh for his involvement in a “wide range of antitrust, sports, product liability, commercial, class action, and appellate litigation,” including high-profile antitrust cases for the national Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Football League …

Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Kosta Stojilkovic Named One of DC’s Rising Stars

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Law Journal announced the selection of Wilkinson Stekloff partner Kosta Stojilkovic to its annual list of D.C. Rising Stars.  Kosta joined the firm in August 2016. Since then, he has served as trial counsel for Facebook in its largest jury trial to date—a $6 billion trade secrets dispute—and has represented the NCAA and the NFL in other high-profile matters. Prior to joining Wilkinson Stekloff, Kosta was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, and clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts. “Kosta is a skilled litigator and an invaluable member of our team here at Wilkinson Stekloff, so it’s no surprise that he has been named one of D.C.’s Rising Stars,” said Sean Eskovitz, a founding partner of the firm. “We’re thrilled to see one of our lawyers recognized for his hard work, tenacity, and exceptional litigation skills.” In compiling its list, the …

Wilkinson Stekloff Wins Two High Stakes Antitrust Cases in Two Months for Georgia-Pacific and the NFL

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Wilkinson Stekloff has won two major antitrust cases before trial for Georgia Pacific LLC and the National Football League. On August 3, Wilkinson Stekloff won summary judgment for Georgia Pacific LLC in an antitrust class action lawsuit involving over $10 billion in claimed damages.  The court’s decision came just one day after it preliminarily approved a settlement in which Georgia Pacific’s co-defendants agreed to pay over $350 million. Plaintiffs in this case were direct purchasers of containerboard products who claimed that Georgia Pacific and several other major containerboard producers conspired to restrict the supply of containerboard, and thus increase its price, between 2004 and 2010.   After the district court certified Plaintiffs’ proposed class, Georgia Pacific hired Wilkinson Stekloff to handle all aspects of summary judgment briefing and trial. The Wilkinson Stekloff team, led by Beth Wilkinson, Alexandra Walsh, and Brant Bishop, developed an evidentiary record focused on …

Benchmark Names Wilkinson Stekloff “Boutique Firm of the Year”

WASHINGTON – Benchmark Litigation named Wilkinson Stekloff the “Boutique Firm of the Year” during its annual awards ceremony in New York City. This prestigious award recognizes Wilkinson Stekloff’s remarkable accomplishments in just its first year, including a high-stakes jury trial win two months after opening its doors last February and other high-profile engagements for the NFL, Pfizer, Facebook, Bayer, the NCAA, Theranos, and Medtronic. “The Benchmark award recognizes our commitment to excellence and getting results for our clients,” said founding partner Beth Wilkinson, an American Lawyer Litigator of the Year. “We have the best trial teams, with unmatched courtroom experience, ready to win more high-stakes cases across the country.” In selecting Wilkinson Stekloff for this award, Benchmark described the trial-focused boutique as “emblematic of a litigator’s dream shop, boasting composite qualities of diversity, youth, and a culture fostering a work-hard-play-hard ethos that its personnel takes to heart.” With offices in …

Wilkinson Honored as Go-To Litigator for Sports Industry

Founding partner Beth Wilkinson was featured in the June 27 issue of Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal as a “power player” among outside counsel in the sports industry. “Beth has handled some of the biggest class-action cases in sports while representing Major League Baseball and the NFL.” — Sports Business Journal Wilkinson Stekloff currently represents the NFL in a putative antitrust class action challenging the League’s broadcast arrangement for its Sunday Ticket Package.  The firm also represents the NCAA in a defamation suit set for trial in Los Angeles. Read more at Sports Business Journal.