D.C. Courts, in partnership with the D.C. Access to Justice Commission and the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, honored 15 Wilkinson Stekloff attorneys in its 2022 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: Anastasia Pastan, Counsel (High Honors) Matthew Skanchy, Counsel (High Honors) Tania Martinez, Associate (High Honors) Brian Stekloff, Founding Partner Jeremy Barber, Partner Kieran Gostin, Partner Rakesh Kilaru, Partner Sarah Neuman, Counsel Alison Zoschak, …
Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Named to Benchmark Litigation’s 2023 40 & Under List
August 1, 2023
Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Cali Arat (née Cope-Kasten), Rakesh Kilaru, and Moira Penza were named to the 2023 Benchmark Litigation 40 & Under List, the guide to the nation’s most notable up-and-coming litigation attorneys. This is Cali’s first appearance on the list and Moira’s third. Rakesh has secured a spot each year since 2018. Since joining the firm at its founding in 2016, Cali has served as a key member of more than half of the firm’s trial teams, including most recently leading the representation of Monsanto in the first hybrid trial involving claims that exposure to PCBs and Roundup-branded products, both manufactured by Monsanto, cause Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Cali has helped to develop and execute successful trial strategies for corporate clients across a diverse set of industries, from pharmaceuticals to sports to social media. Her experience includes seven jury trials, three of which were federal multi-district litigation bellwether cases, two of which …
Beth Wilkinson Named “Litigator of the Week” for Leading Microsoft’s Defense of Activision Deal
July 17, 2023
On July 14, the American Lawyer named Beth Wilkinson its “Litigator of the Week,” and described Wilkinson Stekloff as “the legal equivalent of an elite special ops unit,” for leading Microsoft’s successful defense of its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. This intensely competitive recognition highlights the entire Wilkinson Stekloff team — including, in addition to Beth, Rakesh Kilaru, Kieran Gostin, Grace Hill, Anastasia Pastan, and Sarah Neuman — for its representation of Microsoft in a five-day evidentiary hearing in late June related to the Federal Trade Commission’s attempt to block Microsoft’s largest-ever acquisition. On July 10, U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley of the Northern District of California denied the FTC’s bid for an injunction to block the deal, finding the agency hadn’t proven that Microsoft was likely to pull the game “Call of Duty” from Sony’s PlayStation “or that its ownership of Activision content will substantially lessen competition in the video …
Wilkinson Stekloff Secures Denial of FTC Motion to Block Microsoft-Activision Blizzard Deal
July 10, 2023
Wilkinson Stekloff, led by Beth Wilkinson and Rakesh Kilaru, secured a groundbreaking victory for Microsoft, winning the second-biggest merger trial in American history. On June 12, 2023, the FTC filed a federal lawsuit to enjoin Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Just four weeks later, Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley denied the FTC’s motion for a preliminary injunction, finding that the Federal Trade Commission failed to make its case that the acquisition would substantially lessen competition in the gaming industry. Wilkinson Stekloff has served as litigation counsel for Microsoft since the day after the acquisition was announced, in January 2022. Over the following 18 months, the WS team led all aspects of litigation strategy, including developing the factual record and handling more than 40 depositions of company witnesses and experts. Just weeks before the transaction’s outside closing date of July 18, 2023, the FTC filed suit in the Northern District of California to enjoin the merger. Beth …
Wilkinson Stekloff Ranked Among 2023 Trial Elite
June 14, 2023
In recognition of Wilkinson Stekloff’s work on some of the most consequential trials across the antitrust, product liability, and sports landscape, legal industry research outlets Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500 have ranked the firm among the trial elite in their recently released 2023 editions. Chambers has maintained Wilkinson Stekloff’s position as one of the country’s most highly sought litigation boutiques, ranking it for General Commercial Litigation (DC) — The Elite (Band 3) and Product Liability & Mass Torts (USA-Nationwide) – The Elite (Band 4). Chambers also recognized Partners Beth Wilkinson (Star Individual in Trial Lawyers USA-Nationwide, Product Liability & Mass Torts Nationwide, General Commercial, DC, and Sports Law Nationwide, Band 4) and Brian Stekloff (Product Liability & Mass Torts Nationwide, Band 5). Wilkinson Stekloff is also newly noted as a “Firm to Watch” in Antitrust — Civil Litigation/Class Action Defense by The Legal 500, and is newly ranked …
Nine Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Recognized in 2022 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America
October 31, 2022
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
Benchmark Litigation Selects Wilkinson Stekloff as Top 20 Trial Law Firm, and Honors Six Partners
October 12, 2022
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 …
Three Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Recognized in the National Law Journal Legal Awards 2022
September 9, 2022
The National Law Journal has recognized three Wilkinson Stekloff partners in its 2022 Legal Awards. The prestigious annual series highlights the top litigation and appellate work of law firms and attorneys from the previous year. Wilkinson Stekloff had more individuals distinguished than any other firm. Partners Cali Cope-Kasten and Rakesh Kilaru were both named Rising Stars, while Founding Partner Brian Stekloff is a finalist in the “Winning Litigators” category. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on October 20. Cali made partner in early 2022, fresh off acting as trial counsel to help secure the first win for Monsanto in the Roundup mass tort litigation. She has played a critical role in six jury trials, three of which were federal multi-district litigation bellwether cases, and two bench trials. She has argued numerous motions in state and federal courts at the trial and appellate level and is serving as trial counsel for Monsanto in …
Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Named to Benchmark Litigation 40 & Under List
July 27, 2022
Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Kieran Gostin, Rakesh Kilaru, and Moira Penza were named to the 2022 Benchmark Litigation 40 & Under List, the guide to the nation’s most notable up-and-coming litigation attorneys. This is the second consecutive year that all three partners have been recognized by Benchmark, with Kieran making a third appearance and Rakesh securing a spot each year since 2018. Kieran has made his career representing the government and private clients in high-profile matters. Recently, he has represented clients in several major class actions, including obtaining a complete defense verdict in a rare trial of a major consumer class action. Over the past five years, he has also gone to trial in five product-liability trials, securing defense judgments in each case. Rakesh specializes in delivering favorable results to clients at every stage of litigation, tackling everything from arguing dispositive motions to crossing expert witnesses at trial to arguing precedent-setting appeals. He …
Five Wilkinson Stekloff Partners Included in 2022 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America
March 9, 2022
Lawdragon has named five Wilkinson Stekloff partners to its 2022 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America. The 500 honorees were selected through submissions, journalistic research, and input from editorial advisors. The annual distinction covers the best of the best in all practice areas. The Wilkinson Stekloff 2022 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers are Beth Wilkinson, Brian Stekloff, Rakesh Kilaru, James Rosenthal, and Kosta Stojilkovic.