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
Wilkinson Stekloff Helps Secure Win Blocking Arizona “Fetal Personhood” Law
July 13, 2022
A federal district court has granted a preliminary injunction preventing a 2021 law that grants “personhood” rights to fetuses, embryos, and fertilized eggs from being used to prohibit abortion care in Arizona. The emergency motion for an injunction was filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ACLU of Arizona, and Wilkinson Stekloff LLP on behalf of the Arizona Medical Association, the Arizona National Council of Jewish Women, Arizona NOW, and two abortion providers, Dr. Paul Isaacson and Dr. Eric Reuss. “The district court decision blocking the enforcement of Arizona’s personhood law helps protect Arizonans from civil and criminal penalties stemming from the provision of abortion care,” said Wilkinson Stekloff partner Ralia Polechronis. “Before this significant ruling, confusion and fear created by this vague provision were resulting in Arizonans being deprived of access to essential and time-sensitive healthcare. We are proud to have achieved this meaningful victory …
Wilkinson Stekloff Lawyers Named to LCLD 2022 Class
March 4, 2022
Wilkinson Stekloff is pleased to announce its selection of three rising leaders to participate in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellows and Pathfinder Programs. LCLD prepares future generations of diverse talent for the highest positions of leadership, and their programs are a premier professional development platform designed for diverse, high-potential attorneys. This year, Wilkinson Stekloff is sponsoring Partner Ralia Polechronis as a Fellow and Associates Julian Jiggetts and Anastasia Pastan as Pathfinders. Lawyers selected for the LCLD programs demonstrate leadership skills, impact in their organization, engagement within the community, and commitment to diversity and inclusion. Participants will receive professional and personal development opportunities, leadership training, and relationship-building opportunities, including access to LCLD members and alumni throughout the year-long program. Ralia is an experienced litigator who represents Fortune 500 companies in bet-the-company litigation ranging from antitrust, products liability, contract disputes and general commercial litigation. Before joining Wilkinson Stekloff, she served as the Executive Director and General Counsel of …
Wilkinson Stekloff Secures Dismissal of FTC Antitrust Complaint Against Altria Group
March 2, 2022
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 Delivers Pre-Trial Win for Medtronic and Covidien in Hernia Mesh Litigation
November 30, 2021
A U.S. District Court Judge handed down a decisive victory for Medtronic and Covidien in litigation arising from claims that one of their hernia mesh products has design and manufacturing defects, and that the company provided inadequate warnings about the risks of the hernia mesh. Wilkinson Stekloff Founding Partner Brian Stekloff led the victory in Northrup v. Covidien (C.D. Cal.) by obtaining key admissions from Plaintiff’s expert that were quoted extensively in the Court’s opinion dismissing the case. Brian Stekloff also led oral argument before Judge Dean Pregerson on Defendants’ motions to exclude the opinions of Plaintiff’s expert and for summary judgment. Judge Pregerson agreed with Defendants’ arguments, and, on November 24, ruled that all of Plaintiff’s expert’s opinions were inadmissible under Daubert and that Plaintiff’s claims could not proceed in the absence of admissible expert support. Judge Pregerson dismissed the case in its entirety. Northrup v. Covidien had been set to go to trial …
ICYMI: Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Ralia E. Polechronis Featured in “How I Made Partner” Series
July 13, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Wilkinson Stekloff partner Ralia E. Polechronis has been featured in ALM’s “How I Became Partner” series, which highlights how some of the most prominent lawyers in the field climbed to top positions in the legal world and imparts their advice to newcomers in the legal profession. Ralia on the stellar partnership at Wilkinson Stekloff: “Partnership is very much a two-way street—you have to perform, but you also need those already there to cheer you on.” – Ralia Polechronis. Ralia’s advice to young associates who want to become partner: “Put yourself out there. Take risks and ask questions. Treat each assignment—no matter how mundane—as the most important task for your team and your client. Make yourself indispensable. If you are the person partners and your peers go to for the answers, you are doing something right. Finally, and this is just as important as the other advice, give …
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 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.
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