Wilkinson Stekloff is pleased to announce that Sarah Neuman has been promoted to Partner effective January 1, 2025. Since joining Wilkinson Stekloff in 2017, Sarah has been a member of numerous trial teams and achieved success for clients in some of the biggest and most significant cases in the country. “Sarah emerged as a leader within the firm and is a go-to resource for clients and colleagues alike,” said Wilkinson Stekloff Founding Partner Brian Stekloff. “Her growth over the past seven years embodies our firm’s commitment to training the next generation of trial lawyers. We’re thrilled to welcome her to the firm’s partnership and look forward to the many successes she will continue to achieve in and outside the courtroom.” Sarah recently played an integral role in securing a groundbreaking victory for Microsoft, defeating the FTC’s efforts to enjoin its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard and winning the second-biggest …
Wilkinson Stekloff Celebrates 2024 Achievements
December 16, 2024
Over the past year, Wilkinson Stekloff has continued to reinforce its standing as the leading trial litigation boutique in the country, delivering market-moving results for its clients. The firm’s recent accomplishments include: The firm also continued its commitment to pro bono work — building on the more than 100 pro bono matters it has handled since the firm’s founding in 2016. Wilkinson Stekloff attorneys took on matters across areas including family law, immigration, post-conviction representation, appeals, and filing amicus briefs. In November, Associates Dhruti Patel and Tania Martinez, with assistance from Counsel Sarah Neuman, obtained a decisive victory in an asylum matter for a gay man who had endured a lifetime of discrimination and persecution in his home country of Colombia. The firm also prevailed in two pro bono appeals this fall on behalf of incarcerated individuals seeking the ability to file civil actions without payment of filing fees. Associates Logan Page …
Crain’s New York Business Recognizes Jeremy Barber Among Notable Leaders in Law
December 11, 2024
Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Jeremy Barber has been recognized by Crain’s New York Business among the 2024 “Notable Leaders in Accounting, Consulting & Law.” This honor celebrates individuals who possess the financial, strategic, and legal expertise to drive significant commercial activity in the region, shaping New York City’s business landscape and fostering enterprise growth. A former federal prosecutor and experienced trial attorney, Jeremy has brought more than 30 cases to trial before judges and jurors. Most recently, he served as lead trial counsel defending fintech company Plaid against trademark infringement claims brought by PNC Bank. He delivered numerous pretrial wins before negotiating a settlement on the eve of trial. Jeremy also recently helped manage the trial team that secured judgment as a matter of law for the NFL and its 32 member teams in a class action lawsuit challenging the distribution of the Sunday Ticket subscription package and the NFL’s media agreements …
Wilkinson Stekloff Prevails in Appeals for Incarcerated Individuals Pursuing Deprivation of Rights Actions
December 9, 2024
Wilkinson Stekloff recently prevailed in two pro bono matters related to the Prisoner Litigation Reform Act’s (PLRA) three-strikes rule, which bars prisoner plaintiffs from proceeding in a civil action without payment of filing fees, or in forma pauperis, if the prisoner has three or more times brought an action or appeal that was dismissed as frivolous, malicious, or failing to state a claim. Associates Logan Page and Dhruti Patel represented an incarcerated individual in his appeal challenging the dismissal of an action against Michigan state correctional facility employees who allegedly withheld medical treatment for his multiple sclerosis. In its dismissal, the District Court for the Western District of Michigan found that the three-strikes rule disqualified the client from proceeding in forma pauperis. Logan and Dhruti successfully disputed two of the client’s three assessed strikes, arguing that some of the claims in each action were dismissed on grounds not enumerated in …
Wilkinson Stekloff Secures Asylum Victory for Pro Bono Client Fleeing Persecution Based on LGBTQ+ Status
November 21, 2024
November 8, 2024, Wilkinson Stekloff Associates Dhruti Patel and Tania Martinez, with assistance from Counsel Sarah Neuman, obtained a decisive victory in an asylum matter for a pro bono client. The client, a gay man, had endured a lifetime of discrimination and persecution in his home country of Colombia. The client’s mistreatment culminated in a brutal attack carried out by state actors in 2023 on account of the client’s sexual orientation. The client’s attackers continued to pursue him after the attack, even threatening to kill him. During the client’s immigration hearing, he shared compelling testimony about the violence he faced in Colombia and his fear of being killed if he were forced to return. Building on this testimony, the Wilkinson Stekloff team successfully argued that despite instituting some legal protections for gay individuals, Colombia remains one of the most dangerous places in all of South America for members of the LGBTQ+ community, …
Wilkinson Stekloff Named National Boutique of the Year at 2024 American Lawyer Industry Awards
November 14, 2024
In recognition of Wilkinson Stekloff’s work on some of the most consequential trials across the country, The American Lawyer selected the firm as its National Boutique / Specialty Litigation Department of the Year at the 2024 Industry Awards. Across all types of high-stakes litigation, 40-lawyer firm Wilkinson Stekloff has delivered a slate of victories that would be the envy of far larger firms, trying over 20 cases to verdict since 2016 and stacking up win after win. The firm’s most recent accomplishments include winning the second-largest merger trial in American history, the biggest involving a technology company, by defeating the Federal Trade Commission’s motion for a preliminary injunction to block Microsoft’s proposed $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The firm continues to represent Microsoft in the FTC’s appeal in the Ninth Circuit and the FTC’s challenge to the merger through an administrative proceeding. This past year, the firm also delivered …
Law360 Chronicles Rakesh Kilaru’s Groundbreaking Victories in Sports & Betting MVP Feature
November 12, 2024
Law360 recently featured Partner Rakesh Kilaru in an article chronicling the accomplishments that led to his 2024 MVP for Sports & Betting recognition. This past year, Rakesh delivered major victories for the NCAA and NFL, confirming his standing as the first choice for clients facing the toughest and most consequential litigation in professional and college sports. Most recently, Rakesh surfaced as the architect of a groundbreaking settlement to a series of antitrust class action lawsuits brought by hundreds of thousands of current and former student-athletes challenging NCAA rules that limit student-athlete compensation and benefits. Preliminary approval of the $2.78 billion settlement, one of the largest and most consequential in sports and antitrust history, was granted on October 7, 2024. Rakesh also served as co-lead trial counsel for the NFL and its 32 member clubs in a class action lawsuit brought by residential and commercial subscribers of the NFL’s Sunday Ticket …
Beth Wilkinson and Rakesh Kilaru Named Winning Litigators at 2024 National Law Journal Legal Awards
October 28, 2024
In recognition of Wilkinson Stekloff’s remarkable run of wins in some of the past year’s most consequential trials and matters, Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson and Partner Rakesh Kilaru were named joint Winning Litigators at the 2024 National Law Journal Legal Awards. This prestigious annual series highlights the top litigation work of law firms and attorneys from the previous year. Selected from a competitive field of 20 accomplished finalists, Beth and Rakesh secured the Winning Litigators recognition for their work taking on some of the largest and most complex antitrust litigation in the country. They led the team that won the second largest merger trial in American history and the biggest involving a technology company, defeating the FTC’s motion for a preliminary injunction to block Microsoft’s proposed $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. They continue to represent Microsoft in the FTC’s appeal in the Ninth Circuit and the FTC’s challenge to the merger through an …
Law360 Selects Rakesh Kilaru as Sports & Betting MVP
October 22, 2024
Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Rakesh Kilaru has been recognized by Law360 as a 2024 MVP for Sports & Betting. Selected from more than 900 submissions, this year’s class of MVPs has distinguished themselves from their peers by securing hard-earned successes in high-stakes litigation, complex global matters, and record-breaking deals. Most recently, Rakesh served as the lead defense negotiator of a groundbreaking settlement, announced in May 2024, involving a series of antitrust class action lawsuits brought by hundreds of thousands of current and former student-athletes against the NCAA and the Autonomy Five collegiate athletic conferences. Seeking to revolutionize college sports, plaintiffs challenged NCAA rules that limit student-athlete compensation and benefits, including rules restricting student-athletes from the commercial use of their name, image, and likeness (“NIL”), as well as rules prohibiting professional-style revenue sharing. Preliminary approval of the $2.78 billion settlement, one of the largest and most consequential litigation settlements in sports and …
Law360 Recognizes Wilkinson Stekloff Among Top Five Firms in 2024 Pro Bono Ranking
October 16, 2024
Wilkinson Stekloff placed fifth nationally among firms with fewer than 100 attorneys in the 2024 Law360 Pulse Pro Bono Ranking. This is the third consecutive year the firm has been recognized among the top five in its size category. An essential component of Law360’s Social Impact Leaders rankings, the Pro Bono Ranking is based on several metrics including overall participation rate in pro bono activity. Wilkinson Stekloff has maintained a deep and lasting commitment to providing pro bono representation. Since its 2016 founding, the firm has handled more than 100 pro bono matters, with the vast majority of its attorneys devoting significant time across areas including family law, immigration, post-conviction representation, appeals, and filing amicus briefs. In addition to Law360 Pulse, Wilkinson Stekloff has been recognized by organizations including Chambers and Partners, Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll, DC Volunteer Lawyers Project, and the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice for making this …