Washington, D.C. — The Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia recently recognized Wilkinson Stekloff for its contribution to the 2021 Making Justice Real Campaign, an annual fundraiser to support Legal Aid’s mission to provide legal services to people living in poverty in DC. Wilkinson Stekloff raised the most money from firms with 25 to 49 attorneys, contributing a total of $54,000, enough to staff a Legal Aid attorney for seven months. “Our firm has a deep and lasting commitment to providing pro bono representation, and we are honored to support Legal Aid’s mission to improve access to justice for all,” said Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Kosta Stojilkovic. “Especially at a time like this, with so many people in our community facing possible eviction due to the impact of the pandemic, we take seriously our responsibility to support Legal Aid.” Bringing together thousands of people, the 2021 Making Justice Real Campaign has …
Benchmark Litigation Selects Beth Wilkinson for Its 2021 Top 10 Women in Litigation List
August 5, 2021
Washington, D.C. — Wilkinson Stekloff Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson has been chosen for Benchmark Litigation’s elite group of the 10 leading women litigators who stand out from its iconic Top 250 Women in Litigation 2021 List. Beth has served as lead counsel in over 50 jury trials, including numerous bet-the company, multibillion-dollar cases, and established an unrivaled record of victories in federal and state courts throughout the country. In just the last year, Beth has served as lead trial counsel for Altria in a major administrative trial, successfully represented Judge Emmet Sullivan in mandamus proceedings in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit arising out of his handling of the criminal case involving former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, and directed the defense of multiple other high-profile litigations, including on behalf of Altria, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, USA, and the NFL. Beth’s peerless dedication to excellence has won her the …
Wilkinson Stekloff Featured in Law.com’s “Future of Litigation: What’s Next” Newsletter
July 28, 2021
Law.com reporter Alaina Lancaster highlighted Wilkinson Stekloff in her “What’s Next” newsletter on innovations in litigation practice. Speaking with partner James Rosenthal, she reported on the firm’s groundbreaking creation of an in-house courtroom for use in a recent remote bench trial. Thanks to the resourceful work of the firm’s technology team, the in-house setup allowed lawyers and witnesses to be in the same room during direct examinations that were streamed virtually to the judge and opposing counsel. Read the full story here.
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 …
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 Partner Rakesh Kilaru Named Law360 Rising Star for Sports and Betting
June 21, 2021
Washington, D.C. – Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Rakesh Kilaru was named one of Law360’s 2021 Rising Stars–a lawyer under the age of 40 whose legal accomplishments “transcend his age.” Rakesh was selected out of more than 1,400 attorneys across the United States and is one of five recognized for exemplary work in the sports and betting industries. This latest award builds off Wilkinson Stekloff’s recent recognition as one of Law360’s Sports and Betting Groups of the year in 2020. In an interview with Law360, Kilaru discussed his involvement in every one of the firm’s sports litigation matters so far, representing the NCAA and the NFL. Rakesh noted the importance of focusing at all times on how “to sway the judge or jury,” while also keeping “in the back of your head how that will play on appeal.” Speaking about the skills he tries to bring to his clients, Rakesh added, “I’m …
Wilkinson Stekloff Wins Immigration Case, Withholding Removal for Pro Bono Client
June 9, 2021
Washington, D.C. – This week, Michelle Li, Zach Fields, Xiao Wang, and Jack Satti secured a significant win in Arlington Immigration Court on behalf of their client, “Rogelio.” Rogelio was seeking relief from deportation to Honduras through a procedure known as withholding of removal. While tens of thousands of immigrants seek this protection each year, only about 3% of such requests are granted. Wilkinson Stekloff’s victory followed a proceeding that spanned seventeen hours in open court over the course of several months, and involved hundreds of pages of briefing filed by both sides. “It is rare to have a case where a client’s liberty and freedom to live openly are so directly on the line,” said Fields. “It has been a true honor to represent Rogelio in his fight to live a full and open life in the United States.” Rogelio’s fears of returning to Honduras stemmed from his sexual …
Wilkinson Stekloff Recognized in Several Categories for Latest Rankings by Chambers and Partners
May 24, 2021
Washington, D.C. – Chambers and Partners, an independent research company that ranks the nation’s top law firms, highlighted Wilkinson Stekloff as the top litigation boutique in DC and as a products liability powerhouse. Chambers also recognized the firm’s two name partners, Beth Wilkinson and Brian Stekloff, for their excellence. Chambers utilizes a tiered “band” system to recognize firms. Wilkinson Stekloff was honored within Band 3 for “Products Liability and Mass Torts Nationwide” (the only DC boutique firm recognized) and within Band 3 for “Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite in DC” (one of just two DC boutiques recognized). Chambers described the firm as an “impressive litigation boutique, noted for its expert handling of complex, bet-the-company cases for leading corporate clients across a wide range of sectors,” particularly in pharmaceutical, antitrust, trade secrets, and consumer class action cases. Commentators described lauded Wilkinson Stekloff’s “fantastic trial lawyers,” calling it a “fabulous firm” with …
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 …