Wilkinson Stekloff Partner Cali Arat was profiled as one of Law360’s Rising Stars—an award honoring “attorneys under 40 whose legal accomplishments belie their age.” From over 1,100 submissions, Cali was selected for her substantial achievements over the past several years as one of only three practitioners in the Product Liability practice area.
In an interview with Law360, Cali reflected on her work at the forefront of high-stakes product liability litigation. She recounted her role in securing Monsanto’s first trial win in its Roundup litigation, Clark v. Monsanto, saying it “was a real uphill battle for us.” Despite the difficulties faced, Cali’s examinations of two crucial expert witnesses—directing Monsanto’s weed science expert and crossing plaintiff’s human studies expert—contributed to a victory that “changed the tide” as Monsanto went on to score multiple subsequent wins in the sprawling litigation.
Cali next served as lead counsel for the Bayer subsidiary in a first-of-its-kind hybrid trial involving claims surrounding Roundup and PCB exposure, Frank v. Monsanto. Cali’s adept witness examinations and oral argument led to a favorable resolution just prior to closing arguments, as over a dozen hybrid cases set for trial all reached a collective settlement.
Cali also talked about the satisfaction she gets from practicing in an area that constantly deals with the “human experience” because “people are always at the center of it.” She explained to Law360 that when considering injuries from every-day products “it feels very close to home, for both us, for jurors and for those who are involved in the case from the plaintiff’s side” which presents unique challenges, but offers equally rewarding opportunities.
Law360 highlighted Cali’s range outside product liability, noting she was “particularly proud of her work for a pro bono client” that “resulted in a victory at trial and on appeal in a complex and contentious divorce and child custody case” making new caselaw in the D.C. Court of Appeals. Cali was also “instrumental” to the NCAA’s recent groundbreaking $2.8 billion name, image, and likeness settlement, one of the most complicated and publicized resolutions in the history of sports, noting how “trying to craft a settlement with all of that noise is an interesting challenge.”
The Law360 recognition came as no surprise to Cali’s colleagues. “I’ve seen first-hand just how brilliant Cali is in court and I’m glad that others are recognizing it too,” said Founding Partner Brian Stekloff, who served as first-chair counsel for Monsanto in the Clark trial. “Since her first trial that we worked on together, Cali has consistently gained the trust of clients and earned several first-chair trial opportunities. We couldn’t be happier for Cali to receive such a well-deserved honor and are excited for her continued success here.”