Wilkinson Stekloff Rises in New Legal 500 Rankings; Leading Partners Recognized Across Multiple Practice Areas

Continuing its recent streak of national recognition, Wilkinson Stekloff has again been named a Top Tier trial law firm by Legal 500 in its United States Nationwide 2026 Guide. The firm advanced across several practice areas and placed multiple Partners in leading tiers across four separate practice areas.

Among the most respected worldwide legal benchmarking publications, Legal 500’s 2026 Nationwide guide is its largest yet—curated from months of independent research, analysis of nomination submissions, and interviews with peers and clients alike.

After breaking in last year as a “Firm to Watch” in the premium “General Commercial Disputes” category that considers matters involving $500 million or more, Wilkinson Stekloff advanced to Tier 4 in the 2026 Guide, a rise that underscores the firm’s proven ability to handle the most high-stakes disputes across a breadth of specialties. Its ranking in the “Sport” industry also climbed, reaching Tier 3, owing to multiple significant wins on behalf of the NCAA in myriad litigation relating to college athlete name, image, and likeness (“NIL”) compensation and eligibility rules, reinforcing the firm’s longstanding reputation as a marquee sports litigation practice. Wilkinson Stekloff also retained its positions in “Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action”—for both “Toxic Tort” and “Consumer Products (Including Tobacco)”—and “Antitrust Civil Litigation Defense.”

Founding Partner Brian Stekloff has been recognized by Legal 500 for the first time as a Leading Trial Lawyer—one of the guide’s most prestigious distinctions—joining fellow Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson, who maintained her status in Tier 1 as one of the nation’s premier trial attorneys. Brian also retained his designation as a Leading Partner in “Toxic Torts,” while the firm’s newest Partner, Bill Geraghty, continued as a Leading Partner in “Consumer Products.” And in the “Sport” category Rakesh Kilaru garnered new recognition as a Leading Partner and Cali Arat was honored as a Next Generation Partner.

In total, 13 Wilkinson Stekloff Partners and Counsel were ranked or recognized as “Key Lawyers” by Legal 500 across seven practice areas, reaffirming our standing as the preeminent litigation boutique and trial firm in the country.

The firm’s complete rankings in Legal 500’s 2026 United States Guide include:

Wilkinson Stekloff

Product liability, mass tort and class action – defense: toxic tort (Tier 2)
Product liability, mass tort and class action – defense: consumer products (including tobacco) (Tier 3)
Sport (Tier 3)
General Commercial Disputes – Premium ($500M+) (Tier 4)
Antitrust Civil litigation/class actions: defense (Tier 5)

Beth Wilkinson

Leading Trial Lawyers (Tier 1)
Washington, DC Elite: Commercial Disputes (Tier 1)
Key Lawyer (General Commercial Disputes – Premium; Product Liability: Toxic Tort; Product Liability: Consumer Products; Antitrust Civil Litigation Defense; Sport)

Brian Stekloff

Leading Trial Lawyers (Tier 6)
Leading Partner (Product Liability: Toxic Torts)
Key Lawyer (General Commercial Disputes – Premium; Product Liability: Consumer Products; Antitrust Civil Litigation Defense; Sport)

Bill Geraghty