The Legal 500 > United States > United States > General commercial disputes

Fielding a deep bench of 'highly qualified, creative attorneys', Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP maintains its reputation as a go-to firm for some of the most complex, high-profile commercial litigation in the country. In recent highlights, Kevin Orsini and Benjamin Gruenstein secured a victory for new client Occidental Petroleum before Delaware Chancery Court against a shareholder following the company's $57bn acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum. In another industry-defining engagement, chairman and star trial attorney Evan Chesler led a team in California federal court representing Qualcomm in its long-running multibillion dollar battle with Apple, ultimately securing a widely publicized global settlement in April 2019. Other leading practitioners include David Marriott and Lauren Moskowitz, who are representing Alcon laboratories in Florida federal court against antitrust class action allegations. Lauren Kennedy, already prominent in talc tort litigation for Colgate-Palmolive, made partner in January 2019. Partners newly elected in January 2020 focusing on general commercial litigation are Michael Addis, Justin Clarke and Lauren Rosenberg.

With first-rate expertise in the healthcare and financial sectors, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP frequently handles some of the most hotly contested litigation in the country. The firm is heavily involved in opioid crisis work: team co-head Maura Monaghan represents certain former directors and shareholders of Purdue Pharma in federal multi-district litigation with projected damages in excess of $1bn. In another highlight, private equity specialist Shannon Rose Selden defended Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in a securities class action lawsuit claiming $4.4bn in damages at the US District Court for the Middle District of Tennesse. Elsewhere, team co-head Mark Goodman represented Tribune Media Company in a number of matters in Delaware and Illinois federal courts in connection with its failed merger with Sinclair Broadcasting Group. Key attorneys with expertise in insurance litigation include chair of the firm's insurance group Maeve O’Connor and Susan Reagan Gittes. Both provide excellent continuity in the insurance space following the retirement of securities and insurance expert Edwin Schallert in December 2018. Also of note is counsel Elliot Greenfield, whose practice includes defending securities class actions.

Frequently involved in high-value, complex litigation with industry-wide repercussions, Kirkland & Ellis LLP distinguishes itself through its highly respected courtroom advocacy, and the breadth and depth of its practice. The team has particular strength in the pharmaceutical sector, alongside deep expertise in manufacturing and tech. Recently, James Hurst, Diana Watral and New York-based Patricia Carson won a unanimous defense verdict for Bristol-Myers Squibb in a 12-day trade secrets jury trial worth $600m over a cancer drug in Delaware state court. In another major highlight, Craig Primis and Erin Johnston from the DC office are representing Boeing in a trade secrets case claiming $100m in damages in the Northern District of Alabama. A key generalist lawyer working across industries is Andrew Kassof. The firm made a number of significant hires in 2019, among them former Attorney General of Illinois Lisa Madigan, and a team of three leading privacy lawyers from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in the DC and Dallas offices: Olivia Adendorff, Richard Cunningham and Sean Royall. All lawyers are Chicago-based unless otherwise stated.

Renowned for its deep bench of highly experienced trial attorneys, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP provides comprehensive commercial litigation expertise to market-leading companies in mission-critical disputes. In a significant development in 2019, a star team including team co-heads Brad Karp and Theodore Wells, Jr capped 15 years of hard-fought litigation arising from the 2003 collapse of Parmalat with a $1bn verdict for client Citigroup. In another high-profile matter in Delaware Chancery Court, Susanna Buergel, Lewis Clayton and Andrew Gordon obtained an unprecedented verdict for healthcare company Fresenius holding that it was justified in terminating a $4.8bn merger. The practice is also well versed in securities, ERISA, antitrust and IP litigation as well as breach of contract. Robert Atkins is representing IBM in a number of significant contractual disputes. High-profile arrivals bolstering the team in 2019 include former US Attorney General Loretta Lynch in New York, regulatory and white-collar expert Jeannie Rhee from Special Counsel Mueller's office, and head of the new appellate team Kannon Shanmugam, who joined the DC office from Williams & Connolly LLP. Named partners are in New York unless otherwise stated.

Recognized for its 'world-class lawyering', Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP has a leading litigation practice with wide-ranging capabilities. The firm ranks consistently among the strongest in insurance litigation. Recently, Bryce Friedman defended Travelers in class action lawsuits on behalf of putative Medicare Advantage Organisations seeking to recover conditional payments; cases were filed in Florida federal court and one is on appeal at the Eleventh Circuit. Alongside traditional strengths in financial services, the practice continues to develop in pharmaceuticals, gaming, manufacturing and transportation industries. A significant development in the gaming space is the team's representation of public benefit company Suffolk Regional Offtrack Betting Corp in a trial in the Eastern District of New York. Among the department's standout lawyers are highly regarded litigator Lynn Neuner; team co-heads Paul Curnin and Jonathan Youngwood who regularly handle securities and corporate control matters; and up-and-coming Linton Mann III, who already stands out from his peers for his securities work for Deutsche Bank and his supervision of the firm's AI research.

Often at the heart of some of the most complex and challenging litigation for an impressive roster of clients, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is adept at all aspects of commercial disputes and is notable for its deep and experienced bench of trial lawyers. Renowned generalist and co-chair of the global litigation department, David Lender, is representing Nuance in the Southern District of New York in a breach of licence agreement lawsuit against IBM. Elsewhere, notable trial lawyer Diane Sullivan won three consecutive unanimous jury defense verdicts for Johnson & Johnson in its talc mass tort litigation, while in California David Yohai and David Singh secured the dismissal of a product liability class action against client Panasonic. The firm was also instrumental in the resolution of the Sears bankruptcy. Other key lawyers are litigation group co-chairs Gregory Silbert in New York and Edward Soto in Miami. Notably, trial-experienced Susan Shin arrived in June 2019 from Arnold & Porter, and Jessica Falk was promoted to partner.

DC-based Williams & Connolly LLP combines deep expertise in commercial litigation with a strong corresponding regulatory practice. Its elite team has an excellent standing nationwide, attracting complex cases with reputational and industry-wide implications. Its work in opioid litigation is prominent: in Ohio federal court, Enu Mainigi secured a favorable settlement for Cardinal Health on the eve of opening statements. In a major case incorporating work in India and the Philippines, Nicholas Boyle obtained on behalf of CoStar the largest copyright judgment in history for infringement of photographs. Alongside its expertise in more specialized work, the firm also excels in breach of contract disputes, such as Boyle and Robert Van Kirk representing Carlyle in a lawsuit filed in Montana state court totalling over $600m related to a municipal water system. Demonstrating the firm's commitment to training up its younger attorneys, associate Luke McCloud recently presented oral argument before the Fifth Circuit on behalf of Danaher in antitrust litigation against one of its former distributors. Following the departure of Kannon Shanmugam to Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, Lisa Blatt joined from Arnold & Porter in January 2019 to chair the Supreme Court and appellate practice.

Actively involved in prominent disputes for clients from a broad range of industries, Dechert LLP fields a deep bench of attorneys with experience up to appellate and Supreme Court level. The firm's scope is nationwide. In Texas federal court, Andrew Levander, Mauricio Espana and Hector Gonzalez (from the New York office) are representing Spanish manufacturer Ulma Forja in a false advertising and unfair competition case. In another key win, department head Christina Sarchio successfully secured dismissals of two class action cases in New Jersey state court for client Apple. Another success came in the form of a complete defense verdict for Quest in a trade secrets jury trial in federal court in Los Angeles; Christopher Ruhland from the LA office and Jonathan Loeb from Silicon Valley led on this case. Team co-head William Oxley, based in LA, continues to represent Union Carbide in asbestos lawsuits. Among notable arrivals, Robin Nunn joined the DC office from Davis Wright Tremaine LLP in February 2019 to chair the consumer financial services practice.

Jones Day draws on a massive bench of litigators, with the capability to match specialist attorneys to cases across the country regardless of the field of law. An area of recent development is pharmaceutical litigation. Team co-head Stephanie Parker (Atlanta office) and Shay Dvoretzky (DC office) secured a unanimous win for Merck, Sharp & Dohme before the Supreme Court in a product liability case involving Merck's prescription medicine Fosamax®. The practice is very strong in product liability cases for a number of high-profile clients in various industries; it has also recently been involved in a high-profile tech dispute for a major player in the industry. In other high-value, mission-critical work, a cross-office team led by Karen Hewitt, team co-head John Majoras and Tina Tabacchi is representing Walmart in MDL opioid litigation. In Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, Leon DeJulius, Jr won a bench trial on behalf of The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in a matter arising from a dispute about healthcare coverage. A noteworthy young lawyer in Chicago is Elizabeth Manning, whose practice includes contract, tax and false claims disputes.

Standing out for recent trial successes and the high caliber of its litigators, Latham & Watkins LLP is regularly sought out by market leaders in almost every industry for their most complex disputes. Global chair of complex commercial litigation Sean Berkowitz is representing GE Capital in four lawsuits in various federal and one state court arising from the Thomas Petters Fraud. Another key trial lawyer is James Brandt, who (with Eric Leon) recently scored a victory for American Airlines: he was able to secure copyright registration for the airline's new corporate logo, with a novel approach which involved suing the Copyright Office in the Northern District of Texas. The firm also remains abreast of the latest legal challenges in the tech industry; notably, Elizabeth Deeley and Andrew Clubok defended longstanding client Facebook in three trials against allegations which raised important questions about data privacy, consent and contract claims. Laura Washington is highly active in the media and entertainment space. Alongside Marvin Putnam, she has successfully defended Miramax in all Weinstein-related litigation to date.

Mayer Brown draws on a vast international network, and is well known for being at the forefront of litigation in the financial services sector, especially securities disputes, from its New York office. Its California practice is expanding its reach in the tech space: in a recent highlight, Edward Johnson represented Google in multiple major antitrust, privacy and consumer class actions claiming billions in damages. Another standout matter saw Michael Olsen represent 3M in a major environmental tort brought by the State of Minnesota seeking $5bn in damages for chemicals allegedly released in the East Metro area of Minneapolis. John Conlon in New York and Reginald Goeke in DC are heads of the commercial litigation team. Among core clients in the financial sector, Bank of New York Mellon is particularly noteworthy. Matthew Ingber recently reached a groundbreaking $8.5bn settlement for the bank, bringing years of RMBS litigation to a close. A major team development was the arrival of Nicole Saharsky to the DC office from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in November 2018. She now acts as co-head of the Supreme Court and appellate practice.

From its base on the West Coast, O'Melveny & Myers LLP litigates some of the most complex and high-profile disputes across the country. Alongside its cross-sector capabilities, the firm's expertise in the media and entertainment industries is almost unparalleled. In a major victory for long-standing client 20th Century Fox, star litigator Daniel Petrocelli overturned a $128m arbitration award arising out of a dispute surrounding the hit television drama Bones. The department is also involved in high-stakes nationwide opioid litigation for Johnson & Johnson; the team includes Steve Brody in DC and practice co-head Richard Goetz. A recent development is in cross-border work with China, such as Jonathan Rosenberg and William Pao successfully defending cryptocurrency company Xunlei Limited against a shareholder class action filed in New York federal court. In addition to its recognized strength in IP litigation, the team is developing its practice in the field of data privacy and cybersecurity. Randall Oppenheimer jointly heads the practice alongside Goetz. A key team development was the promotion to partner of trial-experienced class action specialist Hannah Chanoine in January 2019.

With strong experience in financial services, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP has a track record of securing victories for clients in cases with upwards of $1bn on the line. In a recent victory for Crédit Suisse in New York Appellate Court, Richard Jacobsen and Barry Levin put to bed a decade of RMBS-related litigation alleging billions in damages. Another major institution to benefit recently from the firm's trial advocacy was KBC Bank; in New York Federal Court, Peter Bicks ended a long-running $1.5bn RICO battle against the bank arising from disputes over a defaulted loan and alleged conspiracies. The tech industry also seeks out the firm for some of its biggest, bet-the-company disputes. In Seattle, cybersecurity specialist Aravind Swaminathan is representing DomainTools in litigation brought by New Zealand’s domain name registry, DNCL. Also of note are Elyse Echtman at the New York office, and litigation team co-leader Darren Teshima in San Francisco, who specializes in insurance coverage disputes. A key arrival was former federal prosecutor and regulatory expert Jeffrey Coopersmith, who joined from Davis Wright Tremaine LLP in October 2019.

Particularly strong representing Fortune500 companies and major sporting organisations, Proskauer Rose LLP is closely involved in high-profile MDL disputes such as the Johnson & Johnson 'talc tort' and Bayer's Roundup© litigation. In connection with the former, Bart Williams, Susan Gutierrez and Manuel Cachán are representing the pharmaceutical giant in a California trial against claims that the company's talcum powder products cause mesothelioma. Elsewhere, Robert Cleary and Bettina Plevan in New York represented The Metropolitan Opera in a defamation case brought by conductor-emeritus James Levine following claims of sexual harassment. IP litigation is another strength of the firm, especially for the pharmaceutical industry. In April 2019, Fangli Chen and Siegmund Gutman acted for Sanofi Pasteur in a patent dispute against Pfizer related to pneumococcal vaccines. Another key lawyer to note is chair of the litigation department Timothy Mungovan, who is heavily involved in litigation arising from the Puerto Rico bankruptcy. Regulatory specialists Seetha Ramachandran and Hadassa Waxman arrived in 2019 from Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP and the US Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York respectively. The practice also saw three partner promotions in November 2019.

Highly regarded for its financial litigation, Shearman & Sterling LLP regularly acts as trial counsel for major corporations and banks in high-value disputes. The firm excels in securities and M&A litigation, while also keeping abreast of the growing market in trade secrets disputes. In this area, the firm secured a $44m jury verdict following a 12-day trial in Chicago for leading fintech software and services company SS&C Technologies in litigation alleging misappropriation of trade secrets against Clearwater Analytics. From the New York office, managing partner of the firm and global head of litigation Adam Hakki represents a number of the biggest names in global banking. Recently, his work has included defending Citigroup against Colombian sugar and ethanol producer Mayagüez, which alleges fraudulent inducement related to a foreign currency transaction; Agnès Dunogué also led on this matter. Global litigation practice group leaders Patrick Robbins in San Francisco and Richard Schwed in New York are also key names. Banking and securities expert Jaculin Aaron retired in December 2018, while securities and antitrust class action specialist Michael Mitchell recently made partner in the DC office.

White & Case LLP counts a number of sovereign states among its major clients on account of its extensive global network and recognized strength in international arbitration. The firm is also known for its thriving litigation practice, which covers all aspects of commercial disputes. Team head Glenn Kurtz is very active for health benefits company Anthem, including representing the client in a breach of contract dispute with Express Scripts, and seeking $15bn in damages. Another highlight involved the successful defense of Viktor Vekselberg in a breach of contract dispute which sought $2bn in connection with the sale of a major Russian oil company; Heather McDevitt and Kim Havlin led on this matter. Consumer class actions also constituted a major source of work. Bryan Merryman led on multiple matters for Nestlé, including a false advertising lawsuit in California which sought $1bn in damages related to alleged microplastics in the company's bottled water products. Rachel Feldman brings significant expertise handling cases for tech and social media companies. The class action defense expertise of the firm was further consolidated in October 2019 with the promotion to partner of Sheldon Philp in the Miami office.

The litigation practice at Winston & Strawn LLP attracts high-profile clients across industries, including some of the largest international financial institutions. Alongside its core strengths in financial services, a key growth area for the firm in 2019 was in consumer class actions related to food labelling. Ronald Rothstein and Sean Meenan are representing Smucker in class actions consolidated in the Northern District of California, alleging  violations of advertising laws in pet food products. Pharmaceutical product liability is another strength; Matthew Campbell, Luke Connelly and Matthew Saxon are representing Otsuka Pharmaceutical in an MDL lawsuit in the Northern District of Florida related to its drug Abilify®. Other standout attorneys include Thomas Melsheimer, managing partner of the Dallas office; co-chair of the global litigation practice, the 'brilliant' Steven D’Amore; and consumer class action specialist Amanda Groves, who practices in Charlotte and San Francisco. An associate to note is Shawn Obi in the LA office. Among key arrivals in 2019, trial lawyer Mark Werbner joined the Dallas office from Sayles Werbner, while the arrival of petrochemicals expert James Nye from Baker & Hostetler LLP strengthened the energy practice in Houston.

With a reputation for high-stakes complex commercial disputes, Arnold & Porter is highly adept at defending class action and mass tort lawsuits in trial. The litigation department's product liability defense capabilities are particularly renowned. From the New York office, James Herschlein and Angela Vicari serve as national counsel to Boston Scientific in litigation related to its Greenfield™ Inferior Vena Cava Filters. Another key client is Samsung; Kenneth Chernof and Paul Fishman are defending the company against allegations that its LED televisions have a defect that cause them to overheat and fail to work properly. The DC office is strong at securities and white-collar, while the Texas team has expertise in the energy, transport and healthcare sectors. The firm has also established a reputation as a go-to address for major crisis incidents; a recent case involved Michael Schissel and David Weiner representing GE in litigation arising from the 2011 Fukushima Nuclear Meltdown. While trial lawyer Susan Shin left for Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in May 2019, commercial litigator John Hagan joined the Chicago office from Reed Smith LLP in February 2019.

Chicago and Denver-based litigation boutique Bartlit Beck LLP has built a formidable reputation in handling complex, precedent-setting cases for industry-leading clients. 2019 proved to be a very busy year for the firm, with a number of significant victories and heavy involvement in widely publicized product liability matters. Sean Gallagher is acting for Johnson & Johnson in nationwide pelvic mesh litigation, recently securing a rare defense jury verdict in Philadelphia, while Kaspar Stoffelmayr is representing Walgreens in federal MDL cases related to the opioid crisis. Other strengths of the team include IP and antitrust litigation. In an example, Karma Giulianelli defended Otterbox in the District of Colorado against allegations of antitrust violations, securing a favorable settlement in April 2019. The practice saw five partner promotions in January 2020, each of whom have considerable trial experience, as is typical of the firm's approach to training up its associates.

Boies Schiller Flexner LLP enters this ranking as a litigation firm with a nationwide reach and a client roster including some of the best known companies in the country. It is often found at the heart of high-profile litigation. Among recent victories, team co-head Karen Dunn obtained a complete defense win in Massachusetts federal court for client Uber in an unfair competition suit brought by the largest taxi conglomerate in Boston, which sought more than $750m in damages. In another high-profile case with serious industry repercussions, Dunn and William Isaacson represented a leading multinational technology company in a $1bn breach of contract case in the Southern District of California. Nick Gravante and Damien Marshall in New York also jointly lead the team, alongside Dunn in DC. There have been a number of recent departures: in January 2020 three partners in Miami left to form Heise Suarez Melville and eleven attorneys left the New York and Miami offices to form Roche Cyrulnik Freedman; in February 2020 co-head of the San Francisco office Kathleen Hartnett departed for Cooley LLP and New York-based Lee Wolosky and Dawn Smalls left for Jenner & Block LLP.

Notable for its strength in securities litigation for the financial services industry, Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP also has experience representing clients in insurance and media. Among notable victories in 2019, the firm defended Global Power in a putative shareholder class action; Bradley Bondi and Tammy Roy secured a dismissal of the case from the Fifth Circuit of Appeals. In the Southern District of New York, Charles Gilman and Michael Weiss represented UMB Bank in a complex pharmaceuticals trial relating to breach of obligations; the team secured a settlement. Other key lawyers include Joel Kurtzberg, who is currently lead counsel for Crédit Suisse in its LIBOR litigation, and Jonathan Thier, a generalist with considerable trial experience. Major clients include UBS and S&P; Tammy Roy is representing the former in a breach of contract case filed by Bloomberg Finance in New York federal court. Herbert Washer and David Januszewski head the commercial litigation team from the New York office.

Operating out of 36 offices across the country, Greenberg Traurig LLP maintains an active litigation practice and its attorneys are often called on to try high-value cases for major companies. A particular strength of the department lies in consumer class action litigation. Recent highlight work ranges across various industries. From the Chicago office, Francis Citera is representing Albertsons Companies in MDL opioid litigation. In the retail space, Gregory Casas from the Austin office and David Sellinger from the New Jersey office defended Whole Foods Market Group in the Southern District of New York against a class action alleging mislabelling and overcharging. On the West Coast, co-chair of the litigation practice Jeff Scott, alongside Vince Chieffo, obtained a $100m victory for NBCUniversal in a copyright and defamation case filed by the former manager of NWA against the film 'Straight Outta Compton'. An associate to watch in the Tampa office is Ryan Hopper. The team was boosted by the arrival of 21 lawyers throughout 2019 across the firm's offices.

The highly experienced trial attorneys at Jenner & Block LLP regularly try complex, high-value commercial cases in courtrooms around the country. Alongside the firm's strong class action practice, a stand-out specialism is in trade secrets. Debbie Berman has over 25 years' experience in the area, and is representing Methode Electronics in a series of cases (including international litigation) concerning the theft of highly confidential information by two former high-ranking employees. Elsewhere, ERISA-related class actions have provided a number of recent successes for firm chair and star litigator Craig Martin; he won a notable victory in a novel case in the Northern District of Illinois which alleged RICO violations against the firm's client Morningstar. The department also maintains the ability to deal with complex commercial disputes of any kind, including arbitration. On behalf of the Redeemer Committee of the Highland Crusader Funds, Terri Mascherin prosecuted an arbitration, which then proceeded to the Delaware Chancery Court for award confirmation. Among numerous arrivals in 2019, patent litigator Amr Aly joined the New York office in September 2019 from Mayer Brown, while the arrival of consumer class action specialist Kate Spelman from an in-house role bolstered the LA office in June 2019.

Focusing almost exclusively on high-value commercial litigation, Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP is prominent in major work for the financial services industry, and maintains an impressive client roster of well-known hedge funds. In a highlight, Uri Itkin represented Astra Asset Management in Minnesota state court in a $150m securities lawsuit, securing a settlement on the eve of trial. Aside from its core financial work, the firm has in a thriving general commercial practice. Founder Marc Kasowitz is currently representing Woodstock 50 in a dispute with the festival's former financing partner Dentsu; the New York Supreme Court ruled that Dentsu did not have the right to pull funding, and the case has proceeded to arbitration. In the hospitality sector, Paul M. 'Tad' O’Connor III, representing InterContinental Hotels Group in New York state court, successfully obtained preliminary injunctions in a case arising from contract disputes with hotel owners. A key younger partner is the 'extremely intelligent' Paul Burgo, who employed his 'strong analytical and advocacy skills' when handling an oral argument in the defense of President Donald Trump in a defamation case brought by former Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos.

Headed by Andrew Bayman in Atlanta, the litigation department at King & Spalding LLP is often involved in high-profile disputes across the country for major clients. A recent area of considerable growth is in cybersecurity litigation. In a major case, David Balser and Phyllis Sumner defended Delta against cybersecurity class actions in California and Georgia federal courts, a matter now pending before the Ninth Circuit. In another highlight matter, a team led by Israel Dahan and Richard Marooney continued to represent Xerox, and successfully secured the dismissal, with prejudice, of FUJIFILM’s $1bn breach of contract suit against Xerox, a major event in the industry. The department's other key attorneys include Bobby Burchfield, an antitrust and class action expert in the firm's DC office; Mike Stenglein, an arbitration specialist in Austin; and Livia Kiser, a recognized trial lawyer specializing in toxic tort class actions and consumer disputes, who splits her time between LA and Chicago.

Milbank excels in financial services capabilities, counting major banks and insurance companies among its clients. LIBOR-related litigation continues to be prominent; a litigation team represents Rabobank in ongoing class action MDL lawsuits across the country. The firm is also notable for its cross-border capabilities. Team co-head Daniel Perry is acting for Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels, in a case filed in New York federal court alleging one of the client's casinos in the Philippines laundered $81m stolen by North Korean hackers in 2016. The department is also active in commercial disputes outside the financial world. In an important music licensing case, chairman of the firm Scott Edelman and Atara Miller are representing BMI in the Southern District of New York; the client is seeking higher licence fees for its songwriters and composers. Among other noted lawyers, David Gelfrand regularly leads on litigation for high-profile international financial institutions including Commerzbank and AXA, and Stacey Rappaport is known for complex financial transaction cases. She is currently defending major insurance companies in class action litigation.

Regularly engaged in prominent commercial disputes for major clients, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP has notable expertise in various industries, including life sciences, financial services, retail, energy and manufacturing. It is closely involved in opioid litigation for a number of high-profile clients; a team is representing major retailer Rite Aid in multidistrict litigation pending in the Northern District of Ohio. A key trial lawyer is Troy Brown, who has a track record of success in M&A disputes, having recently secured victory for client Zimmer Biomet in Florida state court in a contract dispute with the distributor of its pre-merger products. In 2019, the firm continued to be heavily involved in RMBS litigation for a number of multinational banks. Arbitration is another strength: Charles Solomont from the Boston office is acting for Oaktree in a dispute with a contractor, which is proceeding to arbitration, regarding the delays to the construction of a power plant in Salem, Massachusetts. Houston-based trial attorney and associate Jared Wilkerson's practice often crosses into Latin America. Key team members promoted to partner in October 2019 include Dana Becker in the Philadelphia office, a specialist in commercial contract cases.

Continuing to attract high-stakes work for major pharmaceutical and financial services companies, the litigation department at Paul Hastings LLP is regularly seen in courts up to appellate level. In one example, global department chair Barry Sher and Anthony Antonelli defended Barclays in the Southern District of New York against claims it fixed prices on the SSA bond market. A key lawyer is Kurt Hansson, who remains heavily involved in long-running litigation for Plaza Construction against more than 10,000 personal injuries arising from the clean-up effort at the World Trade Center post-9/11.  Manufacturing clients are also a source of complex and mission-critical work; a team including Hansson, Sheila Sundvall and James Worthington is representing General Electric in litigation arising from the emergency landing of Southwest Airlines flight 1380 in April 2018 following the failure of a fan blade in the engine. High-profile departures included noted securities expert Douglas Flaum, who left for Goodwin in March 2019, and Shahzeb Lari, who departed for Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP in May 2019.

Recently involved in a string of high-profile matters with industry-wide repercussions, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP has a bench of experienced and well-respected litigators who between them cover all aspects of commercial disputes. Among the litigation highlights of the year was the widely publicized Fujifilm/Xerox merger dispute: department chair and M&A litigation expert Tariq Mundiya represented Xerox in the $2.3bn breach of contract action brought by Fujifilm in the Southern District of New York. A key development for the team was Michael Gottlieb's arrival from Boies Schiller Flexner LLP in November 2018; having brought his client CITGO to the firm, he acted for the oil company in Delaware Chancery Court in a case concerning the legitimacy of the appointments of Directors by the Guaidó government in Venezuela. In other significant news, the firm launched an office in San Francisco in September 2019, and brought in experienced litigators Benedict Hur and Simona Agnolucci from Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP as managing partners. Another highly regarded lawyer is Mary Eaton in the New York office, who specializes in shareholder litigation.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP continues to be involved in high-end, complex litigation which often proceeds to appellate level. Stephen Baldini heads the litigation team from the firm's New York office; his areas of expertise include complex bankruptcy litigation and investor disputes. In recent highlights, Pratik Shah from the DC office scored a 7-1 Supreme Court victory for Allina Health Services in a Medicare Act rule challenge worth billions of dollars in hospital payments. In other major engagements, Mike Warnecke led a large Dallas-based team, which obtained a Supreme Court ruling in favor of Trinity Industries in a long-running FCA suit worth $682m, while Susan Leader in LA is representing Evans Hotels in RICO and antitrust litigation brought by labor unions in California federal court. Other leading attorneys include corporate and securities expert Mitchell Hurley in New York and Neal Ross Marder in LA. 2019 saw the retirement of commercial litigation veteran Robert Johnson.

Texas-based, with an international reach, Baker Botts L.L.P. routinely appears in trial courts around the country representing leading companies in significant commercial disputes. The firm's particular strengths include its work for the energy, and food and drinks industries, as well as its experience at appellate level. In one of the most prominent cases of the year for the energy sector, a team including Bill Kroger, James Barkley and Thomas Phillips successfully dismissed a motion which tried to stop the construction of the $2bn Kinder Morgan Texas Pipeline. Elsewhere, Evan Young and Gavin Villareal secured a US Supreme Court victory for the Food Marketing Institute, in a landmark Freedom of Information Act decision. An associate to watch is Stephanie Cagniart, who has argued cases before the Fifth and Sixth Circuits. The arrival of leading technology trial lawyer Jonathan Patchen from Taylor & Patchen LLP in October 2019 significantly bolstered the capabilities of the firm's San Francisco office. In other major team news, Van Beckwith departed the firm to become Senior Vice-President and General Counsel at Halliburton in January 2020. Bridget Moore, known for her work in SEC enforcement matters, and securities specialist Danny David now act as co-heads of the litigation department.

In addition to its reputation as a leading firm in Silicon Valley, Cooley LLP has a commercial disputes department which is active across the country and highly regarded for its technology and life sciences practices. In a matter demonstrating development of the firm's East Coast antitrust litigation, Philip Bowman is representing pharmaceutical company Retrophin in an antitrust case filed by Spring Pharmaceuticals and pending in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The department also has wide-ranging expertise in IP and trade secrets litigation. On the East Coast, Joseph Drayton is defending Bloomberg against patent infringement and theft of trade secrets claims in the Southern District of New York. In the Central District of California, Michael Attanasio and Alan Levine are representing plaintiff ChromaDex in a trade secrets and breach of contract dispute against Elysium Health. Among significant team developments, Travis LeBlanc joined the DC office in January 2019 from Boies Schiller Flexner LLP to become vice-chair of the firm's cyber/data/privacy practice.

Based in Houston, boutique litigation firm Gibbs & Bruns LLP specializes in handling high-stakes business disputes in the energy and financial services sectors. An area of recent development for the firm has been in the tech space, especially in data privacy; Aundrea Gulley and Brian Ross are defending Reynolds & Reynolds in federal antitrust MDL litigation consolidated in the Northern District of Illinois arising from its computing platform. Elsewhere, among its core financial litigation, Kathy Patrick continues to handle follow-on disputes in the wake of a $2.4bn settlement with Lehman Brothers Holdings on behalf of 14 institutional investors, while Scott Humphries, Ashley Kleber and Colin Pogge are representing Trustmark National Bank in three lawsuits related to the collapse of the Stanford Financial Group (alleged damages total $5bn). In a highly significant matter in energy sector, Mark Giugliano and Anthony Kaim resolved a seven-year dispute for Chevron regarding the transfer of its responsibility for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Other key lawyers include the firm's founder Robin Gibbs, a standout generalist trial attorney, and Barrett Reasoner, known for his exceptional work in the energy sector

With 15 offices across the country, Hogan Lovells US LLP maintains a deep bench of attorneys able to deal with all aspects of commercial litigation. Key names are Desmond Hogan (in DC), a specialist in class actions and cyber litigation, and Dennis Tracey (in New York), an experienced trial lawyer who counts GE and Ford among his clients. Both men head the litigation practice for the Americas.

New to the ranking this year, Hueston Hennigan LLP has established itself since its founding in 2015 as one of the litigation boutiques to watch. It counts among its clients leading companies across a broad range of industries. The standout trial lawyer at the firm is co-founding partner John Hueston. He recently obtained a unanimous opinion at the US Supreme Court in favor of client Nutraceutical in a case that has significant implications for class action practice. In another highlight, Hueston and Douglas Dixon are lead counsel to Edison International and Southern California Edison in lawsuits arising from multiple California wildfires, which allege $7bn to $9bn in damages. Another key attorney is Moez Kaba, who defeated a $100m trade secret misappropriation and breach of contract suit against Bausch Health Companies in the Central District of California. In major team developments, experienced trial lawyer Alex Romain left for Irell & Manella LLP in January 2019.

Drawing on an extensive network of 23 offices nationwide, K&L Gates provides comprehensive capability in commercial disputes, and deals with clients from a wide variety of industries. The department has recently seen an increase in data breach-related class actions and supply chain disputes. In an example of the latter, Pallavi Mehta Wahi in Seattle represented Quest Software in a breach of contract dispute with an independent vendor relating to obligations under a master services agreement. A trial lawyer to watch is Thomas Birsic in the Pittsburgh office, who is leading the defense of Arkema in multiple civil lawsuits arising from fires at one of the chemical company's factories in the wake of Hurricane Harvey; the cases are filed in the Southern District of Texas and Texas state courts. The department's integration into the firm's global network well places it to handle cross-border disputes and international arbitrations. The arrival of Jonathan Hersey from CKR Law in September 2019 to the Orange County office brought expertise in IP litigation.

The extensive litigation practice at McDermott Will & Emery LLP spans the entire country, and handles cases from across the spectrum of commercial disputes. The department is involved in a number of prominent product liability cases. In a significant matter in this area, Terrence Dee is representing Motorola in DC Superior Court in a case claiming damages in excess of $2.5bn related to brain tumours allegedly caused by the company's phones. Healthcare litigation is another recognized strength of the firm. In a notable victory in this sector, Christopher Murphy secured the complete dismissal of a class action against healthcare client Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, in a matter challenging the reorganization of the company into a for-profit stock insurance company. In California, the department has built a reputation as a go-to IP litigation practice, offering robust patent and trademark protection to a number of high-profile clients. Former head of the San Francisco and Silicon Valley litigation group Marisa Chun left for Crowell & Moring LLP in April 2019, and former head of the Los Angeles litigation group Charles Weir departed for Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP in September 2019.

Norton Rose Fulbright's large international network gives it an advantage in cross-border disputes, but its US litigation department is also highly active in impressive cases for domestic clients at both state and federal trial level. A significant area of growth has been in antitrust litigation. Layne Kruse from the Houston office is representing Phillips 66 in an antitrust class action pending in California federal court which alleges the fixing of gasoline prices. Elsewhere, Stephen Dillard is defending Vulcan Materials Company against 25 separate lawsuits brought by water companies and municipalities in the State of New York for alleged groundwater contamination. Other key lawyers include co-heads of the commercial litigation team Thomas McCormack and Scott Incerto, who are involved in prominent litigation. Noted trial lawyer McCormack, acting as counsel to client Africard, attached a $35m townhouse in Manhattan owned by Niger in order to enforce a $46m judgment against the sovereign state, while Incerto is representing Farmers Group in an insurance class action in Texas.

The wide-ranging litigation practice at Ropes & Gray LLP attracts complex and high-value commercial disputes work, especially from clients in the pharmaceutical and private equity spaces. In addition to standout matters in Massachusetts out of the firm's head office in Boston, the department is also particularly active in business disputes in Delaware. In a recent high-profile victory in Delaware Supreme Court, a team led by David Hennes on behalf of William Koch overturned a Delaware Chancery Court decision to permit minority investors in Oxbow to force a contractual 'exit sale' of the company, a decision worth $1.5bn. Securities class actions and bankruptcy litigation, as well as arbitration, are other strengths of the department. Co-chairs of the commercial litigation practice John Bueker and Jeffrey Bushofsky are standout litigators, both possessing impressive trial track records for private equity and pharmaceutical clients. November 2019 saw two partner promotions: Adam Harris in New York lends expertise in securities class actions and Timothy Farrell in Chicago focuses on M&A and corporate governance litigation.

From a single office in New York, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz regularly garners praise for its expertise in litigation relating to mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and restructuring. Key lawyers at the firm are department co-chairs and widely respected trial attorneys William Savitt, who specializes in M&A and corporate governance disputes, and Jonathan Moses, whose practice includes securities litigation and international arbitration.

A major force in the energy sector, Bracewell LLP is based in Texas, but its geographical reach spans the country. The litigation team is also known for strengths in the tech and financial industries. In major work, 'exceptional' practice head Stephen Crain represented Apache Corporation in a $1.1bn case arising from purchase and sale agreements filed in Texas state court; he obtained a dismissal of the entire case on the eve of trial. In another highlight, a team led by Bryan Dumesnil and Bradley Benoit acted for Southern Copper Corporation in a shareholder derivative action filed in Delaware Chancery Court arising out of transactions related to two power plants. Another key litigator is the 'masterful strategist' Sean Gorman in Houston; he is representing Southwestern Energy as plaintiff against Sapient in Texas state court in a $18m case alleging that Sapient failed to meet expectations that it would implement cutting-edge energy trading and risk management software.

The 'highly talented' litigation team at Cohen & Gresser LLP regularly handles complex commercial disputes up to appellate level for clients from a variety of industries. Among its key litigators, Mark Cohen, praised as 'the complete package', is a decorated trial lawyer, the 'whip-smart' Lawrence Gresser brings expertise in class action disputes, and Nathaniel Read is highly experienced in business disputes. In work for a market-leading client, Gresser is defending Goldman Sachs in a case alleging a group boycott among major investment banks. Elsewhere, Gale Dick is representing Bridgewood Capital in a trademark dispute with cross-border elements in Latin America. Melissa Maxman in the DC office won a significant antitrust victory; on behalf of Höegh Autoliners she obtained dismissal of all price fixing and bid rigging allegations.

Based in Michigan, Dickinson Wright PLLC has wide-ranging disputes capabilities, with a strong reach over the Midwest, as well as Nevada and Arizona. Key lawyer and director of the litigation division Thomas McNeill has extensive experience representing high-profile clients, defending class actions, and continues to represent American Furukawa in a $350m cross-border case stemming from a mass product recall. In the Reno office, John Desmond is defending Allied Nevada Gold Corp in securities litigation brought by the company's shareholders before the Ninth Circuit. Also of note is Daniel Quick, who focuses on IP disputes and recently defended healthcare company Graminex in a trademark infringement case brought by competitor AB Cernelle in the Eastern District of Michigan. In 2019, there were a number of arrivals to the firm's Phoenix office from Steptoe & Johnson LLP: generalist litigator Bruce Converse, Timothy Overton, who has expertise in complex insurance coverage disputes, and Bennett Cooper, an expert on appellate practice, especially on the Ninth Circuit.

A Chicago-headquartered trial and litigation boutique, with offices in Dallas and Santa Monica, Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum LLP is regularly sought after for its expertise in product liability, mass tort, class action, IP and antitrust litigation. A particular strength of the firm is in the pharmaceutical industry. Co-founder Tarek Ismail and Jennifer Greenblatt are defending Merck & Co. against over a dozen putative antitrust class actions arising out of the company's settlement of a Zetia Hatch-Waxman patent case in 2010. The firm is also active in the sports space (Major League Baseball is a key client), as well as the retail and manufacturing sectors. In the latter area, a cross-office team is serving as co-national defense counsel for 3M on a number of nationwide actions relating to the manufacture of perfluorinated compounds. Another key litigator is Alan Littmann, a specialist in complex litigation involving scientific and technical subject matters; he also counts MLB and HBO among his clients.

Focusing in particular on the financial services and real estate industries, Katten is frequently active in state and federal courts across the country. Another area of particular strength is in insurance and healthcare fraud. In a highlight matter, a team led by Barrett Howell and Brandon McCarthy from the Dallas office is representing Brian Swiencinski, a former pharmacy owner charged in the largest-ever healthcare fraud enforcement action, in excess of $400m. Elsewhere, in the real estate space, William Moore recently filed a complaint in the Middle District of Florida on behalf of Club Exploria against a law firm which attempts to convince customers stop making payments on their timeshares. In a long-running financial services litigation case, Sheldon Zenner in Chicago continues to defend Wells Fargo against allegations of discriminatory lending practices and damages of $300m. Other key lawyers include national co-chair of the litigation and dispute resolution department Gil Soffer, who specializes in white-collar and civil fraud, and fellow co-chair Stacey McKee Knight in LA, an employment law expert. Chad Doellinger departed for Greenberg Traurig LLP in November 2018.

From its main offices in Virginia, McGuireWoods LLP is particularly strong in the South, but its litigation practice reaches across the country and is comfortable handling cases up to appellate level. The team has been active recently in a number of multi-district class actions. It continues to represent Ford in a series of significant asbestos lawsuits, having secured successes in New York and Maryland state appellate courts in 2018. In another signifiant commercial dispute, Ava Lias-Booker defended Telos Corp in Maryland State Court against claims brought by shareholders and hedge funds that it fail to pay more than $100m in dividends. A key lawyer is Jonathan Blank in Charlottesville, chair of the business and securities litigation department and a well-known trial lawyer who focuses on energy law. Among key hires in 2019 were Stephen Foresta to the New York office from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, who has a track record in mass tort and product liability actions, and Tanya Greene, a respected business litigator with experience advising Fortune 100 clients, to the LA office from Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Litigation boutique MoloLamken LLP attracts an international client base, and tries cases in courtrooms around the country at all judicial levels up to the US Supreme Court. It is known in particular for its plaintiff work, especially in RMBS litigation. Other areas of strength include trade secrets, breach of contract, transactional disputes and international arbitration. The firm's key lawyer is founding partner Steven Molo. In April 2019, he secured a favorable settlement for Petsmart in the Southern District of New York, ending a dispute over the payment of a $900m dividend. Another leading practitioner is Robert Kry in the DC office, who recently achieved a $250m settlement for Christine Asia, the plaintiff in a securities fraud class action arising out of the 2014 IPO of Alibaba. Lucas Walker rejoined the DC office in January 2019 following a year as judicial clerk to Justice Neil Gorsuch; his practice focuses on appellate litigation.

Based out of Nashville, Tennessee and with a nationwide presence, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP enters the ranking following a strong year of commercial litigation. Alongside general capabilities in commercial disputes, the firm is known for its insurance recovery practice, especially in the area in which construction infrastructure and insurance overlap. In a recent success, Jennifer Altman secured a $370m judgment for Laserscopic Spinal Centers of America in a long-running dispute arising from the misappropriation of the client's business. Elsewhere, David Keyko and Eric Fishman wrapped up a decade-long antitrust case, securing a dismissal from the Second Circuit of a $1.4bn claim against clients American Media and Distribution Services. Key among the firm's trial lawyers is head of the litigation department Deborah Baum, who recently defended UIP in two actions, one in the Delaware Chancery Court, and a breach of fiduciary duty and civil conspriacy case in DC federal court. Important new arrivals include Ari Berman, a securities specialist, from Vinson & Elkins LLP to the New York office in February 2019, and Richard Giller, an insurance recovery expert, from Reed Smith LLP to the LA office in October 2019.

From its offices in New York and Washington DC, Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP excels in litigation related to investment management. It also has expertise in broker-dealer disputes, shareholder activism and proxy contests. In a highlight matter, co-chair Michael Swartz recently won a series of victories for hedge fund venBio Select Advisor and is continuing to advise the company relating to its proxy contest at Immunomedics. Elsewhere, William Gussman is representing TPG Specialty Lending in securing repayment of credit from IHeartMedia, after the latter went into bankruptcy. Other key lawyers to note are co-chair of litigation group Peter White (in DC); Taleah Jennings, who focuses on fiduciary-related issues; Gary Stein, who has deep experience at appellate level; and Robert Ward, who specializes in commercial and securities litigation.

Entering the ranking for the first time, Selendy & Gay is a litigation boutique formed in February 2018 by a team of veteran commercial litigators from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP. Since its inception, the has attracted a diverse and impressive range of clients, and it is currently active on a number of complex high-value cases, enforcing a firm-wide 50/50 split between defense and plaintiff work. Philippe Selendy and Sean Baldwin are representing Cerberus Capital Management as plaintiff in a $950m breach of contract action against the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Elsewhere, Faith Gay, Maria Ginzburg and Lena Konanova are representing a class of public servants in a federal class action suit against student loan servicer Navient; the alleged damages for the case exceed $1bn. Other key lawyers include managing partners David Elsberg and Jennifer Selendy. In a major team development, leading appellate lawyer Caitlin Halligan joined from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in March 2019.

A recognized leader in energy litigation, Vinson & Elkins LLP is active in its home state of Texas as well as across the country in high-value commercial disputes. In a significant case in the Delaware Chancery Court, Michael Holmes, John Wander and Craig Zieminski defended Regency GP against unitholders challenging the 2015 stock-for-stock merger of Regency and Energy Transfer Partners and seeking over $2bn in damages. The firm is also active outside the energy space. In January 2019, Harry Reasoner and Jason Powers secured dismissal of a case brought in Texas state court against supermarket retailer HEB by a class of 1.2m pharmacy customers, who alleged that more than 7m purchases of generic drugs had been mispriced. Other key trial lawyers include Patrick Mizell, who is representing Apache in climate change litigation in California federal court; James Thompson, an expert in both complex commercial disputes and regulatory issues for energy clients; and John Wander, who focuses on litigation in the accounting, manufacturing and insurance industries.