Leading trial lawyers in United States
Boies Schiller Flexner LLP
David Boies - Boies Schiller Flexner LLP David Boies is ‘a legendary litigator’. Based in New York, Boies' reputation precedes him; his historic work highlights include landmark lawsuits such as Bush v Gore, Hollingsworth v Perry, as well as United States v. Microsoft Corp where he acted for the federal government in a well-known antitrust case. Boies has also defended Maurice Greenberg against claims of orchestrating a fraudulent accounting scheme allegedly committed during his time as a chairman of American International Group. In a more recent engagement, Boies is defending longtime client Harvey Weinstein in a series of sexual harassment allegations.
Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP
John Keker - Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP John Keker has a track record of high-profile trials which cover white-collar crime, complex commercial disputes, antitrust and securities litigation. His recent work includes securing a victory for the San Diego County Water Authority in its dispute with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California pertaining to inflated transportation rates. Other work includes defending McGraw-Hill Companies in fraud allegations which ended in a unanimous settlement with the federal government.
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Daniel Petrocelli - O'Melveny & Myers LLP 'One of the best litigators around’, Daniel Petrocelli has a busy national trial practice across areas ranging from intellectual property and unfair competition to high-profile disputes in the entertainment and media sectors. 'The man you call when you need to win', Petrocelli is currently representing 20th Century Fox in a three-year claim against Netflix. Moreover, his reputation has secured him highly publicized trial positions, which have included representing Donald Trump in class actions pertaining to fraud and contractual breaches involving the defunct Trump University.
Winston & Strawn LLP
Dan Webb - Winston & Strawn LLP Co-executive chairman Dan Webb is a distinguished litigator, who regularly acts in complex high-stakes matters ranging from commercial disputes to criminal cases. Headline matters include defending a client against a wrongful death claim in San Diego, which resulted in a judgment for $5m in damages; the team is preparing for appeal. Corporate clients include BP America, Conoco Phillips and JP Morgan.
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Theodore Wells - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Theodore Wells is renowned for his nationwide high-profile trials ranging from class action litigation to SEC regulatory work. Recent highlights include representing Deutsche Bank in a multi-jurisdictional inquiry and related civil claims concerning the setting of LIBOR; the team secured a favorable settlement in this matter. Wells has also handled major class actions for clients including Johnson & Johnson, Bank of America and Mitsubishi Corporation.
Wilkinson Walsh + Eskovitz LLP
Beth Wilkinson - Wilkinson Walsh + Eskovitz LLP Renowned trial lawyer Beth Wilkinson has a reputation across a variety of complex claims, including white-collar crime, antitrust, mass tort and product liability, and class action litigation. She served as a lead trial counsel to the NFL in a putative antitrust class action arising out of the broadcast arrangement for its Sunday ticket package. Other highlights included representing Cheryl Mills, Hillary Clinton’s former chief of staff, in civil litigation arising from the use of private emails during Clinton’s time as Secretary of State. Wilkinson was also lead trial counsel for Microsoft in an antitrust case brought by a rival technology inventor.
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Evan Chesler - Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP Evan Chesler has over four decades of litigation experience in trial courts and acts across a range of industry sectors including pharmaceuticals and financial services. He recently represented Merck in patent infringement claims regarding the sale of one of its drugs. Other highlights include successfully defending long-standing client American Express in a significant antitrust enforcement action in the US Supreme Court, which marked the end of an eight-year lawsuit.
Winston & Strawn LLP
Abbe Lowell - Winston & Strawn LLP Defense attorney Abbe Lowell's work is of 'an outstanding caliber'. His track record of high-profile and high-stakes white-collar litigation and investigations have led to instructions by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump regarding their alleged ties to the Russian Federation and subsequent interference in the US Presidential election of 2016. No stranger to defending high-profile Washington politicians, Lowell has defended successfully Senator Robert Menendez against bribery and corruption charges. Dividing his time between Washington DC and New York, Lowell left Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP to co-chair his new firm's white-collar and investigations practice group.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Randy Mastro - Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP Randy Mastro has vast expertise in white collar crime and securities litigation. He recently represented Evan Greebel, a former partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, in relation to a criminal indictment brought against him by the DOJ involving alleged securities fraud. Mastro has also been instructed by corporates such as UBS Financial Services, Chevron and Estee Lauder.
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
John Quinn - Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP John Quinn is the 'driving force' behind his firm's litigation powerhouse, and is routinely called upon in high-profile trials and complex appellate proceedings. Recent work included successfully representing longstanding client Samsung in the high-stakes patent infringement case, which resulted in an 8-0 ruling in the client’s favor in the US Supreme Court. He has also defended the University of Southern California in a $30m arbitration matter against a former employee pertaining to the termination of a contract.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Diane Sullivan - Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP Headline matters for 'terrific trial lawyer' Diane Sullivan includes acting as lead counsel for Johnson & Johnson in a unanimous defense verdict in New Jersey state court involving cancer claims pertaining to the client’s talcum powder product. Described as 'tough and fearless', Sullivan's reputation has brought her major class action suits for clients including Philip Morris USA. She continues to represent Exxon Mobil in a dispute that is expected to reach trial in the New Jersey federal court this year.
Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello P.C.
Elkan Abramowitz is regularly involved in high-stakes litigation and has particular strength in white-collar crime matters. Recent highlights include representing the former CEO of Petrobras in a securities class action, which reached a settlement that is pending approval. In addition, Abramowitz has represented former Dewey & LeBoeuf chairman Steven Davis in a widely publicized case involving allegations of accounting fraud in the wake of Dewey & LeBoeuf's bankruptcy.
Beck Redden
David Beck - Beck Redden Houston-based David Beck has over four decades of experience handling a wide range of commercial litigation, insurance coverage disputes and professional liability claims, including class actions. Recent work includes defending Duana Morris against Ascent Resources in an alleged malpractice claim.
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Richard Clary - Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP Richard Clary has extensive experience in defending financial institutions in a wide variety of civil and commercial disputes ranging from securities litigation and bankruptcy-related claims. He is representing Credit Suisse in a number of different matters, including one case that was successfully appealed in the US District Court bought by Lehman Brothers Special Financing. Other clients include IBM and JPMorgan Chase.
Gibbs & Bruns LLP
Robin Gibbs - Gibbs & Bruns LLP The 'excellent' Robin Gibbs maintains a strong track record of handling high-stakes commercial litigation in the energy, and oil and gas sector. Past highlights have included acting for Sanchez Oil and Gas and Enterprise Products Operating in a variety of matters pertaining to trade secret works.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Sandra Goldstein - Kirkland & Ellis LLP New partner Sandra Goldstein has over two decades of considerable litigation experience, spanning a range of commercial disputes involving M&A-related litigation and securities claims. She has represented Qualcomm in several matters including a derivative claim concerning its securities disclosures against Apple. Other corporate clients include IBM and United Airlines.
Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP
Marc Kasowitz - Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP Marc Kasowitz is 'a superb lawyer'. Kasowitz has advised long-standing client Donald Trump on a number of highly publicized matters, one of which included securing a favorable settlement in the Trump University litigation and handling ongoing defamation claims. Other highlights include representing New York City Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association in a lawsuit against the City of New York relating to the city's inconsistent policy of body-worn camera video disclosure. Kasowitz has also handled a significant dispute for Astra Asset Management.
Gibbs & Bruns LLP
Kathy Patrick - Gibbs & Bruns LLP Kathy Patrick has considerable experience across a broad range of high-profile and complex matters involving general commercial and securities litigation. Highlights have included representing Lehman Brothers in bankruptcy proceedings which ended in a favorable settlement plan. Patrick, in fact, has particular expertise in acting for financial institutions, others of which have included Bank of America and Citigroup.
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
William Price - Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP Los Angeles-based William Price co-chairs the firm’s national trial practice and undertakes work covering intellectual property disputes, antitrust suits and securities litigation. His historical wins include securing a favorable outcome for Micron Technology against Rambus in a high-value antitrust matter. Price was also involved in notable cases such as US v. Sigelman. Samsung, Google and Motorola have also been among his clients.
Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP
Robert Van Nest - Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP Robert Van Nest handles a broad range of high-stakes IP disputes, and also has experience in commercial contract litigation. Van Nest represented Google in a multibillion-dollar patent and copyright infringement case against Oracle concerning the use of the Java programme. Other clients include American Honda and Qualcomm.
Bartlit Beck LLP
Philip Beck - Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP Philip Beck has expertise in intellectual property matters, and also has a track record of success in representing corporate plaintiffs in claims against financial institutions such as JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and PwC. His historical record includes representing the United States against Microsoft in an anti-trust matter and spearheading the trial team in Bush vs. Gore.
Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Barry Berke - Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP Defense attorney Barry Berke is co-chair of the firm's litigation practice group and regularly acts for corporations in high-profile and often complex investigations work, which range from bribery to securities fraud. His achievements include acting for former investment representative at Deutsche Bank Alex Brown in a criminal prosecution related to tax fraud; Berke's work in this matter led to the client's acquittal on all nine criminal charges. Berke is currently on an interim break from the firm as he serves as a consultant to the Judiciary Committee of the US House of Representatives.
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Peter Bicks - Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP Peter Bicks is noted for his 'flawless performance in the courtroom' and his expertise in complex commercial disputes, intellectual property and mass tort claims. Bicks secured a victory for Oracle in an $8.8bn Federal Circuit Court of Appeals case against Google for copying its Java technology. 'A top-notch litigator', Bicks has also represented KBC Bank in a $1.5bn RICO claim filed by Lazare Kaplan.
Morrison & Foerster LLP
Arturo González - Morrison & Foerster LLP Arturo González is known for his 'energetic and emotive' victories in the courtroom. Chair of the firm's commercial litigation practice group, González has recently secured a defense verdict against VMware on allegations of copyright infringement and breaches in a $110 million claim. Described by a client as 'a sight to be seen in the courtroom', González is representing Uber in a high-profile trade secrets dispute with Waymo, Google’s autonomous vehicle subsidiary, which he led to a favorable settlement.
Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP
Susan Harriman - Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP Susan Harriman's expertise lies in complex business disputes with a particular focus on corporate and commercial matters, and securities work. In Pande v. Chevron, she won a $5.5m jury verdict against Chevron for wrongful termination of a contract against a female petroleum engineer. Harriman has also defended Electronic Arts in a royalties claim brought by a former employee.
Boies Schiller Flexner LLP
Bill Isaacson - Boies Schiller Flexner LLP Bill Isaacson is a seasoned litigator with a strong reputation in highly complex antitrust and class action litigation matters for high-profile clients. His most recent engagement includes representing Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos against American Media Inc and The National Enquirer in a defamation case. Historical wins include O’Bannon v NCAA in 2014 where he represented the college athletes; he also secured a $124m verdict for Oracle in a software copyright infringement matter.
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Brad Karp - Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Firm chairman Brad Karp's specialisms lie in major financial disputes and securities litigation, where he continues to act for Citigroup as lead counsel in all its high-value commercial disputes. Karp represented Blackstone Alternative Asset Management in a securities dispute in a Kentucky state court relating to Kentucky's state pension system. JPMorgan Chase is another key client.
Winston & Strawn LLP
George Lombardi - Winston & Strawn LLP Litigation co-chair George Lombardi has more than three decades of trial experience, and has particular expertise in patent litigation in the technology and pharmaceuticals sectors. He recently won cases involving patents for a number of top-selling drugs including Prozac, OxyContin and Baraclude, and also achieved a major victory for Watson Pharmaceuticals (now Actavis) against Amgen in an infringement case regarding an unexpired patent for Senispar. Other clients include Philip Morris International.
Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Gary Naftalis - Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP Gary Naftalis heads the firm's litigation department and is known for representing multinational corporations and blue chip companies in a variety of disputes spanning civil, criminal and regulatory matters. Historical highlights include securing a victory for the CFO of the Southland Corporation against allegations or fraud. Recently, Naftalis successfully represented a prominent Saudi Arabian banker against state criminal charges and in proceedings before the Federal Reserve Board, dismissing damages claims of up to $10bn.
Berg & Androphy
James Quinn - Berg & Androphy James Quinn is an accomplished lawyer, who has been involved in highly complex commercial disputes. His historical case highlights include securing a dismissal in a class action for CBS pertaining to the broadcasting of college sports games, and handling a major copyright dispute in Stan Lee Media v Marvel Inc. With over 40 years of experience at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Quinn joined his new firm in 2017 and has been particularly recognized for his expertise in antitrust and financial services litigation.
Steptoe & Johnson LLP
Reid Weingarten - Steptoe & Johnson LLP White-collar defense specialist Reid Weingarten maintains a stellar record acting for major corporates and individuals in high-profile disputes. Spitting his time between the firm's Washington DC and New York offices, he is representing the former president of the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute in connection with pending criminal matters related to allegations of bid-rigging involving a non-profit. Acting alongside Clifford Chance, Weingarten is also representing founder of Autonomy Mike Lynch in a dispute against Hewlett Packard Enterprise in a $5bn damages claim surrounding fraud allegations.