Wilkinson Stekloff > New York, United States > Firm Profile

Wilkinson Stekloff
130 West 42nd Street
Suite 1402
New York, NY 10036
NEW YORK
United States

Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers Tier 1

Beth WilkinsonWilkinson Stekloff. Beth Wilkinson is a founding partner and DC-based trial lawyer who has developed an extremely impressive record before the nation’s federal and state courts, handling numerous bet-the-company and multibillion-dollar cases. Recent standout matters include representing Altria Group Inc. in an administrative trial before the FTC, responding to allegations of violated antitrust laws during the $12.8 billion purchase of a minority interest in JLI.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: toxic tort Tier 3

Litigation boutique Wilkinson Stekloff has secured victories before judges and juries, across a range of high-stakes litigation, including many within the toxic tort arena. Most notably, it secured a high-profile role as national trial counsel for Bayer in the ongoing Roundup litigation, a position which has elicited a number of landmark successes, including the first-ever jury victory for the client in litigation alleging that the pesticide causes Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Founding partner Brian Stekloff was pivotal to this success and brings considerable advocacy skills to bear, both from his work as a public defender and in private practice. Beth Wilkinson is the other name partner at the firm and is also noted for her ‘excellent trial skills’, with notable toxic tort matters including her work for 3M in its PFAS litigation.

Practice head(s):

Beth Wilkinson; Brian Stekloff; Kosta Stojilkovic; Rakesh Kilaru; James Rosenthal

Other key lawyers:

Kieran Gostin; Cali Cope-Kasten

Key clients

3M Corporation

Altria Group Inc.

Bayer and Monsanto

Work highlights

  • Representing 3M in the first bellwether trial in PFAS litigation focused on aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF), City of Stuart, FL v. 3M Co., et al., and also directing 3M’s trial strategy in both the MDL and litigation in state courts throughout the country.
  • Representing Monsanto in federal litigation arising out of claims that its popular herbicide Roundup causes Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
  • Representing Altria in consolidated civil litigation by direct purchasers, indirect purchasers, and indirect resellers of Altria’s JUUL e-cigarette products.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco) Tier 4

Product liability and consumer class action cases form a core component of Washington DC-based trial litigation boutique Wilkinson Stekloff‘s workflow, with high-profile roles as national counsel and trial counsel in cases throughout the country. The scope of the work is broad, including disputes for pharmaceutical, tobacco and consumer product manufacturers – reflective of the firm’s capabilities in handling technical and scientific issues irrespective of the subject matter in a trial setting. Managing partner James Rosenthal was formerly Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Altria, and is currently a core member of the team representing his former employer in antitrust and consumer protection claims pending in the Northern District of California related to the JUUL Labs investment. Beth Wilkinson is also involved in the aforementioned matter and alongside fellow name partner Brian Stekloff , has ‘an exceptional track record’ at litigating bet-the-company disputes.  

Practice head(s):

Beth Wilkinson; Brian Stekloff; Kosta Stojilkovic; Rakesh Kilaru; James Rosenthal

Other key lawyers:

Kieran Gostin; Cali Cope-Kasten

Key clients

3M Corporation

Altria Group Inc.

Bayer and Monsanto

Work highlights

  • Representing 3M in the first bellwether trial in PFAS litigation focused on aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF), City of Stuart, FL v. 3M Co., et al., and also directing 3M’s trial strategy in both the MDL and litigation in state courts throughout the country.
  • Representing Monsanto in federal litigation arising out of claims that its popular herbicide Roundup causes Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
  • Representing Altria in consolidated civil litigation by direct purchasers, indirect purchasers, and indirect resellers of Altria’s JUUL e-cigarette products.

Industry focus > Sport Tier 4

Wilkinson Stekloff in Washington DC is a litigation boutique which represents by major sports leagues, including the NCAA and NFL in major antitrust matters, as well as repesenting a diverse range of other major professional sports leagues and associations in contentious proceedings. Leading the team are Beth Wilkinson, Brian Stekloff, Kosta Stojilkovic, Rakesh Kilaru, and James Rosenthal, with Kilaru and Stekloff being key members in a litigation matter for the NFL.

Practice head(s):

Beth Wilkinson; Brian Stekloff; Kosta Stojilkovic; Rakesh Kilaru; James Rosenthal

Key clients

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

National Football League (NFL)

Work highlights

  • Representing the NFL, its 32 member teams, and NFL Enterprises in a putative class action lawsuit challenging the NFL’s multibillion-dollar exclusive distributorship arrangement with DIRECTV for Sunday Ticket and the business arrangements whereby the NFL teams collectively license the broadcast rights to NFL games.
  • Representing the NCAA in a putative antitrust class action lawsuit brought by current and former student-athletes under the Sherman Act involving commercial use of their name, image, and likeness (NIL).

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense

Trial litigation boutique Wilkinson Stekloff, founded by Beth Wilkinson and Brian Stekloff, has experience in defending clients in high-profile and bet-the-company litigation and has recently strengthened its offering with the arrivals of Keri Arnold, who was previously at Arnold & Porter, in October 2022 and former federal prosecutor Grace Hill, who joined in March 2022.

In just over five years, Wilkinson Stekloff has established itself as the leading trial litigation boutique in the country. Our innovative business model allows us to serve our clients efficiently while maintaining our commitment to developing the next generation of trial lawyers. Our clients have included heavy-hitters in a wide range of industries, including Allergan, Bayer, Facebook, FedEx, Georgia Pacific, Medtronic, Monsanto, the NCAA, the NFL, Pfizer, Altria Group Inc., and Philip Morris USA––all of which have come to rely on Wilkinson Stekloff as a go-to trial firm that can handle some of their toughest matters.

We have achieved successful outcomes for our clients before, during, and after trial in some of the toughest jurisdictions in America, with a growing bench of trial lawyers capable of handling any case. Our attorneys have now tried almost 20 cases to verdict since the firm opened its doors. And, since the firm’s founding, eight partners have had first- or second-chair roles in prominent trials, and many more have achieved significant on-their-feet experience, including through pro bono cases. We know that trials are won by tight-knit teams of smart, innovative, and highly skilled litigators committed to delivering excellent results for their clients. That is who we are. Our attorneys come from the country’s premier large firms, DOJ, the White House, and federal clerkships, including seven former Supreme Court clerks. Our workforce reflects our ongoing commitment to diversity; Chambers has recognized Wilkinson Stekloff as a 2020 “Outstanding Firm for Furthering Diversity and Inclusion.” We view it as critical not just to hire diverse attorneys, but to give them meaningful trial experience and client exposure. As just one example, the vast majority of the firm’s associates have already worked on at least one trial.

Because we believe we can litigate any case, anytime, anywhere, we do not have practice groups or limitations on the types of cases we can handle. But we have developed considerable expertise in antitrust, class actions, products liability and sports-related matters. For example, Wilkinson Stekloff won five bellwether trials in mass tort proceedings involving the blood thinner Xarelto. In the first two federal trials in New Orleans, our firm secured unanimous defense verdicts within two hours of closing arguments. Then, in the first three state-court trials in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, we secured two defense verdicts and a judgment notwithstanding an adverse verdict in a third case. We also won an outright defense verdict after just over an hour of jury deliberation in a multi-state class action trial involving One A Day multivitamins, relying solely on devastating cross-examinations by our lawyers. Wilkinson Stekloff has also handled some of the most significant litigation matters and investigations shaping professional and college sports today. The firm features a deep bench of lawyers with experience in sports litigation, led by Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson, who was recognized as a “Power Player” by Sports Business Daily. We have also quickly become the go-to firm for clients who want to litigate antitrust cases with an eye toward trial rather than settlement, representing clients in civil and criminal matters, in courts and in agency proceedings. And we continue to be a leader in class action defense, currently representing the NFL, NCAA, Altria, and members of the Executive Council of the Habamatolel Pomo of Upper Lake, a sovereign Indian nation, in putative class action lawsuits.

In addition to bet-the-company cases, Wilkinson Walsh has handled almost 50 separate pro bono matters since its founding in 2016, with over 90% of the firm’s attorneys devoting significant time to those matters and the firm’s brightest young talent winning trials in leadership roles. As a trial boutique, we pride ourselves on providing pro bono representation to clients facing trials, which can be particularly confusing or intimidating to individuals unfamiliar with the legal system. But the range of our pro bono litigation practice is unmatched, covering appeals, class actions, and strategic counseling. Recognizing these efforts, Chambers & Partners recently gave us their “Highly Commended Pro Bono Program” award, recognizing us as having one of the two best pro bono programs out of all law firms nationwide.

Clients welcome the certainty provided by Wilkinson Stekloff’s fixed fees, the quality of work ensured by the firm’s commitment to right-sized teams, and the exposure to a broad array of attorneys ready to do whatever it takes to achieve positive results. And the firm has continued to receive accolades for its successes in delivering results to its clients while deepening its diverse bench of go-to litigators. Most importantly, Benchmark Litigation has twice named Wilkinson Walsh “Boutique Firm of the Year,” calling the firm a “litigator’s dream shop,” and provided numerous individual recognitions for our attorneys, including “Trial Lawyer of the Year” (for Beth Wilkinson), “Future Stars” (for Rakesh Kilaru), Top 250 Women in Litigation (for Beth Wilkinson) and the “40 & Under Hot List” (for Rakesh Kilaru and Kosta Stojilkovic).

These accomplishments show that, lawyer for lawyer and matter for matter, Wilkinson Stekloff is a litigation juggernaut that is running in stride.

Department Name Email Telephone
Litigation Beth Wilkinson bwilkinson@wilkinsonstekloff.com (202) 847-4010
Litigation Brian Stekloff bstekloff@wilkinsonstekloff.com (202) 847-4030
Litigation Kosta Stojilkovic kstojilkovic@wilkinsonstekloff.com (202) 847-4045
Managing Partner James Rosenthal jrosenthal@wilkinsonstekloff.com (202) 847-4011
Litigation Kieran Gostin kgostin@wilkinsonstekloff.com (202) 847-4031
Litigation Rakesh Kilaru rkilaru@wilkinsonstekloff.com (202) 847-4046
Partners : 9
Of Counsel/Associates : 30
English
Managing Partner : James Rosenthal
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In just over five years, Wilkinson Stekloff has established itself as the leading trial litigation boutique in the country. Our innovative business model allows us to serve our clients efficiently while maintaining our commitment to developing the next generation of trial lawyers. Our clients have included heavy-hitters in a wide range of industries, including Allergan, Bayer, Facebook, FedEx, Georgia Pacific, Medtronic, Monsanto, the NCAA, the NFL, Pfizer, Altria Group Inc., and Philip Morris USA––all of which have come to rely on Wilkinson Stekloff as a go-to trial firm that can handle some of their toughest matters.

We have achieved successful outcomes for our clients before, during, and after trial in some of the toughest jurisdictions in America, with a growing bench of trial lawyers capable of handling any case. Our attorneys have now tried almost 20 cases to verdict since the firm opened its doors. And, since the firm’s founding, eight partners have had first- or second-chair roles in prominent trials, and many more have achieved significant on-their-feet experience, including through pro bono cases. We know that trials are won by tight-knit teams of smart, innovative, and highly skilled litigators committed to delivering excellent results for their clients. That is who we are. Our attorneys come from the country’s premier large firms, DOJ, the White House, and federal clerkships, including seven former Supreme Court clerks. Our workforce reflects our ongoing commitment to diversity; Chambers has recognized Wilkinson Stekloff as a 2020 “Outstanding Firm for Furthering Diversity and Inclusion.” We view it as critical not just to hire diverse attorneys, but to give them meaningful trial experience and client exposure. As just one example, the vast majority of the firm’s associates have already worked on at least one trial.

Because we believe we can litigate any case, anytime, anywhere, we do not have practice groups or limitations on the types of cases we can handle. But we have developed considerable expertise in antitrust, class actions, products liability and sports-related matters. For example, Wilkinson Stekloff won five bellwether trials in mass tort proceedings involving the blood thinner Xarelto. In the first two federal trials in New Orleans, our firm secured unanimous defense verdicts within two hours of closing arguments. Then, in the first three state-court trials in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, we secured two defense verdicts and a judgment notwithstanding an adverse verdict in a third case. We also won an outright defense verdict after just over an hour of jury deliberation in a multi-state class action trial involving One A Day multivitamins, relying solely on devastating cross-examinations by our lawyers. Wilkinson Stekloff has also handled some of the most significant litigation matters and investigations shaping professional and college sports today. The firm features a deep bench of lawyers with experience in sports litigation, led by Founding Partner Beth Wilkinson, who was recognized as a “Power Player” by Sports Business Daily. We have also quickly become the go-to firm for clients who want to litigate antitrust cases with an eye toward trial rather than settlement, representing clients in civil and criminal matters, in courts and in agency proceedings. And we continue to be a leader in class action defense, currently representing the NFL, NCAA, Altria, and members of the Executive Council of the Habamatolel Pomo of Upper Lake, a sovereign Indian nation, in putative class action lawsuits.

In addition to bet-the-company cases, Wilkinson Walsh has handled almost 50 separate pro bono matters since its founding in 2016, with over 90% of the firm’s attorneys devoting significant time to those matters and the firm’s brightest young talent winning trials in leadership roles. As a trial boutique, we pride ourselves on providing pro bono representation to clients facing trials, which can be particularly confusing or intimidating to individuals unfamiliar with the legal system. But the range of our pro bono litigation practice is unmatched, covering appeals, class actions, and strategic counseling. Recognizing these efforts, Chambers & Partners recently gave us their “Highly Commended Pro Bono Program” award, recognizing us as having one of the two best pro bono programs out of all law firms nationwide.

Clients welcome the certainty provided by Wilkinson Stekloff’s fixed fees, the quality of work ensured by the firm’s commitment to right-sized teams, and the exposure to a broad array of attorneys ready to do whatever it takes to achieve positive results. And the firm has continued to receive accolades for its successes in delivering results to its clients while deepening its diverse bench of go-to litigators. Most importantly, Benchmark Litigation has twice named Wilkinson Walsh “Boutique Firm of the Year,” calling the firm a “litigator’s dream shop,” and provided numerous individual recognitions for our attorneys, including “Trial Lawyer of the Year” (for Beth Wilkinson), “Future Stars” (for Rakesh Kilaru), Top 250 Women in Litigation (for Beth Wilkinson) and the “40 & Under Hot List” (for Rakesh Kilaru and Kosta Stojilkovic).

These accomplishments show that, lawyer for lawyer and matter for matter, Wilkinson Stekloff is a litigation juggernaut that is running in stride.

Department Name Email Telephone
Litigation Jeremy Barber jbarber@wilkinsonstekloff.com (212) 294-8929
Litigation Moira Penza mpenza@wilkinsonstekloff.com (212) 294-8914
Litigation Ralia Polechronis rpolechronis@wilkinsonstekloff.com (212) 294-8922
Partners : 9
Of Counsel/Associates : 30
Managing Partner : James Rosenthal
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