Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP

Partner

Erik Connolly is Chair of the Litigation Group, where he leads one of the fastest growing and most respected litigation teams in the country. With a career spanning more than two decades, Erik has earned national recognition as a go-to trial lawyer for high-stakes, bet-the-company disputes that shape industries and protect reputations.

Erik’s work is defined by results. From securing dismissals of multibillion-dollar class actions to winning precedent-setting decisions, Erik has guided clients through some of the most complex litigation in U.S. history. Notably, Erik represented a beef producer in the $6 billion “pink slime” case against ABC News and currently leads Smartmatic’s $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News—cases that have captured national attention and set new benchmarks for holding the media responsible when they spread false information.

Clients turn to Erik for more than courtroom victories—they rely on Erik’s strategic insight and business-first approach. His counsel helps companies navigate litigation risk while preserving shareholder value and brand integrity. His clients range from Fortune 100 corporations and industry leaders to celebrities, family-owned businesses and philanthropic organizations around the country. He is trusted by global leaders in the technology, financial services, consumer goods, and manufacturing sectors, among others.