Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC > Philadelphia, United States > Firm Profile
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC Offices

255 SOUTH 17TH STREET
SUITE 1307
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103
United States
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Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC > The Legal 500 Rankings
Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: plaintiff Tier 1
'One of the top firms in the field on the plaintiffs' side, respected by plaintiffs and defense firms alike', Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC specializes in original proprietary cases, leveraging a team of licensed private investigators to investigate corporate wrongdoing. ‘Highly skilled in dealing with economic issues that arise in antitrust cases’, the wider antitrust group excels in high-stakes antitrust class actions, most notably securities, pay-for-delay, no-poaching and wage suppression disputes. Although particularly prominent in the pharmaceutical sector—an area of focus for New York-based Sharon Robertson—the team is also well equipped to handle disputes arising from the financial services, hi-tech, electronics and agriculture sectors. The group, which is led by Washington DC-based duo Benjamin Brown and Brent Johnson, also includes price-fixing and monopolization suit expert Richard Koffman; Daniel Small, a 'real team player'; and the ‘smart, seasoned, and highly capable strategist and oral advocate’ Kit Pierson, all of whom are based in the DC office.
Practice head(s):
Benjamin Brown; Brent Johnson
Other key lawyers:
Richard Koffman; Daniel Small; Kit Pierson; Sharon Robertson; Daniel Silverman
Testimonials
‘Excellent at integrating economic analysis into the legal arguments in a way that makes the ultimate “story” that’s told persuasive and multi-faceted.’
‘Dan Small focuses on the big picture, but then works to make sure that all of the individual elements fit into, and support, that big picture. Careful to consider arguments from all sides in order to best structure counter-arguments. Dan is also a real team player – a critical role in multi-firm litigations.’
‘They are one of the top firms in the field on the plaintiffs’ side, respected by plaintiffs and defense firms alike.’
‘CMST has some lawyers who are highly skilled in dealing with economic issues that arise in antitrust cases.’
‘Kit Pierson is a smart, seasoned, and highly capable strategist and oral advocate.’
Work highlights
- Acted for UFCW & Employers Benefit Trust, on behalf of a certified class of California self-funded payors, in an antitrust class action alleging that Sutter Health used anti-competitive contract terms and contracting practices with the major health insurance companies in California to insulate itself from competition and to increase prices.
- Served as co-lead counsel for Arnell Prato, DDS, PLLC and all other plaintiffs in In re Dental Supplies Antitrust Litigation.
- Represented a certified class of third-party payors in litigation which alleged that Allergan agreed to a settlement with the third-party payor class plaintiffs with respect to Loestrin 24 FE, a top-selling birth control drug, for a total $62.5m, rather than face trial over antitrust claims that the company colluded with would-be generic manufacturers, Watson and Lupin Pharmaceuticals, to delay lower-priced generic versions of Loestrin.
Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - plaintiff Tier 1
With a depth of experience in environmental mass torts, personal data theft, consumer false advertising, wrongful death, property damage, and automotive and highway safety, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC has represented plaintiffs in several high-profile matters. Most recently the team's involvement, led by renowned Washington D.C-based practice head Theodore Leopold, in the Flint Water case resulted in a monumental settlement. The firm also has strengths in the field of data breaches and consumer security, evidenced by its recent success in a class action led by Washington D.C-based co-head Andrew Friedman against Equifax. Leslie Kroeger in Florida also heads the practice, focusing on product liability, wrongful death and managed care abuse allegations.
Practice head(s):
Leslie Kroeger; Theodore Leopold; Andrew Friedman
Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions): plaintiff Tier 1
The Washington DC-based team at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC is 'a true source of knowledge and strength'. The group has considerable experience in acting in actions relating to discrimination claims, joint employer liability issues, pay equity matters and issues arising from the FLSA. Practice head Joseph Sellers is highly experienced in the space, and Christine Webber has strong capabilities in wage and hour class actions; she is also involved in work relating to emerging technologies used in hiring processes. Kalpana Kotagal is a key contact for discrimination, diversity and inclusion mandates. Shaylyn Cochran departed to take up a role as senior counsel to the Assistant Attorney General in February 2021.
Practice head(s):
Joseph Sellers
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team at Cohen Milstein has been exceptional with their planning and execution. They have been attentive, compassionate, flexible, and a true source of knowledge and strength with respect to their specialities.’
‘CMST has a top labor and employment practice, taking on sometimes difficult and complex cases that other firms would pass up. It represents workers earning lower wages, and works quite well with other allies in the labor and employment field. The attorneys are top-notch legal minds, and Joe Sellers and Christine Webber epitomize these qualities.’
Key clients
National Association of the Deaf
Work highlights
- Successfully settled two class actions on behalf of deaf and hearing-impaired individuals requiring two academic research institutions to include closed-captioning on all content available to the public online.
- Acting for a class of more than 69,000 female sales associates in a Title VII and Equal Pay Act class action against Sterling Jewelers Inc.
- Representing hundreds of former flight traffic controllers in a class action that alleges that the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to conduct the reduction in force of its Flight Services Controller workforce in 2005 was motivated, in part, by age discrimination.
Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: plaintiff Tier 2
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC's securities litigation and investor protection practice is led from Washington DC by the vastly experienced Steven Toll and 'excellent lawyer and terrific negotiator' Julie Reiser, whom clients describe as 'exceptionally ethical'. Reiser stands out for her role in precedent-setting corporate governance disputes, notably claims arising from allegations of sexual harassment. She recently secured a $310m settlement from Google's parent company in In re Alphabet Shareholder Derivative Litigation. New York-based Michael Eisenkraft, along with Reiser and Chicago-based Carol Gilden, is spearheading hybrid securities and anti-competition class actions against investment banks, alleging that they conspired to maintain anti-competitive strangleholds over trading in financial markets, among them interest rate swaps. Daniel Sommers, the immediate past chairman of the Markets Advisory Council of the Council of Institutional Investors, also plays a key role in the practice.
Practice head(s):
Steven Toll; Julie Reiser
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Julie Reiser is the lead partner. She is an excellent lawyer and a terrific negotiator. She is exceptionally ethical, a very important quality for public pension funds.’
Key clients
Arkansas Public Employees Retirement Systems
Chicago Public School Teachers Pension and Retirement Fund
Cleveland Bakers and Teamsters Health and Welfare Fund
The Fund Group
International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local No. 710 Pension Plan
Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System
New Jersey Carpenters Health Fund
New York City Retirement Systems
New York City Pension Funds
New York State Common Retirement Fund
Norfolk County Retirement System
Northern California Pipe Trades Pension Plan
Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System
Pavers and Road Builders Pension, Annuity, and Welfare
Funds No
Teachers Retirement System of Oklahoma No
Teamsters Local 272 Labor Management Pension Fund No
Teachers Retirement System of Oklahoma
Work highlights
- Represented Northern California Pipe Trades Pension Plan and Teamsters Local 272 Labor Management Pension Fund in In re Alphabet Shareholder Derivative Litigation, No. 19CV341522 (Sup. Crt. Cal., Santa Clara Cnty.)
- Representing The New York State Common Retirement Fund and The New York City Pension Funds in Thomas P. DiNapoli. v. Stephen A. Wynn, et al., No. A-18-770013-B (Dist. Crt., Clark County, Nev.).
- Representing New York City Retirement Systems in In re American Realty Capital Properties Inc. Litigation, No. 1:15-mc-00040 (S.D.N.Y.).
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC > Firm Profile
With over 90 lawyers in six offices, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC has been recognized as a ‘class-action powerhouse’ (Forbes); ‘the most effective law firm in the United States for lawsuits with a strong social and political component’ (Inside Counsel Magazine); and one of ‘America’s 25 most influential law firms’ (The Trial Lawyer).
For over 45 years, Cohen Milstein has fought corporate abuse, pursuing litigation on behalf of individuals, whistleblowers, public entities and other institutions in cases that have raised challenging, significant and often novel issues. The firm specializes in holding corporate malefactors accountable for their actions, despite the fact that they often have considerably more resources at their disposal than those damaged by their misconduct. Cohen Milstein has earned its reputation by winning complex cases that other law firms typically choose not to handle. The firm has litigated numerous groundbreaking cases, resulting in landmark decisions on previously untried issues involving price fixing, securities, consumer rights, civil rights and other far-reaching matters.
The breadth of the firm’s expertise differentiates it from other plaintiff firms. Working together, Cohen Milstein attorneys benefit from their collective knowledge and experience, which often allows the firm to take a more creative approach to the issue at hand. Cohen Milstein litigates across a wide range of practice areas.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Antitrust | Benjamin D Brown | ||
Antitrust | Brent W. Johnson | ||
Civil rights and employment | Joseph M Sellers | ||
Consumer protection | Andrew N Friedman | ||
Consumer protection | Theodore J Leopold | ||
Employee benefits/ERISA | Karen L Handorf | ||
Human rights | Agnieszka Fryszman | ||
Managed care abuse | Leslie M. Kroeger | ||
Managed care abuse | Theodore J Leopold | ||
Public client | Betsy A Miller | ||
Public client | Victoria S Nugent | ||
Securities litigation and investor protection | Julie Goldsmith Reiser | ||
Securities litigation and investor protection | Steven J Toll | ||
Unsafe and defective products | Leslie M. Kroeger | ||
Unsafe and defective products | Theodore J Leopold | ||
Whistleblower/False Claims Act | Gary L Azorsky | ||
Whistleblower/False Claims Act | Jeanne A Markey |
Staff Figures
Number of Partners : 36 Number of Other Fee-Earners : 70 Other Staff : 75Other
Managing Partner : Steven J Toll (stoll@cohenmilstein.com) Chair of the Executive Committee : Joseph M Sellers (jsellers@cohenmilstein.com) Other Offices : Chicago Other Offices : New York Other Offices : Palm Beach Gardens Other Offices : Philadelphia Other Offices : Raleigh- Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: plaintiff
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - plaintiff
- Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions): plaintiff
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: plaintiff