Lauded by one client as ‘the best Supreme Court and appellate practice in the country’, the team at Williams & Connolly LLP is a strong choice for appeals in the U.S. Supreme Court and counts major domestic and international banks and corporations on its client roster. Practice head Lisa Blatt has experience arguing 52 cases before the United States Supreme Court and recently secured a victory for Pfizer Inc. in an Anti-Terrorism Act lawsuit filed on behalf of American military service members and civilians against Pfizer and 17 other pharmaceutical manufacturers. Also noted is ’amazing appellate advocate’ Sarah Harris, who garners praise for her ‘encyclopedic knowledge of constitutional and administrative law’. A notable mandate for Harris in the last year saw her represent the Kingdom of Spain in multiple appeals before the D.C. Circuit concerning plaintiff investors’ attempts to enforce arbitral awards rendered pursuant to the Energy Charter Treaty. Amy Saharia, who is singled out as ’incredibly knowledgeable’, successfully represented UBS Financial Services before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit following the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico’s dismissal of the plaintiff’s complaint seeking damages based on various RICO, tort, and breach of contract claims. Luke McCloud rejoined the firm in August 2024. All named attorneys are located in Washington, D.C.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The administrative/appellate practice team at Williams & Connolly has deep insight into the interaction between agency rulemaking process and constitutional law. They combine that with practical understanding of how agency rulemaking impacts asset managers and other financial services companies. They are very responsive and their work is top-notch, but they are also sensitive to client costs.’
‘Sarah Harris is an amazing appellate advocate who quickly grasps the nuances of SEC and other agency rules and how they can be challenged. She can be relied upon to give a thoughtful and balanced assessment of the chances of success of a legal challenge to agency rulemaking - encyclopedic knowledge of constitutional and administrative law. Tyler Becker, an associate who frequently works with Sarah, is also an excellent writer and analytical thinker.’
‘Depth of talent and insight in both appellate law generally and our particular subject matter.’
‘Lisa Blatt and Amy Saharia have been excellent. They are incredibly knowledgeable.'
‘Willims and Connolly has the best Supreme Court and appellate practice in the country, headed by Lisa Blatt. I have worked most closely with Amy Saharia, Katherine Trefz, and Patrick Looby, all of whom are outstanding. The practice group combines an extraordinary breadth of experience with a fierce commitment to clients.’
‘Each of the members had specific skill sets. They were diligent in their sets. Sarah Harris was readily available and worked through the day-to-day with me.'
Key clients
- Pfizer
- Avco/Textron
- UBS Financial Services Inc.
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Disciplinary Board
- CVS Health Corporation subsidiary Caremark LLC
- Shannon Sharpe
- Twin Metals/Antofagasta LLC
- Kingdom of Spain
- CVS Health
- Texas Bankers’ Association
Work highlights
- Secured a victory for Avco Corp., a subsidiary of Textron, in a Lanham Act trademark dispute in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
- Secured affirmance of dismissal of a RICO claim against UBS Financial Services, its former Puerto Rico affiliate, and several employees before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
- Secured a 8-1 Supreme Court holding that district courts must apply the traditional four factors for preliminary injunctions when considering the National Labor Relations Board’s requests for preliminary injunctions under Section 10(j) of the National Labor Relations Act.
Lawyers
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Luke McCloud
Practice head
Lisa Blatt
Other key lawyers
Sarah Harris; Amy Saharia; Tyler Becker; Katherine Trefz; Patrick Looby; Luke McCloud