While it operates from offices in Washington, DC, New York, and Los Angeles, Wilkinson Stekloff remains the essence of “litigation boutique.” More specifically, a litigation boutique with a uniquely pronounced emphasis on high-end trial work. Formed in 2016 by veteran DC trial celebrity Beth Wilkinson, Wilkinson Stekloff, which began as arguably the most buzz-worthy of law firms, is in the unique position of remaining one almost 10 years later. Despite numerous personnel and name changes, the firm has retained its allure as an elite shop and, if anything, has only further cemented that status for itself. “Wilkinson Stekloff is my favorite firm in the whole US right now,” exclaims one peer without hyberbole, a summarized opinion shared by several other contemporaries. Additionally, the firm’s position as one of Benchmark’s Top 20 Trial Firms (a position it has claimed since its beginnings) remains secure in this edition.
Wilkinson’s position as one of Benchmark’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the US also remains unshakeable. “Beth everything you want to be as a trial lawyer and leader, especially as a woman,” testifies one peer. A client cheers Wilkinson’s “great judgment and instinct, lots of trial experience, and [the way she] engages well with judges.” It is also noted, however, that “Beth was also smart enough to build a great team around her. In particular,
Rakesh Kilaru, who is so poised and smart and has so much political savvy and courtroom finesse.” Kilaru is summed up by a client as “a uniquely talented trial and appellate lawyer. He is equally at ease in the courtroom at trial and before appellate panels. He is one of the smartest lawyers I've ever dealt with and is also one of the nicest and easiest with which to work. He is the first person I'd want on my side in an important legal fight.” Kilaru and Wilkinson worked with
Brian Stekloff to secure a defense victory on behalf in the summer of 2024 of the NFL, its 32 Member Teams, and NFL Enterprises, overturning a $4.8 billion verdict that a jury awarded to plaintiffs in a certified class-action lawsuit regarding the clients’ practices regarding its Sunday Ticket package — a sports subscription that broadcasts regular-season NFL games unavailable on local affiliates — which allegedly violated antitrust laws. In another sports-related antitrust matter, Kilaru and
Cali Arat negotiated for a groundbreaking $2.8 billion settlement, announced in May 2024 and approved in April 2025, of a series of antitrust class-action lawsuits brought by hundreds of thousands of current and former collegiate student-athletes against the National Collegiate Athletic Association and five major conferences of schools. These disputes concern the nature of student-athlete compensation. In yet another antitrust-related appointment, Wilkinson and
Kosta Stojilkovic have recently been retained by Hewlett Packard Enterprise to defend against the DoJ’s challenge to its $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks. This is the first merger challenge brought by this administration.
