California

Firm overview

The Susman Godfrey Difference

Susman Godfrey is America’s premier litigation boutique. Our talented group of lawyers handle high-stakes litigation for plaintiffs and defendants nationwide. With over 170 trial lawyers in four offices from coast to coast, we handle the most challenging cases throughout the country. We offer a broad range of creative, flexible fee structures which align our and our clients’ interests. Traditional hourly billing accounts for a small percentage of our work. Because we often share risk with our clients, we are committed to their success.

At Susman Godfrey, we approach each case as if it is headed for trial. Everything that we do is designed to prepare our attorneys to persuade a jury. When you are represented by Susman Godfrey, the opposing party will know that you are willing to take the case all the way to a verdict if necessary—this fact alone can make a good settlement possible.

We’re Number 1

Susman Godfrey has a longstanding reputation as one of the premier firms of trial lawyers in the US. We have been named the nation’s best litigation boutique by Vault 13 years in a row (every year since they started ranking). Benchmark Litigation named us Trial Firm of the Year in 2022 and Commercial Litigation Firm of the Year in 2023. The American Lawyer named us Boutique Litigation Firm of the Year in 2019 and 2023. Our lawyers are regularly recognized by legal media and researchers as leaders in their field.

Unique Perspective

Susman Godfrey represents both plaintiffs and defendants. We thrive on variety, flexibility, and creativity. Clients appreciate the insights that our broad experience brings. Our dual perspective informs not just our trial tactics, but also our approach to settlement negotiations and mediation presentations. We are successful in court because we understand our opponent’s case as well as our own.

Unparalleled Talent

Susman Godfrey prides itself on a talent pool as deep as any firm in the country. Clerking for a judge in the federal court system is considered to be the best training for a young trial attorney. Over 96% of our lawyers served in these highly sought-after clerkships after law school. Ten of our trial lawyers have clerked at the highest level—for Justices of the United States Supreme Court.

A Record of Winning

No matter the practice area or side of the courtroom, our lawyers are adept at becoming experts on the relevant subject matter, committing to the client’s ultimate goal, and working tirelessly to exceed expectations. Major victories include:

·       Secured historic $787.5 million deal with Fox News Network to resolve defamation claims brought by client, Dominion Voting Systems.

·       Secured landmark win for Flutter Entertainment in multi-billion dollar arbitration against Fox Sports Group.

·       Achieved a groundbreaking $418 million joint settlement on behalf of a nationwide class of home sellers with the National Association of Realtors that resolveD claims in four antitrust class actions against NAR.

·       Secure a first-of-its-kind dismissal of the FTC’s federal and administrative antitrust challenges to client ICE’s proposed $11+ billion acquisition of Black Knight, Inc.

·       Won a $341 million jury verdict on behalf of Dutch telecommunications company Koninklijke KPN N.V. (KPN) in a breach of contract dispute with Samsung Electronics.

·       Secured a $600 million settlement for residents of Flint, Michigan in the nationally followed Flint Water Crisis litigation.

·       Serve as National Trial Counsel for Walmart in many high stakes legal matters.

·       Won a $25.25 million jury verdict for client, Steven Lamar, in a contract and IP dispute with Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine over the iconic Beats headphones ― this verdict was also included on The National Law Journal’s ‘Top 100 Verdicts of the Year’ list.

·       Secured a favorable settlement for defendant, Uber, in its epic battle against Google’s Waymo over self-driving car technology.

·       Won a jury verdict valued at $160 million for General Electric in its legal battle against the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority.

·       Secured one of the largest settlement awards ever to a single whistleblower in a False Claims Act case ― over $450 million from Novartis Pharmaceuticals, who was accused of defrauding Medicare and Medicaid by illegally paying kickbacks to pharmacies so they would recommend Novartis’s medications to doctors and patients.

·       Secured a settlement valued at $100 million for a certified class of plaintiffs in a copyright infringement class action against well-known music streaming service, Spotify.

·       Won a defense-side jury verdict on behalf of The Rawlings Company in a certified class action challenging the company’s classification of its employees. After a three-week jury trial in Kentucky state court, the jury decided in favor of the defense.

·       Won a $50.3 million federal jury verdict for Green Mountain Glass, in a patent infringement lawsuit against Ardagh Glass. The verdict was #34 on National Law Journal’s “Top 100 Verdicts of 2017” list.

·       Secured a $91.25 million settlement for insurance policy owners in 37 Besen Parkway, LLC v. John Hancock Life Insurance Company.

·       Secured over $1.2 billion with several international automobile parts suppliers in the In Re Automotive Parts price-fixing class action.

·       Recovered $40 million for a class of derivatives investors in a securities class action against Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. The deal is believed to be the largest recovery ever obtained on behalf of derivative investors in history.

Updated Oct 2024

Firm overview

Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP specializes in complex litigation representing plaintiffs in securities fraud, antitrust, breach of fiduciary duty, consumer fraud, and privacy cases. The Firm’s unparalleled experience and capabilities in these fields are based on the talents of its attorneys, who have successfully prosecuted thousands of class action lawsuits. Robbins Geller has achieved success across several different, entirely distinct practice areas in a way that few firms have in any one practice area– from antitrust to consumer protection to shareholder litigation.

The Firm is widely recognized as a leading law firm worldwide. Judges have described Robbins Geller as one of the most formidable securities law firms in the country. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices nationwide, the Firm has the resources, experience, and tenacity to achieve superior results.

The Firm’s attorneys have obtained many of the largest recoveries in history: the largest consumer class action recovery ($17+ billion in Volkswagen); the largest securities class action recovery ($7.2 billion in Enron); the largest antitrust class action recovery ($5.5 billion in Visa/Mastercard); the largest securities class action recovery following trial ($1.575 billion in HSBC/Household International); the largest pharmaceutical securities class action recovery ($1.21 billion in Valeant Pharmaceuticals); the largest cash recovery in a stockholder merger & acquisition case in the Delaware Court of Chancery ($1 billion in Dell Technologies); the largest stock option backdating recovery ($925 million in UnitedHealth Group); the largest securities fraud class action recovery in the Ninth Circuit in the last decade ($809.5 million in Twitter); the largest opt-out (non-class) securities action recovery ($657 million in WorldCom); the largest biometric class action settlement ($650 million in Facebook); the largest RMBS purchaser class action recovery ($500 million in Countrywide); and the largest personal contributions by individual defendants in a securities class action recovery ($237.5 million of $1.025 billion total recovery in American Realty Capital Properties).

Robbins Geller was named one of the top plaintiff firms in the United States by Institutional Shareholder Services Securities Class Action Services, recovering $1.36 billion for investors in securities-related class action settlements in 2023. The Firm topped the ISS SCAS rankings for total number of investor recoveries, with ten more investor recoveries in 2023 than the next ranked law firm.

Robbins Geller attorneys represent consumers around the country in a variety of important and unprecedented complex class actions. The Firm was one of the originators of the national opioid litigation, filing among the earliest complaints against the opioid industry defendants. Robbins Geller partners served in leadership positions on multiple multidistrict litigations related to the opioid crisis. The litigations have resulted in settlements disbursing more than $50 billion for affected communities nationwide.

Robbins Geller’s Delaware Practice Group specializes in shareholder challenges against corporate fraud, abuse, self-dealing, and recklessness in Delaware courts. Not only have the Firm’s cases changed the law, they have recovered billions for shareholders and secured corporate reforms to strengthen good corporate governance. The Firm regularly represents investors in challenges to corporate mergers and acquisitions that shortchange shareholders while enriching corporate insiders.

Firm overview

Founded in 1920, Akerman is recognized as one of the country’s premier law firms, with more than 700 lawyers in 25 offices throughout the United States..

Commercial Litigation: Akerman offers a leading trial team that includes litigators across the United States. We represent a diverse range of clients across numerous sectors, with particular strength in the financial services, private equity, insurance, real estate, construction, health and life sciences, and energy sectors. Akerman lawyers regularly appear before judges and arbitrators in class actions, securities, white-collar, fraud and recovery, product liability, intellectual property, employment, bankruptcy, and general business matters.

Appellate: With a bench that includes many former appellate and trial court judges, Akerman’s appellate practice is a national powerhouse with demonstrated success in handling appeals related to complex commercial litigation. Akerman's appellate team frequently assist trial lawyers during all phases of litigation, preserving errors for appeal, drafting motions and responses, and providing strategic advice on the best approach for seeking relief on appeal. They handle numerous matters before appellate courts nationwide in various commercial cases and class actions. We also have experience in administrative appeals involving high profile issues before state agencies. Additionally, Akerman's appellate lawyers represent industry associations as amicus curiae in appellate proceedings when our clients are not a party to an appeal but have a substantial interest in the outcome.

International Litigation & Arbitration: Akerman has a long record of accomplishment in resolving complex multijurisdictional disputes. Our team represents multinational, foreign, and domestic corporations and individuals before U.S. federal and state courts, as well as in arbitration proceedings before a wide range of international arbitral bodies in multiple jurisdictions. Akerman litigators help clients successfully address conflicts in a broad range of sectors, including general commercial disputes, power and energy, construction and engineering, and banking and finance, among many others. Our highly responsive, multilingual team works in tandem with experienced local counsel to provide seamless resolution to disputes throughout Latin America, as well as in Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East.

Employment Litigation: Akerman’s national, multidisciplinary team helps clients navigate claims brought before state and federal agencies and boards as well as trial and appellate courts throughout the United States. Our lawyers regularly defend employers in all types of employment litigation, including complex class-action discrimination cases and collective action wage and hour matters. We also represent employers in connection with administrative charges and audits, and have successfully negotiated and supervised numerous settlements with the U.S. Department of Labor.

Updated Sep 2024

Firm overview