Summit Law Group was born of the desire to do better – for clients as well as lawyers.
Leaving behind the limitations built into Big Law – high overhead requiring rigid pricing, bureaucracy born of extreme hierarchy, prestige sometimes at the expense of purpose – our founders created a firm guided by a single principle: client service.
This unrelenting focus on client service has not only enabled our lawyers to bring the finest legal services to clients at market-leading prices, it has nurtured a culture which is as nimble as it is collegial. Looking ahead, we know these qualities will be essential as we navigate unprecedented changes in the ways business is done and legal services are delivered.
Our mission today remains the same as it was at our founding: to think creatively and to proactively formulate and pursue the most effective, efficient solutions to clients’ legal needs with small, dedicated teams. This is The Summit Difference.
Everyone at Summit Law Group is a legal professional who shares in the firm’s success. As a result, every member of the Summit team feels a personal sense of ownership and accountability. Even as we embrace necessary changes, this innovative model continues to deliver successes for clients across the full range of complex legal needs.
Rise above the usual practice with Summit.
Summit's Commitment to Excellence
Summit is consistently recognized as a top law firm, both on the regional and national levels, and has been consistently ranked by US News & World Report - Best Lawyers and Chambers USA. Summit was also named Washington Firm of the Year at the 2021, 2022 & 2023 Benchmark Litigation US Awards and has also been recognized as one of Washington’s Best Workplaces for 2022 & 2023 by the Puget Sound Business Journal. We are especially proud that in its 2022 & 2023 Diversity Snapshot, Law360 recognized Summit as being among the leading law firms across the nation for diversity. Additionally, we have consistently received Mansfield Rule Plus Certification since 2022 for our diversity in leadership efforts. Summiteers take pride in working here.
Updated Aug 2024
Corr Cronin is widely recognized as a premier trial law firm in the Pacific Northwest. Fortune 500 corporations and regional organizations, individuals, and fellow attorneys trust our firm to resolve their most complex legal challenges, negotiate favorable settlements, and try cases to victory in both trial and appellate courts.
We are differentiated by a combination of sophisticated legal talent and the responsiveness of a service-centered boutique firm. The result is consistently exceptional client value.
Our practice areas cover a wide range of litigation including Appeals, Aviation, Blockchain and Cryptocurrency, Corporate and Securities, Competitive Practices and Antitrust, Compliance and Government Investigations, Class Action/Mass Tort, Consumer Protection Act, Employment, Financial Services, Insurance Coverage Litigation, Intellectual Property Labor and Employment, Personal Injury Tort and Product Liability, Professional Liability, Real Estate and Environmental, and White Collar and Investigations.
Our clients include Airbus Helicopters, Alaska Airlines, AT&T, Bayer, Bechtel, Cedar Grove Composting, Chrysler, Deloitte, Edwards Lifesciences, GE HealthCare, HP, HomeStreet Bank, Jacobs, Lennar, Lumen, Medtronic, Omeros, PEMCO, Primerica, Raytheon Technologies, Southwest Airlines, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, State Farm, Techtronic Industries, T-Mobile, and TNS.
This practice area and client coverage as well as the firm’s success is reflected in the feedback we receive: “For litigation, Corr Cronin is the firm to beat in Seattle”; our clients benefit from “top notch, big firm expertise at small, boutique firm prices”; and Corr Cronin is a firm of “trial-tested lawyers that carry a big stick, but temper when to use it.”
And each year, both our firm and attorneys are ranked among the best in the country. We receive accolades from Chambers USA, Benchmark Litigation (including selection as Firm of the Year in Washington for 2024), Best Lawyers, and many others, and our attorneys are frequently invited by legal and conventional news outlets to comment on cases and timely topics. Two of the firm’s attorneys are Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and most of our attorneys have substantial courtroom experience. One of our trial lawyers is a former King County Judge.
Corr Cronin’s mission is simple: Win. We are proud to be recognized, year after year, for delivering on that mission.
Updated May 2024
What a Law Firm Should Be: Unique in its culture and business model, Polsinelli is a large, national, first-generation law firm with the entrepreneurial DNA of its earliest days. Built 50 years ago on a strong foundation, we now are an Am Law 100 firm with 1,000+ attorneys in over 20 offices. Like-minded legal talent from across the country who hold in high regard the same principles of superior client service, diversity of thought and collaboration has made us who we are today. Our litigation practice encompasses business disputes, white collar investigations and enforcement, health care, intellectual property, bankruptcy, data privacy, real estate, financial services, products liability and toxic tort and labor and employment matters. We have litigators located from coast to coast in major financial centers. Our reputation for dedicated client service and innovative business solutions is a benchmark for excellence in the legal profession.
Commercial Litigation: Polsinelli’s nationally recognized Litigation practice is composed of attorneys committed to providing practical, industry-specific business litigation strategies informed by substantive and procedural knowledge, real courtroom experience, and a keen awareness of how legal outcomes impact our clients’ bottom lines. Our attorneys advise clients on business litigation matters, including contracts, mergers and acquisitions, and class actions and we represent public and private entities of all sizes. Our vast experience spans numerous industries, including real estate, telecommunications, technology, financial institutions, food and beverage, retail and hospitality, manufacturing, energy, aviation and transportation. We also have significant experience identifying and advising on evolving areas of law, including those based on consumer protection statutes such as privacy statutes, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), and the Fair Credit and Reporting Act (FCPA).
Government Investigations: Polsinelli’s Government Investigations team is highly qualified to quickly and effectively help companies and individuals respond to and defend against civil, criminal and regulatory government actions. Many of our attorneys are former federal prosecutors with specific experience.
Our team takes the guesswork out of navigating investigations involving the government. Clients seek out our team’s counsel at all stages of their interactions with government agencies, whether a client needs help responding to a subpoena or civil investigative demand, a comprehensive internal investigation, preemptive counsel on a compliance program, or a trial lawyer to defend against allegations of white-collar crimes. Our team has experience with governmental entities, including the Department of Justice, SEC, Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, EPA and States’ Attorney General Offices.
Health Care Litigation: Polsinelli Health Care Litigation attorneys combine their in-depth knowledge of the evolving health care industry with clients’ business needs to devise practical litigation strategies. We advise clients in managing risk and resolving complex disputes. When litigation is necessary, we collaborate with clients to effectively and efficiently protect their interests. Our attorneys are experienced in litigating government investigations and health care disputes in different forums, including lawsuits, arbitrations, administrative hearings, audits and investigations.
Our team is well known and respected by judges, regulators, arbitrators, health care industry leaders and the legal community. Members include former Department of Justice attorneys, including Assistant United States Attorneys, former experienced state Medicaid fraud unit attorneys, a former realtor attorney and former in-house counsel to private and publicly traded health care companies.
Intellectual Property Litigation: Polsinelli’s Intellectual Property Litigation practice takes creative and strategic approaches to resolving intellectual property disputes for local, regional, national and global companies and individuals. With more than 1,300 intellectual property litigation filings over the past six years, we frequently try high-technology intellectual property cases tied to diverse subject matter including patent litigation, trademark, copyright & branding, anti-counterfeiting and grey markets, restrictive covenants and trade secrets litigation, ITC Section 337, IP litigation funding and design patent litigation.
Labor & Employment Litigation: Our attorneys defend clients before administrative agencies and in trials, mediations, arbitrations, and appeals of lawsuits arising over virtually every conceivable employment-related action including age, religion, gender, pregnancy, race, national origin, disability, harassment, wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation, FMLA and OSHA violations.
Our Employment Litigation practice group has substantial experience representing management in the administrative charge and litigation phase of cases involving issues such as but not limited to The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), The Equal Pay Act (EPA), Whistleblower claims, work-related torts and wrongful termination.
Products Liability and Toxic and Mass Tort: Polsinelli’s litigators have deep experience defending and protecting our clients against defective design, defective manufacturing, premises liability, catastrophic injury, and toxic exposure claims that oftentimes go to the heart of our clients’ businesses.
Our experienced Products Liability and Toxic Tort team assesses cases early, identifying potential risks and working with our client’s legal, business, technical and regulatory teams to craft effective litigation strategies. Our electronic discovery (e-discovery) lawyers and other professionals are adept at coordinating and managing the often- burdensome discovery process that comes with defending these high-stakes cases. Our trial lawyers have the skills and experience to take cases to trial in any courtroom in the country.
These trial teams work hand in hand with our certified appellate specialists, who identify appellate issues and represent clients at the appellate level in state and federal courts throughout the United States.
Updated Aug 2024
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