Ana Reyes and Stephen Raber, Williams & Connolly

Tell us about your biggest trial win from January 2017 to July 2018 and how you achieved the result for your client. In the first case in which a former head-of-state has been tried in the U.S., we secured judgment for the former Bolivian president and his defense minister. Plaintiffs wrongfully claimed they were responsible for deaths during a violent overthrow of the government. After 11 years of litigation and a three-week trial, the jury returned a split verdict and the court dismissed the remaining claim. We won through thoughtful perseverance. We endured sensational allegations and a hostile Bolivian government (led by the person who overthrew our clients), but stayed focused on collecting evidence. We planned carefully to ensure the admissibility of evidence at trial, a crucial step given the extensive international discovery.