Q: What are some of the litigation department’s most satisfying successes of the past year and why?

A: It has been a tremendous year for S&C litigators on many fronts. On the Volkswagen diesel-emissions matters, building on our landmark multi-billion-dollar settlements in 2016 and 2017, we have continued to successfully assist VW in managing the litigation side of this crisis. For instance, we won a pivotal test case brought by the State of Wyoming, wiping out potentially billions of dollars of environmental claims on the grounds of preemption. That victory led to follow-on victories in suits filed by the states of Alabama, Illinois and Missouri, as well as a number of counties. We also won a significant victory in a putative securities-fraud class action brought by a plaintiff seeking to represent investors who had bought $8.3 billion in bonds. In addition, S&C has achieved a number of favorable pre-trial rulings in MDL opt-out litigations across the country, including a series of rulings on the eve of trial resulting in full dismissal.