Litigation Departments of the Year 2020

The NYLJ honors the top department in general litigation and two general litigation finalists as well as top specialty practice departments in the fields of class action, finance, insurance, intellectual property, labor and employment, products liability, professional liability and real estate. The winning litigation teams each include New York lawyers who had a significant impact on the work submitted to us.

General Litigation

Winner: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher

While we have “star” litigators in New York, we are not a star system. We function as a team and have a deep bench that one client publicly described as “the Gibson Dunn army.”

Finalist: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison

Our team, which includes many of the country’s most accomplished trial lawyers and former senior government officials, is uniquely positioned to handle sprawling government enforcement actions and parallel private litigation.

Finalist: Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom

We are proud that 95% of the firm’s New York litigation partners began their careers as Skadden associates, and believe that our retention rate underscores our commitment to the professional development, mentoring and career prospects we provide.

Specialty Practice

Class Action: Weil, Gotshal & Manges

Part of what makes us so effective is taking a transactional perspective, which helps us advance our clients’ positions in an efficient manner; recognizing favorable outcomes and opportunities to exert leverage even as positions change.

Finance: Sullivan & Cromwell

S&C is known for its generalist approach, which is important when dealing with any type of litigation matter, but essential in a corporate crisis. By drawing from the best minds and a wealth of varied experiences, we can guide our clients through any crisis with sensitivity.

Insurance: Simpson Thacher & Bartlett

The leading names in the insurance industry routinely turn to Simpson Thacher when crises and cutting-edge issues arise, including, most recently, coverage questions relating to opioids, talc, clergy abuse, COVID-19 and cyber-related liabilities.

Intellectual Property: Kirkland & Ellis

What I hear from clients about what distinguishes our team is our responsiveness, agility, creativity, business-mindedness, and enthusiasm, which are crucial to navigating a crisis.

Labor and Employment: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius

Arbitration seemed to be at the forefront of the many challenges our clients faced in 2019. We prevailed in novel arbitration issues in both the courts and in arbitral forums, and had many precedent-setting victories that alter the industry.

Products Liability/Mass Torts: Dechert

Dechert’s 70-lawyer PLMT group has a reputation for developing new defense strategies and for moving the law. The team has a lengthy track record of securing dismissals of entire MDLs before the trial of any case.

Professional Liability: Latham & Watkins

We’re constantly looking ahead of the curve for our clients. For example, Latham has been at the forefront of the direct listing, an innovative alternative to the IPO, and we are the first and only firm to advise on both the issuer and financial adviser side of a direct listing.

Real Estate: Rosenberg & Estis

There isn’t a single real estate matter that we aren’t prepared to handle, and when an unprecedented circumstance arises, we are the first firm to come back with a solution.