June 9, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC has been recognized by The Legal 500 as a 2022 Leading Firm in the following practice areas:
- Antitrust: Civil Litigation / Class Actions: Plaintiff
- Labor and Employment: Labor and Employment Disputes (including Collective Actions): Plaintiff
- Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Actions: Plaintiff
- Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation: Plaintiff
The Legal 500 editorial board and client and peer references offered the following positive commentary about the firm’s practices and attorneys.
ANTITRUST LITIGATION: PLAINTIFF
“Praised for the ‘depth of their litigation teams, from senior partners to junior associates’ and ‘credibility with judges and opposing counsel’, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC is known for its vibrant plaintiff-side antitrust practice which is regularly involved in high-stakes class actions and novel competition issues. Benjamin Brown and Brent Johnson jointly lead the team with involvement in cases ranging from transportation to labor. Described by a client as ‘one of the most highly skilled attorneys’, Richard Koffman has been recently involved in class action cases in the sports sector and financial markets. The team also includes pharmaceutical industry expert Sharon Robertson and Kit Pierson, who has vast experience representing clients in class actions and civil litigation pertaining to price-fixing, monopolization and other unfair competition. All mentioned attorneys are based in the firm’s Washington DC office”.
Testimonials
Among the many things that make Cohen Milstein both unique and exceptional is the depth of their litigation teams, from senior partners to junior associates. The partners with whom I’ve dealt are very creative and well rounded, equally able and willing to handle an important argument or deposition or dig into the documents to help build a case. The associates are hard working, motivated and enthusiastic and ready to take on as much responsibility as is available in any given case.’
‘I’ve known and worked with Richard Koffman for a very long time and he is one of the most highly skilled attorneys I have worked with.’
‘CMST is extraordinarily strong, with top flight talent from the senior to the junior lawyers. They are very smart and dedicated, and have credibility with judges and opposing counsel, and are always very trustworthy and dependable.’’
PRODUCT LIABILITY, MASS TORT AND CLASS ACTION: PLAINTIFF
Leveraging the expertise of ‘talented and extremely knowledgeable lawyers’, principally from its Washington DC and Florida offices, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC‘s complex tort litigation and consumer protection practice utilizes its strength-in-depth, trial and court-appointed class leadership expertise to be able to ‘confront the most complicated cases and obtain success’. Florida-based co-head Theodore Leopold recently secured final court approval of a landmark $626m settlement for the plaintiff class in the Flint water litigation, one of many high-profile environmental/toxic tort matters which Leopold has had leadership roles in. Washington DC-based consumer protection co-chair Victoria Nugent continues to represent State Attorneys General of Indiana, New Jersey, and Vermont in the opioid litigation, playing a central role in shaping the $26bn national settlement with Johnson & Johnson and three companies that distributed opioid painkillers. Florida-based co-chair Leslie Kroeger has a superb reputation for handling major product liability matters, including those within the automotive sector, while former Washington DC-based consumer protection co-chair Andrew Friedman continues to spearhead the firm’s efforts in the data privacy arena.
Testimonials
‘The firm has amassed talented and extremely knowledgeable lawyers that can confront the most complicated cases and obtain success.’
‘They have the dedication, focus and the work ethic to undertake the most difficult tasks and obtain success.’
LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT DISPUTES: PLAINTIFF
The Washington DC-based team at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC continues to impress with its strong track record representing plaintiffs at trial and appellate levels in both federal and state courts. The group houses strong capabilities in class, collective and single-plaintiff actions, while handling a busy caseload of employment disputes related to wage and hour claims, discrimination lawsuits, equal pay matters and issues arising from Title VII and the FLSA. The practice is headed by Joseph Sellers, who is recognized for being ‘a national expert in employment discrimination law’. He has extensive experience in litigation before federal and state appellate courts, including the US Supreme Court. Kalpana Kotagal is well versed in lawsuits related to discrimination and sexual misconduct allegations as well as diversity and inclusion mandates. Christine Webber is also noted for her expertise in class and collective actions.
Testimonials
‘Cohen Milstein is unique given its focus on civil rights and employment law and focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace.’
‘Kalpana Kotagal is not only a renowned civil rights advocate and attorney but also an organizer, a mother, and a brilliant and steadfast spirit. I have never worked with someone I believe in more and who is always about the work. She leads with dignity, passion and drives in everything she does and fights for those who need it most in order to win policy changes.
‘With her commitment to inclusion and her incredible work on the Inclusion Rider, Kalpana is going to go very far in her work and I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of that journey.’
‘Joe Sellers is a national expert in employment discrimination law and I trust his counsel.’
‘The firm saw benefit in a disability rights case and put in intelligent, careful, and clever analysis and deliberations to bring the case to resolution through both litigation and mediation. Our case was complex and the firm’s representatives led us through strategy sessions and mediations with skilled guidance and insights.’
‘Joseph Sellers was an extraordinary leader when guiding our team of lawyers from several organizations. He was crucial to overseeing our overall litigation strategy as well as taking the lead in stating our case during mediation.’
‘Their focus on and commitment to social issues is exemplary.’
‘Kalpana Kotagal works tirelessly on all tasks. She is also a kind person and always pleasant to work with.’
SECURITIES LITIGATION: PLAINTIFF
The lawyers at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC are ‘strong opponents, but professional and courteous, and they appear to have cornered the market on shareholder suits related to gender and race diversity and workplace conduct issues‘. The firm has a strong track record against large corporates and financial institutions, notably in cases concerning sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and related retaliation claims. Lead partners Steven Toll (who is ‘a senior statesman of the class action bar‘) and Julie Reiser, ‘deserve special mention in securities cases for their depth of experience and subject matter expertise‘. Reiser recently achieved a precedent-setting $310m settlement in In re Alphabet Shareholder Derivative Litigation to fund diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in Alphabet companies, institute sweeping employment policy and corporate governance reforms to ensure workplace equity and improve board oversight. Up-and-coming partner Michael Eisenkraft is co-leading Iowa Public Employees Retirement System et al. v. Bank of America Corp, a ground-breaking securities anti-competition putative class action.
Testimonials
‘I’ve had several cases opposite the CMST team. They were representing shareholders suing technology companies. They were strong opponents, but professional and courteous. They appear to have cornered the market on shareholder suits related to gender and race diversity and workplace conduct issues.’
‘Julie Reiser is the dominant lawyer in this field. She is held in high regard both by her colleagues on the plaintiff side and by her opponents on the company side.’
‘Steve Toll is one of the senior states people in the class action bar and exceptionally equipped to represent a wide variety of plaintiffs in the most sophisticated and complicated.’
‘Greta team with considerable experience. I have seen them get consistently good results for clients.’
‘Depth of experience and subject matter expertise. Steve Toll and Julie Reiser deserve special mention in securities cases.’
Furthermore, eight partners were singled out as Legal 500 Leading Lawyers:
- Andrew N. Friedman – Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Actions
- Richard A. Koffman – Antitrust (Legal 500 Hall of Fame)
- Theodore J. Leopold – Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Actions
- Kit A. Pierson – Antitrust
- Julie G. Reiser – Securities Litigation & Investor Protection
- Joseph M. Sellers – Labor and Employment
- Steven J. Toll – Securities Litigation
- Christine E. Webber – Labor and Employment
Four partners were singled out as Legal 500 Next Generation Lawyers:
- Michael B. Eisenkraft – Securities Litigation
- Brent W. Johnson – Antitrust
- Kalpana Kotagal – Labor and Employment
- Sharon K. Robertson – Antitrust
Additionally, three additional partners were “Recommended” by The Legal 500 United States 2021 editorial.
- Benjamin D. Brown – Antitrust
- Leslie M. Kroeger – Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Actions
- Victoria Nugent – Consumer Protection