History Makers and Innovators: The American Lawyer Industry Awards Finalists Announced
Dr. Clarence B. Jones, who served as personal counsel to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rep. Jamie Raskin are among the inspirational crop of leaders, civil rights pioneers, innovators and client champions who will be part of the industry's biggest awards night of the year.
August 04, 2022 at 10:00 AM
6 minute read
The American Lawyer has chosen the finalists for its annual Industry Awards, selecting from more than 700 submissions to find those lawyers, business professionals, law firms and organizations that are elevating the profession to new heights.
The below list includes the finalists for each category, with the winners set to be named at The American Lawyer Industry Awards gala in New York City on November 10. The winners of Corporate Counsel's Best Legal Departments awards will also be announced at the gala.
Across our categories, we not only honor inspirational work in our storied lifetime achievement and attorney of the year categories, but we also aim to celebrate ways in which the profession is innovating and better meeting client needs. Also announced today are the finalists in the Law Firm Corporate Practices of the Year categories.
The American Lawyer pulled from relevant expertise among its senior editors and reporters across Law.com's global newsroom to ensure only the best of a stellar crop of submissions rose to the level of finalist. Write-ups of the winners, including the specifics behind their exceptional work will follow in the remaining months of 2022.
Lifetime Achievement Award Winners
- Dr. Clarence B. Jones, retired emeritus director, The USF Institute for Nonviolence and Social Justice and former personal counsel and speechwriter for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky, Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale and Dorr
- James Sandman, Legal Services Corporation & the University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law Future of the Profession Initiative
- Harriet Miers, Locke Lord
- Carter Phillips, Sidley Austin
- Gordon "Gordy" Davidson, Fenwick & West (Law Firm Distinguished Leader)
Attorney of the Year Finalists
- Jeffrey Kessler, Winston & Strawn, for his groundbreaking work in the area of sports law, impacting the rights and financial opportunities of thousands of athletes
- Sigrid McCawley, Boies Schiller Flexner, for her steadfast work representing victims of sexual abuse
- Rep. Jamie Raskin, U.S. House of Representatives, for his passionate work supporting mental health in the profession and rule of law
- Debra Wong Yang, of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Tai Park of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, for their dedicated work leading the industry's Alliance for Asian American Justice
Law Firm of the Year Finalists
- Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
- Davis, Polk & Wardwell
- McDermott Will & Emery
- Paul Hastings
- Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan
- Ropes & Gray
- Sidley Austin
Best Business Team Finalists
- Ballard Spahr
- Greenberg Traurig
- McGuireWoods
- Reed Smith
- Troutman Pepper
Best Client-Law Firm Team Finalists
- Davis Wright Tremaine and Flynn Restaurant Group
- McDermott Will & Emery and Meta
- Morgan Lewis & Bockius and 23andMe
- Ropes & Gray and Audax Group
- Steptoe & Johnson LLP and DISH Networks
- Williams & Connolly and CVS Health Corporation
Best Diversity Initiative Finalists
- Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft
- McDermott Will & Emery
- Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
- Shook Hardy & Bacon
- Sidley Austin
- Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr
Best Mentor Finalists: In-House
- Dorothy Capers, Xylem
- Shelley Webb, PagerDuty
Best Mentor Finalists: Law Firm
- Daniel Bookin, O'Melveny & Myers
- David Farhat, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
- Dionysia Johnson-Massie, Littler Mendelson
- Coral Negron, Jenner & Block
- Ellen Dwyer, Crowell & Moring
- Scott Ellis, Foley & Lardner
- Joseph Centeno, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
Best Provider Collaboration Finalists
- Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld and CASA
- Kaplan Hecker & Fink; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; and Cooley
- McGuireWoods, VCU Health, and Dominion Energy
Best Use of Technology Finalists
- Ballard Spahr
- McDermott Will & Emery
- Fox Rothschild
- Berry Appleman & Leiden
- Goodwin
- DLA Piper
Corporate Purpose Award Finalists
- Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld
- Greenberg Traurig
- Latham & Watkins
- Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
- Ropes & Gray
- Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Legal Services Innovation Finalists
- Honigman
- McGuireWoods
- Reed Smith
- NEXT powered by Shulman Rogers
- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
- Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Litigator of the Year Finalists
- Allison Brown, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
- Daralyn Durie, Durie Tangri
- John Hueston, Hueston Hennigan
- Richard Jones, Sullivan & Worcester
- Enu Mainigi, Williams & Connolly
- Josh Rosenkranz, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
- Kannon Shanmugam, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
National Boutique / Specialty Litigation Dept. of the Year Finalists
- Bartlit Beck
- Cohen Ziffer Frenchman & McKenna
- Durie Tangri
- Kaplan Hecker & Fink
- Irell & Manella
- Rivero Mestre
- Stris Maher
Regional Litigation Finalists—California
- Cooley
- Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
- Kirkland & Ellis
- Hunton Andrews Kurth
- Covington & Burling
Regional Litigation Finalists—Florida
- Hogan Lovells
- McDermott Will & Emery
- Shook, Hardy & Bacon
Regional Litigation Finalists—Georgia
- Greenberg Traurig
- King & Spalding
- Nelson, Mullins, Riley & Scarborough
Regional Litigation Finalists—New Jersey
- Greenberg Traurig
- McCarter & English
Regional Litigation Finalists—Pennsylvania
- Cozen O'Connor
- Jones Day
- Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
Regional Litigation Finalists—Texas
- Baker Botts
- Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
- Jones Day
- Sidley Austin
Tony Mauro Media Lawyer Award Winners
- George Freeman and Lee Levine of the Media Law Resource Center
- NPR's Media Law Team
Young Lawyer of the Year Finalists (Beyond Practice)
- Andrew Clark, Latham & Watkins
- Devon Galloway, Zuckerman Spaeder
- Lauren Champaign, Foley & Lardner
- Kimberlynn Davis, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton
- John Gray, Perkins Coie
- Kyle Kimpler, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
- Shelisa Thomas, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
- Mary Olson, Shook, Hardy & Bacon
Young Lawyer of the Year Finalists (Corporate)
- C.J. Fisher, Fox Rothschild
- Darwin Huang, Kasowitz Benson Torres
- Emily Johnson, Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz
- Dohyun Kim, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
- Daniel Lynch, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld
- John Pitts, Kirkland & Ellis
- Laura Turano, Paul Weiss
- Lawrence Lee, Baker McKenzie
- Oulu (Lulu) Wang, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner
Young Lawyer of the Year Finalists (Litigation)
- Eugene Novikov, Durie Tangri
- Gary S. Ward, Wiley Rein
- Jonathan Tam, Dechert
- Joseph Reiter, Hueston Hennigan
- Megan Gerking, Morrison & Foerster
- Lee Popkin, Proskauer
- Matthew Zorn, Yetter Coleman
Law Firm Corporate Practices of the Year
Corporate Attorney of the Year Finalists
- Michael Aiello, Weil, Gothsal & Manges
- Atif Azher, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
- Scott Barshay, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
- Cheryl Chan, Davis Polk & Wardwell
- Tad Freese, Latham & Watkins
- Ken Lefkowitz, Hughes Hubbard & Reed
- Rezwan Pavri, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
- Tessa Schwartz of Morrison & Foerster
General Category Finalists
- Cravath, Swaine & Moore
- Davis Polk & Wardwell
- Kirkland & Ellis
- Latham & Watkins
- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
- Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
- Weil, Gotshal & Manges
Health Care/Pharmaceuticals Category Finalists
- Goodwin
- McDermott Will & Emery
- Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
- Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
- Ropes & Gray
- Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton
Energy Category Finalists
- Bracewell
- Latham & Watkins
- Vinson & Elkins
Tech/Telecom Category Finalists
- Cooley
- Davis Polk & Wardwell
- Goodwin
- Latham & Watkins
- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
- Sullivan & Cromwell
- Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Mid-/Small-Cap Category Finalists
- Akerman
- Cozen O'Connor
- King & Spalding
- McDermott Will & Emery
- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
- Reed Smith
- Ropes & Gray
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5 minute readLaw Firms Mentioned
- Shook Hardy & Bacon
- Wiley Rein
- Ropes & Gray
- DLA Piper
- Cravath, Swaine & Moore
- Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
- Zuckerman Spaeder
- Baker Botts
- Weil, Gotshal & Manges
- Kasowitz Benson Torres
- Winston & Strawn LLP
- Williams & Connolly
- Yetter Coleman LLP
- Ballard Spahr
- Hunton Andrews Kurth
- Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
- Latham & Watkins
- Jenner & Block
- Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner
- Jones Day
- Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
- Irell & Manella
- King & Spalding
- Fenwick & West
- McDermott Will & Emery
- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
- Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft
- Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Warton & Garrison
- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
- Bracewell
- Greenberg Traurig
- Reed Smith
- Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton
- Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
- Fox Rothschild
- Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan
- Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
- Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
- Cozen O'Connor
- Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pord & Ecker
- Baker McKenzie
- Dechert
- Willkie Farr & Gallagher
- Paul Hastings
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
- Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
- Bartlit Beck Herman
- Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
- Davis Wright Tremaine
- Locke Lord LLP
- Littler Mendelson
- Steptoe & Johnson LLP
- Berry Appleman Leiden
- Perkins Coie
- O'Melveny & Myers
- Sidley Austin
- Vinson & Elkins
- McGuireWoods
- Morrison & Foerster LLP
- Hogan Lovells
- Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
- Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
- Covington & Burling
- Cooley
- Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
- Sullivan & Worcester
- Davis Polk & Wardwell
- Kirkland & Ellis
- McCarter & English
- Foley & Lardner
- Boies Schiller Flexner
- Hughes Hubbard & Reed
- Crowell & Moring LLP
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Who Got The Work
Michael G. Bongiorno, Andrew Scott Dulberg and Elizabeth E. Driscoll from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr have stepped in to represent Symbotic Inc., an A.I.-enabled technology platform that focuses on increasing supply chain efficiency, and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The case, filed Oct. 2 in Massachusetts District Court by the Brown Law Firm on behalf of Stephen Austen, accuses certain officers and directors of misleading investors in regard to Symbotic's potential for margin growth by failing to disclose that the company was not equipped to timely deploy its systems or manage expenses through project delays. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, is 1:24-cv-12522, Austen v. Cohen et al.
Who Got The Work
Edmund Polubinski and Marie Killmond of Davis Polk & Wardwell have entered appearances for data platform software development company MongoDB and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The action, filed Oct. 7 in New York Southern District Court by the Brown Law Firm, accuses the company's directors and/or officers of falsely expressing confidence in the company’s restructuring of its sales incentive plan and downplaying the severity of decreases in its upfront commitments. The case is 1:24-cv-07594, Roy v. Ittycheria et al.
Who Got The Work
Amy O. Bruchs and Kurt F. Ellison of Michael Best & Friedrich have entered appearances for Epic Systems Corp. in a pending employment discrimination lawsuit. The suit was filed Sept. 7 in Wisconsin Western District Court by Levine Eisberner LLC and Siri & Glimstad on behalf of a project manager who claims that he was wrongfully terminated after applying for a religious exemption to the defendant's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The case, assigned to U.S. Magistrate Judge Anita Marie Boor, is 3:24-cv-00630, Secker, Nathan v. Epic Systems Corporation.
Who Got The Work
David X. Sullivan, Thomas J. Finn and Gregory A. Hall from McCarter & English have entered appearances for Sunrun Installation Services in a pending civil rights lawsuit. The complaint was filed Sept. 4 in Connecticut District Court by attorney Robert M. Berke on behalf of former employee George Edward Steins, who was arrested and charged with employing an unregistered home improvement salesperson. The complaint alleges that had Sunrun informed the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection that the plaintiff's employment had ended in 2017 and that he no longer held Sunrun's home improvement contractor license, he would not have been hit with charges, which were dismissed in May 2024. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer, is 3:24-cv-01423, Steins v. Sunrun, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Greenberg Traurig shareholder Joshua L. Raskin has entered an appearance for boohoo.com UK Ltd. in a pending patent infringement lawsuit. The suit, filed Sept. 3 in Texas Eastern District Court by Rozier Hardt McDonough on behalf of Alto Dynamics, asserts five patents related to an online shopping platform. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap, is 2:24-cv-00719, Alto Dynamics, LLC v. boohoo.com UK Limited.
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