Award Trophy

The American College of Trial Lawyers inducted 86 new fellows at its annual meeting in New Orleans.

I'm a big fan of the invite-only organization, which requires its members to be excellent, experienced litigators, but also to display “the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality” as a criteria for membership.

In other words, if you're a jerk, you won't get in.

The new members include some big names in Big Law, among them:

Robert Giuffra Jr. of Sullivan & Cromwell, who has been VW's lead lawyer in the diesel emissions scandal.

Deborah Baum, who chairs Pillsbury Winthrop's 220-plus global litigation department (and has a 9-0 success rate in recent cases tried to conclusion).

Thomas Heiden, the co-chair of Latham & Watkins' product liability, mass torts and consumer class actions practice.

Craig Thompson, a partner in Venable's product liability and mass torts practice, who is also the current president of the International Association of Defense Counsel (and also wrote a series of children's books on African American history).

Michael Banks of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, who has a wide-ranging litigation practice, and has been a leader in pro bono death penalty cases.

Richard North Jr. of Nelson Mullins, who specializes in pharmaceutical and medical device defense cases and previously headed the firm's litigation practice.

Harold Gordon, a partner in Jones Day's business and tort litigation practice whose representations include ongoing federal and state court financial products cases for Wells Fargo.

David Krakoff of Buckley Sandler, white collar and complex litigation partner who in March won a $2.6 billion settlement for Universal Entertainment that resolved a six-year lawsuit against Wynn Resorts. 

Michael Feldberg, the Allen & Overy partner who founded the firm's U.S. litigation practice in 2003.

For the full list of new members, click here.