The NLJ shines a spotlight on 12 firms that scored big recoveries for plaintiffs in 2015 and early 2016. These firms tapped their deep benches for high-stakes litigation battles in courts across the country. They fought for whistleblowers, consumers, institutional investors and college athletes­ — among many other clients — in multimillion-dollar suits. In one case, litigators convinced a judge to open up a song to the world that probably sounds familiar — “Happy Birthday to You.” These are their stories.