Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads had a productive 2017 in which the firm represented a number of high-profile companies including Microsoft, Verifone, Exxon Mobil and others. In June 2017, the firm was co-counsel to Microsoft in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Microsoft v. Baker, in which the justices ruled unanimously that the federal courts of appeals lack jurisdiction to review an order denying class certification after the named plaintiffs voluntarily dismiss their claims with prejudice. Among the firm's other successes, the class action defense group also obtained favorable results for Verifone in FACTA suits, for Valve Corp. in a gaming suit, and for Hero Nutritionals in food-labeling suits. Chuck Casper, Montgomery McCracken Chuck Casper, chair of the firm's class action defense practice group What were some of the department's most satisfying successes of 2017, and why? Microsoft v. Baker Spokeo v. Robins At a time when class action reform is back at the forefront of political discourse, do you anticipate the nature of your work changing in the coming years? Wal-Mart v. Dukes Comcast v. Behrend AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion American Express v. Italian Colors Restaurant Epic Systems v. Lewis Varela v. Lamps Plus A prospective client in crisis calls and asks why your team should be retained—what is your answer? It's a challenging litigation market, with flat or declining demand, rate pressures, and other factors. From a business perspective, what does it take for a litigation department to succeed in this environment? What is the firm doing to ensure that future generations of litigators are ready to take the helm?