Top legal professionals honored as agents of change

  Fifty of the top legal professionals in the U.S. have been recognized in the National Law Journal’s inaugural “Litigation Trailblazers & Pioneers” special supplement. Released on December 22, the list honors individuals who have changed the practice of litigation through the use of innovative legal strategies.


Each of the professionals recognized has promoted significant change in the way cases are litigated through the use of inventive defense techniques or technologies; by bringing unique types of cases to court; executing novel litigation approaches; and/or by establishing new approaches to billing. 

“The ‘Litigation Trailblazers & Pioneers’ list recognizes those professionals who have acted as real agents of change in their field, elevating — and in some cases, redefining — the ways in which litigation is pursued, cases are defended or trials are handled,” said Tom Larranaga, publisher of The National Law Journal. “They have raised the bar in several meaningful ways and are establishing important new standards as the legal landscape continues to evolve.”

 The Trailblazers & Pioneers list was introduced by The National Law Journal last year and will be growing in 2015 to include “Energy & Environmental Trailblazers” (April 13), “Regulatory & Compliance Trailblazers” (June 8) and “Antitrust & M&A Trailblazers” (September 28), along with the “Litigation Trailblazers” (December 7). 

The complete list of winners is as follows: Adam Levin; Andrew McBride; Anton R. Valukas; Beth A. Wilkinson; Christopher A. Seeger; Christopher M. Curran; Christopher L. Keough & Stephanie A. Webster; Dan K. Webb; David Boies; David Graeler, Patrick J. Richard & Thomas D. Long; Elizabeth J. Cabraser; Elpidio Villarreal; Evan M. Tager; Fred H. Bartlit Jr.; Gerald H. Silk; J. Mark Gidley; Janet I. Levine; Jerold Oshinsky; Joseph D. Jamail Jr.; Joseph F. Rice; John B. Quinn; John W. Keker; Josh Becker; Lee S. Richards; Linda Luperchio; Mark F. (Thor) Hearne II; Madeleine M. McDonough; Martin Lueck; Michael A. Brown; Michael E. Elsner; Michael D. Hausfeld; Nancy L. Abell; Neal S. Berinhout; Philip M. Aidikoff; Philip K. Anthony; Richard A. Bowman; Robert D. Thornton; Robert B. Barnett; Robert L. Haig; Robert S. Salcido; Ronald J. Offenkrantz; Rudolph A. Telscher; Stephen D. Susman; Stuart Grant; Tara M. Lee; and Theodore B. Olson.