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Aric Press
The American Lawyer
01-02-2008

This is the fourth time we've chosen a Litigation Department of the Year, a now biennial undertaking that has acquired a life of its own.

We invited the Am Law 200 firms to compete for the overall title as well as laurels in one of three specialties: Intellectual Property, Labor and Employment, and Product Liability.

We asked the firms to report on their litigation records between Jan. 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007. Specifically, we asked for no more than five examples of "significant achievements" in six categories, ranging from pretrial work to appellate to pro bono.

The responses filled two dozen crates and have occupied most of our waking hours since the Aug. 1 deadline. We read them all, the clear and the confusing, the witty and the turgid. We whittled down the entries to a short list of finalists and then invited each to come to New York to plead their case. Oral argument, as it were, helped some firms. Others should have stayed home. Also, once again, we asked for client references. Note to law firms: Next time, check to make sure these folks actually think as highly of your work as you believe they do.

In the end, our four panels of judges concluded that we were most akin to admissions committees at very select colleges: At a certain point, you get used to rejecting high school valedictorians.

This was a remarkably close competition. In our special report we present the four winners, the runners-up, and, in the Department of the Year contest, 18 more who merited special attention.

Congratulations! And let the appeals begin.

The Litigation Department of the Year:

Kirkland & Ellis

Some say the firm's chest-pounding litigation culture is a thing of the past -- but in the courtroom, nobody does it better.

Akin Gump: Up From Politics

From Texas trial courts to the well of the U.S. Supreme Court, Akin Gump scored impressive victories.

Covington & Burling: Custom-Tailored Defense

Covington wins with regulatory know-how, Washington connections and appellate creativity.

Skadden: On a Winning Streak

Once a service department for the firm's M&A business, Skadden's litigation practice is all grown up.

Williams & Connolly: Do You Believe in Miracles?

It's a law firm, not a cult. But for satisfied clients, and some opponents, Williams & Connolly is an article of faith.