Elizabeth Stotland Weiswasser

The Daily Business Review and Law.com editorial staff, with the help of distinguished members of the Florida legal community, are pleased to announce the shortlist for the 2026 Florida Legal Awards. All honorees will be recognized, and winners of finalist categories announced, at the awards ceremony to be held on April 29 at the JW Marriott Marquis in Miami. We hope to see you there. For tickets and sponsorships, please contact Andre Sutton at andre.sutton@alm.com for more information. While many awards recognize the contributions legal professionals or organizations have made over the past year, our Lifetime Achievement award celebrates the long-term impact that Florida lawyers have made. Congratulations to everyone on the shortlist, and we look forward to celebrating you in April. Lifetime Achievement Winners David Bianchi, Stewart Tilghman Fox Bianchi & Cain Michael A. Haggard, The Haggard Law Firm Joseph Serota, Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman William R. Scherer, Conrad & Scherer Trial Lawyers Attorney of the Year Finalists Jeffrey Bass, Bass Law Kimberly L. Wald, The Haggard Law Firm John Yanchunis, Morgan & Morgan Best Mentors Finalists Lori Adelson, Approved Dispute Resolution Arturo Arca and Christian Rodriguez, Trembly Law Firm Jeffrey Hearne, Legal Services of Greater Miami Pedro E. Hernandez, Hinshaw & Culbertson Marck K. Joseph, The Joseph Firm Kate Lashley, Sidley Austin Allen P. Pegg, Hogan Lovells Martha Rabbitt, Shutts & Bowen Miranda L. Soto, Buchanan Ingersoll and Rooney Construction Trailblazer Finalists Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod Trent Cotney, Adams & Reese Timothy D. Woodward, Shutts & Bowen Cross-Border Disputes Finalists King & Spalding Squire Patton Boggs White & Case Dealmakers of the Year Finalists Matthew Arenson and Eduardo M. Leal, Kirkland & Ellis Francisco Cerezo, DLA Piper David J. Cohen, Weil, Gotshal & Manges Esteban J. Elias, Leech Tishman Joshua B. Forman, Greenberg Traurig Jackson Hwu, Dentons Ira N. Rosner, Holland & Knight Distinguished Leaders Winners Andres Fernandez, Holland & Knight Brian L. Hayden, Jackson Lewis Harry Burnett, King & Spalding Joseph J. Lazzarotti, Jackson Lewis Alison Tanchyk, Morgan Lewis Rick Martin, Winston & Strawn Robin Bresky, Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas Todd J. Michaels, The Haggard Law Firm In-House Counsel of the Year Finalists Lynn Carrillo, FIFA Gerald Del Amo, Broward Health Nefertari Rigsby, Kaplan North America Evian White De Leon, MIAMI Association of REALTORS Innovators Finalists Kaley Dreyer, Farah and Farah Carl Fornaris, Winston & Strawn Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici, SMB Law Group Marlon Hill, Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman Michael Platner, Lewis Brisbois Stuart Ratzan, Ratzan Weissman & Boldt Charles B. Jimerson, Jimerson Birr Law Firm of the Year Finalists Gastesi Lopez Mestre & Cobiella King & Spalding Morgan & Morgan Litigation Departments of the Year, Construction Finalists Cole, Scott & Kissane Duane Morris Litigation Departments of the Year, General Litigation Finalists Boies Schiller Flexner Greenberg Traurig Holland & Knight King & Spalding Levine Kellogg Lehman Schneider + Grossman Weil, Gotshal & Manges Morgan & Morgan (Personal Injury Department) Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan Ratzan, Weismann & Boldt Litigation Departments of the Year, Insurance Finalists Carlton Fields Hunton Andrews Kurth Litigation Departments of the Year, Products liability/Mass Torts Finalists King & Spalding Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd Managing Partner of the Year (Large and Midsize Firm) Finalists Abbye Alexander, Kaufman Dolowich Beatriz Azcuy, Sidley Austin Dean Cannon, GrayRobinson Albert Dotson, Jr., Bilzin Sumberg Manuel Garcia-Linares, Day Pitney William Lewis, Morgan & Morgan Rick Martin, Winston & Strawn Olga Vieira and Sam Williamson, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan Managing Partner of the Year (Small Firm) Finalists Raul Gastesi, Gastesi Lopez Mestre & Cobiella Patricia M. Hernandez, Avila Law John N. Lambros, Brinkley Morgan Eric Pacifici, SMB Law Group Spencer Payne, Moore Payne Law Maritime Attorney of the Year Winner Elisha Sullivan, Chartwell Law Most Promising Newcomer Finalists Caitlin Calvo, Winston & Strawn Mischaël Cetoute, Holland & Knight Evan Gilbert, Winston & Strawn Briana Harris, Kluger, Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine Emma G. Refuveille, Shutts & Bowen On the Rise Winners (Large & Midsize Firms) Valeria Angelucci, Becker Sara A. Brubaker, Akerman Laura Ferguson, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan Alina M. Fernandez Portela, Hogan Lovells Giovanni Giarratana, Bradley Audrey Goldman, Robinson+Cole Elle Hayes, McDermott Will & Schulte Daniel McQuade, Kirkland & Ellis Axel Miranda, Sidley Austin Isel Perez, Jones Day Mark Pinkert, Holtzman Vogel Tom Schulte, Hunton Andrews Kurth Andrew Ingalls, Day Pitney Matthew R. Maranges, Jones Walker Brian Vaca, Hughes Hubbard & Reed Chanae L. Wood, Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman James R. Williams Jr., Gunster On the Rise Winners (Small Firms) Melissa Bryan, HAWM Law Marcelo Diaz-Cortes, Levine Kellogg Lehman Schneider + Grossman Zachary Gorwitz, Podhurst Orseck Nicole Kruegel, Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa Russell Monilla, Cruz Law Firm Daryl L. Saylor, LashGoldberg Jordan Shaw, Shaw Lewenz David Tarras, Tarras Defense Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Finalists Melanie Kalmanson, Quarles & Brady Ross Linzer, King & Spalding Real Estate Attorney of the Year Finalists Katherine Amador, Berger Singerman Daniel Kaskel, Sachs Sax Caplan Real Estate Firm of the Year Finalists Berger Singerman Bilzin Sumberg Foley Lardner Greenberg Traurig Government Law Group Perez Mayoral Talent Management Winner, Firm The Joseph Firm Talent Management Finalists, Individual Ravin Sahadeo, Morgan & Morgan Andrea DeField, Hunton Andrews Kurth Unsung Heroes Winners Juan Bauta, Simmons Hanly Conroy Carmen Manrara Cartaya, Continental Sharon Caserta, Morgan & Morgan Adam Finkel, The Haggard Law Firm Garrett S. Kamen, Fisher Phillips James Moon, Meland Budwick Elizabeth Somerstein, Greenspoon Marder We hope to see you at the awards ceremony on April 29 at the JW Marriott Marquis in Miami. For tickets and sponsorships, please contact Andre Sutton at andre.sutton@alm.com for more information.

Mar 3

4 min

A team of Paul, Weiss lawyers, alongside co-counsel, delivered a significant appellate victory for Altria, when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a judgment awarding Altria more than $95.2 million in damages, along with an ongoing royalty through the life of the patents, based on a jury verdict finding that rival R.J. Reynolds (RJR) had infringed Altria’s e-vapor patents and that the asserted patents are valid. In 2020, Altria sued RJR in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, claiming that RJR infringed patents covering Altria’s development of a novel e-vapor “pod” format, which Altria contended had been copied for RJR’s popular Vuse Alto product. RJR asked the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) to institute inter partes review proceedings to invalidate the asserted patents; the PTAB declined to even institute proceedings. Following extensive pre-trial proceedings, the case proceeded to a seven-day jury trial in 2022, during which RJR presented non-infringement and patent invalidity defenses and disputed Altria’s damages theory. The 10-person jury returned a unanimous verdict after only three hours in favor of Altria and awarded the full amount of damages requested. After denying RJR’s motions for judgment as a matter of law and for a new trial, the district court entered a judgment for past damages and an ongoing royalty. RJR appealed to the Federal Circuit concerning the district court’s denial of RJR’s judgment as a matter of law motion regarding infringement; the district court’s exclusion of evidence that RJR intended to use to support its patent invalidity defense; and the district court’s denial of RJR’s request for judgment as a matter of law and a new trial as to the amount of damages awarded by the jury. The Federal Circuit affirmed the judgment, finding that infringement was supported by sufficient evidence, that the district court had not abused its discretion in excluding evidence, and that the damages award was supported by sufficient evidence and not the result of an improper instruction of law. The Paul, Weiss team includes litigation partners Elizabeth Weiswasser, Anish Desai, Sutton Ansley and Priyata Patel and counsel Mandy Branch and Matthew Sieger.

Dec 19

2 min

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Samsung Bioepis Co. Ltd. have told a West Virginia federal court they reached an agreement to end patent infringement claims brought by Regeneron over a biosimilar of its eye medication Eylea. The companies said in a stipulation filed Wednesday they've agreed to resolve all issues between them and release a preliminary injunction bond over Samsung Bioepis' 2-milligram aflibercept product. The claims are part of multidistrict litigation comprising a group of lawsuits brought by Regeneron against rivals over their Eylea biosimilars. Eylea, which Regeneron has described as its "flagship product," treats certain angiogenic eye disorders. The other companies targeted by Regeneron's claims include Amgen Inc., Biocon Biologics and Sandoz. Counsel for the parties did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday. Regeneron is represented by David I. Berl, Arthur John Argall III, Thomas S. Fletcher, Christian J. Gladden-Sorensen, Kathryn Schleckser Kayali, Rhochelle Krawetz, Shaun P. Mahaffy, Charles McCloud, Adam Pan and Andrew V. Trask of Williams & Connolly LLP, Jacob E. Hartman of Kellogg Hansen Todd Figel & Frederick PLLC, and Priyata Patel and Elizabeth Stotland Weiswasser of Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP. Samsung Bioepis is represented by Raymond N. Nimrod, Laura Fairneny and Zachariah Summers of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, and Frank Simmerman Jr., Frank E. Simmerman III and Chad Taylor of Simmerman Law Office PLLC, and Sandra K. Law of Schrader Duff Law & Lowe PLLC. The case is In re: Aflibercept Patent Litigation, case number 1:24-md-3103, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia.

Feb 12

1 min

Paul, Weiss won a significant patent victory on behalf of Altria Group, Inc., in an ongoing dispute with competitor Juul Labs, Inc., over patents Altria acquired as part of a settlement with another party. In 2023, following Altria’s strategic settlement of patent litigation brought by Fuma, Altria acquired the asserted Fuma patents; at the time, Jeffrey Osterman advised Altria on the patents’ purchase and settlement with Fuma. In November 2023, Juul initiated proceedings before the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) seeking to invalidate the patents Altria had acquired via the settlement. In May 2024, the PTAB made a preliminary finding that the patents may be invalid. But Paul, Weiss defended the validity of the patents through briefing, expert testimony and oral argument, and was able to convince the PTAB otherwise. The PTAB issued two unanimous decisions in favor of Altria on the acquired patents, upholding the validity of all challenged claims and rejecting all of Juul’s arguments. The outcome provides strong strategic positioning for Altria in its broader conflict with Juul. The Paul, Weiss team included litigation partners Anish Desai, Elizabeth Weiswasser, Sutton Ansley and Christopher Pepe and counsel Matthew Sieger and Ian Moore.

May 21

1 min

Paul, Weiss is advising Eli Lilly and Company in its acquisition of Orna Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company dedicated to engineering immune cells in vivo. Under the terms of the agreement, Lilly will acquire Orna for up to $2.4 billion in cash, inclusive of an upfront payment and subsequent payments upon achievement of certain clinical development milestones. Orna is advancing a new class of therapeutics designed to allow the patient’s own body to generate cell therapies that can treat underlying disease. The Paul, Weiss team is led by partners Krishna Veeraraghavan, Chelsea Darnell and Jeffrey Osterman, and includes corporate partner Benjamin Goodchild; intellectual property partner Meggin Bednarczyk; tax partner Scott Sontag; executive compensation partner Jarrett Hoffman; real estate partner Peter Fisch and counsel Ruobing Chen; and litigation partner Elizabeth Weiswasser and counsel Audrey Paquet.

Feb 9

1 min