McGuireWoods Houston partner Ron Franklin has been listed among the top 50 U.S. litigators by Law360, the respected national news service of the legal industry, with inclusion in its inaugural “Trial Aces” series.
Franklin was selected from more than 200 top trial lawyers for inclusion in a list of litigators who have an average win rate exceeding 80 percent as a first-chair attorney in high-stakes trials. Having won 90 percent of his 95 first-chair trials and five as second-chair, Franklin’s honor affirms his solid national reputation as a bet-the-company business and securities litigator.
“I am proud to receive this recognition because it reflects honor and credit not only on me but on the excellent client service that is the hallmark of McGuireWoods lawyers,” Franklin said.
McGuireWoods’ nationally recognized litigation practice groups were listed by BTI Consulting Group’s “BTI Litigation Outlook” honor roll for product liability litigation, complicated employment litigation and routine commercial litigation in 2014. The designation is based upon unprompted feedback from corporate counsel nationally. The litigation group also includes a Government Investigations and White Collar Litigation practice that Law360 last year selected among just five U.S. firms as a white-collar “Practice Group of the Year.”
Terry Bagley, the firm’s deputy managing partner for litigation, said the honor for Franklin should come as no surprise.
“Anyone who has worked with Ron can tell you this is well-deserved,” Bagley said. “His work with CSX, Exxon and others has been at the highest level. Please join me in congratulating Ron.”
Law360 announced the winners on Sunday and, beginning Tuesday, will feature a profile on each of them daily over the subsequent 10 weeks.
In a summary of the winning entries, Law360 praises them for “arguments that have set new precedent, and their cross-examinations are the stuff of legends. They’re creative and persuasive and can charm the most unsympathetic jury.”
Franklin’s “Trial Aces” submission highlights two high-profile victories. In the first, he prevailed over two celebrated Pittsburgh plaintiff’s lawyers and a radiologist who conspired to fabricate asbestos claims against client CSX Transportation in the first civil case ever to find lawyers liable under the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. In the other, Franklin defended oil and gas client Devon Energy against claims it tainted $165 million in New Mexico potash reserves and persuaded a local jury in the heart of potash mining country to limit damages to a single penny.
Sunday’s Law360 “Trial Aces” announcement can be read here.