Benchmark Litigation Recognizes Robbins Geller with San Diego Firm of the Year and Impact Case Awards; Partner Debra Wyman Awarded San Diego Litigator of the Year and California Plaintiff Litigator of the Year

On March 31, 2021, Benchmark Litigation released their 2021 United States Benchmark Awards, naming Robbins Geller as San Diego Firm of the Year and partner Debra Wyman as San Diego Litigator of the Year and California Plaintiff Litigator of the Year. The Firm also received the Impact Case Award for In re American Realty Cap. Props., Inc. Litig. (“ARCP”), a case arising out of ARCP’s manipulative accounting practices that resulted in $1.025 billion settlement. Both Debra, as well as Robbins Geller partner Jessica Shinnefield, were recognized for leading the litigation team and prosecuting nine different claims for violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Securities Act of 1933, involving seven different stock or debt offerings and two mergers. 

The Benchmark Litigation virtual ceremony honored the “most distinguished litigators and firms” with awards reserved for those who are “best in class in all 50 states.”

“These awards aim to recognize the firms and litigators who have performed exceptionally at both local and national levels,” stated the publication. When awarding Robbins Geller the San Diego Firm of the Year, the publication commended the Firm for being known as a “Top Securities Plaintiffs Firm in the Country.”

The ARCP settlement also yielded the largest personal contributions ever paid by individual defendants in a securities class action recovery ($237.5 million of $1.025 billion total recovery) and represents the highest percentage pre-trial recovery in a major securities class action settlement ever. The five-year contentious legal battle was characterized by Benchmark Litigation as “impact[ing] the legal landscape.”  In approving the settlement, the court lauded Debra, Jessica, and the Firm’s litigation team, noting: “I think you did outstanding work.  I think you have to be rewarded for your persistence and your stubbornness and for your leadership in the case.”

“The outstanding result in the ARCP litigation would not have been possible without the dedicated team of attorneys, forensic accountants and countless staff members who tirelessly worked to build a solid case we were prepared to take to trial,” said Debra.

These awards come on the heels of Robbins Geller ranking first among all law firms in Institutional Shareholder Services’ (ISS) annual Securities Class Action Services Top 50 Report for 2020 with respect to both the total amount recovered for investors ($1+ billion) and the number of shareholder class action settlements. The Firm was also ranked Tier 1 by The Legal 500 for being “‘aggressive, tenacious and in a league of its own.’” The publication recognized that Robbins Geller was “‘the best firm and [also] the best financed, so it is able to take risks and it stands alone in this area of law.’” The Firm received Band 1 rankings and was recognized for its “Top-Flight Plaintiff Litigators” by Chambers USA, which commended the Firm’s “proven track record of winning high-value settlements.” The National Law Journal and New York Law Journal also selected several of the Firm’s attorneys as trailblazers for being “truly agents of change.”

The Benchmark Litigation awards celebrate the leading litigators and most impactful disputes across the United States based upon research conducted between February and October 2020. For more information on their methodology, click here.