Three Winston Attorneys Named as 2024 Law360 MVPs

Winston partners Jeffrey Kessler, Tom Melsheimer, and Sean Wieber merited inclusion on Law360’s 2024 MVPs list. As described by Law360, this year’s winners “have distinguished themselves from their peers by securing hard-earned successes in high-stakes litigation, complex global matters and record-breaking deals.”

Co-executive Chairman Jeffrey Kessler was named as a Sports & Betting MVP. Among other accomplishments, Jeffrey was recognized for his work negotiating a historic antitrust-class-action settlement with defendants that will distribute nearly US$3B (among the largest antitrust settlements in history) in past damages to current and former college athletes, and create a ground-breaking college-athletics revenue-sharing system. The settlement—including House, Hubbard, and Carter—will change tens of thousands of athletes’ lives by allowing them to share in the revenues that they generate.

Global Litigation Department Co-chair Tom Melsheimer was named as a Trials MVP. Notably, Tom led the Winston team that secured a complete defense jury verdict for U.S. Well Services (USWS) in a high-stakes patent infringement trial in the Western District of Texas. After a week-long trial, a jury quickly cleared USWS of Halliburton’s claims it infringed certain patents involving use of hydraulic-fracturing software and methods concerning the operation and powering of USWS’ fracturing sites, freeing USWS of Halliburton’s damages allegations of US$76M and invalidating two of the three asserted patents. This trial was one of six jury trials Tom led over a 12 month period.

Global Privacy & Data Security Practice and Regulated Personal Information Practice Co-chair Sean Wieber was named as a Cybersecurity & Privacy MVP. Among other wins, Sean led the team that secured a decisive victory for BAM Trading Services Inc. (BAM), providing a roadmap for crypto businesses seeking to enforce arbitration through their terms of service. The plaintiff alleged that as part of the sign-up process, Binance.US—a cryptocurrency trading platform—and BAM (its parent company) conducted user facial scans, violating the IL Biometric Information Privacy Act. Sean’s team moved to compel arbitration based on Binance.US’s Terms of Use (ToU), each version of which contained a mandatory arbitration clause for disputes arising out of an individual’s use of the website. Winston’s motion was accompanied by a comprehensive declaration from Binance.US’s COO, detailing the amendments to the ToU during the relevant timeframe. The court accepted Winston’s arguments, enforced the ToU, and compelled arbitration.

Read Jeffrey's Sports & Betting MVP interview here.

Read Tom's Trials MVP interview here.

Read Sean's Cybersecurity & Privacy MVP interview here.

 

See the full list of Law360’s 2024 MVP winners here.