Eight S&C partners were named to Benchmark Litigation’s 2025 “40 & Under” list: Benjamin Beller, Jacob Croke, Samantha Hynes, Julia Malkina, Nicholas Menillo, Beth Newton, Morgan Ratner and Lenny Traps. The list recognizes the most impressive young litigation lawyers in the United States and Canada in their respective fields.
Ben Beller
Ben is a partner in S&C’s Restructuring and Special Situations Group, representing debtors, creditors and other stakeholders in some of the Firm’s most complex, high-profile bankruptcy and restructuring matters. Ben is a part of the S&C team that advised FTX Trading through its historic bankruptcy filing, which culminated with FTX emerging from Chapter 11 in January under a $14+ billion Chapter 11 reorganization plan. He also led S&C’s representation of Deerfield as majority secured noteholder in the Chapter 11 proceedings of genetic testing company Invitae Corporation. Ben is also part of the S&C team advising Kidde-Fenwal in the first-ever Chapter 11 case aiming to resolve national mass tort liability related to “forever chemicals,” per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
Jake Croke
Jake Croke is Co-Head of S&C’s Corporate Governance Litigation Practice. His practice focuses on advising major companies and boards of directors in complex litigations, regulatory proceedings and internal investigations across a broad range of practice areas. Jake is playing a key leadership role representing FTX and its affiliated debtors in their bankruptcy proceedings, including in conducting a comprehensive internal investigation, litigating dozens of actions, and identifying and recovering billions of dollars for creditors. Jake also represented Tiffany & Co. in its Delaware Court of Chancery litigation against LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, resulting in LVMH agreeing to complete its $16 billion acquisition of Tiffany, as well as companies including Lordstown Motors and Hyzon Motors in responding to short seller allegations and related litigations and regulatory inquiries.
Samantha Hynes
Samantha is a partner in S&C’s Antitrust Group. Her practice focuses on antitrust matters, including civil litigation and merger reviews at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, and includes commercial litigation matters. She has played a key role in obtaining antitrust clearance on some of the biggest M&A deals of recent years, including representing Seagen in its $43 billion acquisition by Pfizer and Amgen in its $27.8 billion acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics.
Julia Malkina
Co-Head of S&C’s Securities Litigation Practice, Julia represented Goldman Sachs in obtaining a major victory from the Second Circuit and the Supreme Court in a $13 billion securities case, with the Second Circuit reversing class certification after 13 years of litigation and establishing important guardrails to the “inflation-maintenance” theory of securities fraud. Most recently, Julia represented Rocket Companies’ majority shareholder, Rock Holdings, and its founder and former CEO in obtaining the first-ever victory on price impact in the Sixth Circuit after the district court denied class certification in a securities fraud and insider trading action; Rock Holdings in a complete victory as trial counsel in the first-ever trial before the Delaware Chancery Court in a shareholder derivative action bringing a Brophy breach of fiduciary duty through insider trading claim; and Barclays PLC and Barclays Bank PLC in obtaining the dismissal of multiple actions brought in connection with the bank’s over-issuance of $17.7 billion of securities from its SEC registered shelves.
Nicholas Menillo
Nick Menillo serves as a Co-Head of the Firm’s Insurance Group. His practice includes representing clients in securities, antitrust, intellectual property, contract, bankruptcy and government investigations matters. Nick represented Amgen in its $27.8 billion acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics and Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche in resolving unprecedented cases seeking billions of dollars in penalties for the automakers’ factory installation and post-sale software updates to certain emissions “defeat devices.”
Beth Newton
Beth Newton is a partner in S&C’s Litigation Group and Co-Head of the Firm’s Women’s Initiative Committee. Her practice comprises complex commercial litigation, regulatory and enforcement matters, and internal investigations. Beth’s recent representations include clients in commercial and shareholder disputes arising out of joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions; FirstEnergy Corp., one of the nation’s largest electricity distributors, in securities litigation and enforcement matters related to corruption allegations; and multiple financial institutions in regulatory matters and investigations.
Morgan Ratner
Morgan is a partner in the Firm’s Supreme Court and Appellate Practice. She is a well-recognized appellate and Supreme Court advocate and has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court nine times. Morgan’s recent accomplishments include playing a leading role in obtaining a unanimous Supreme Court ruling for Great Lakes Insurance in a maritime insurance case; helping to obtain the unanimous Sixth Circuit stay in the “net neutrality” litigation; and persuading the Sixth Circuit to grant rare discretionary review of the district court’s order certifying a class in a high-profile securities litigation against FirstEnergy.
Lenny Traps
Lenny is a partner in S&C’s Securities Litigation Practice. He litigates a wide range of complex commercial litigation, and has represented clients including AT&T, Boeing, Citigroup, Discover and Wells Fargo in major securities and derivative litigation.