Law360 named WilmerHale Partner Felicia Ellsworth to its annual list of Trials MVPs. The publication has selected attorneys whose courtroom achievements set them apart over the past year. Ellsworth, who serves as vice chair of the firm’s Litigation/Controversy Department, handled a remarkable breadth of matters that reflect her ability to thrive as both a trial leader and seasoned appellate advocate.
According to Law360, Ellsworth has worked on “many great cases in the last year” but her most high‑profile matter of the year was the successful defense of The New York Times against defamation claims brought by former Alaska Governor and vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin. The case centered on a 2017 editorial, “America’s Lethal Politics,” and the newspaper’s position that any error was promptly corrected and not malicious. In April, a Manhattan federal jury rejected Palin’s allegations. Ellsworth represented The New York Times and conducted Palin’s cross‑examination, eliciting testimony about Palin’s continued participation in political and cultural life notwithstanding the editorial’s supposed impact.
In her profile, Ellsworth notes about trial work: “if you love doing it, there’s just something about the adrenaline and having to think quickly on your feet examining witnesses, addressing juries, addressing the judge, dealing with evidence.”