Leading appellate lawyer Tillman J. Breckenridge joins Stris & Maher

Stris & Maher LLP is pleased to announce that Tillman J. Breckenridge has joined the firm as a partner in its award-winning Supreme Court and appellate practice.

For two decades, Tillman has represented clients before the U.S. Supreme Court, all thirteen federal circuits, and various state appellate courts. In 2018, he became the youngest person ever elected to the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, an invitation-only fellowship limited to 500 attorneys nationwide. He joins Peter Stris and Bridget Asay as the firm’s third elected member.

“We’re building strength on strength,” said Peter Stris. “Our IP practice will benefit from Tillman’s patent, copyright, and Lanham Act experience. Our public interest practice will benefit from Tillman’s broad experience in that arena. And our already national footprint will benefit from Tillman’s experience leading and arguing appeals in virtually every corner of America.”

Managing Partner Elizabeth Brannen added: “Tillman is one of the nation’s best appellate lawyers and will immediately play a leading role in our practice. I’m delighted that he’s decided to join us.”

“I’m thrilled to join Stris & Maher and its award winning practice,” said Tillman. Over the last five years, the National Law Journal has repeatedly named the firm to its Appellate Hot List—alongside two dozen of the nation’s leading groups at Am Law firms and a handful of other boutiques. And in 2019, the firm was named a finalist for the American Lawyer‘s Boutique Litigation Firm of the Year.

Tillman continued: “Peter and Liz have assembled an amazing team with a shared goal: focus on interesting and complex appeals where talented, creative, and collaborative lawyers can influence the outcome. And a key part of that process is a demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion.”

Liz agreed. “I’m proud to be running a small firm where, in recent years, every one of our appellate lawyers has led and argued high-stakes appeals. And I’m proud to be running a majority women-owned firm where our diverse appellate team includes Bridget Asay [the former Solicitor General of Vermont]; Radha Pathak [who received the Daily Journal’s California Attorney Lawyer of the Year (CLAY) award in a year she won two Supreme Court cases], Dana Berkowitz [who leads the firm’s healthcare practice], and Ken Halpern [an accomplished IP litigator and appellate lawyer].” Liz herself maintains an active IP litigation practice and has recently defended trial court victories in the Second, Sixth, and Federal Circuits on behalf of clients including Barnes & Noble and Cisco.

Like Stris & Maher, Tillman represents both plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of cases, adding to the natural fit. His recent victory before the Fourth Circuit—preserving $90+ million in tort claims across dozens of cases against Smithfield Foods (now favorably settled)—is an appeal other lawyers might have felt pressured to decline. (Associated Press coverage).

As Tillman explained, “because of its size and entrepreneurial culture, Stris & Maher has fewer conflicts and more appetite for alternative fee arrangements than most of its peers.” The firm rarely has to turn down work due to position-based conflicts, and indeed, is sometimes sought out specifically for that reason.

About Stris & Maher LLP
We are nationally recognized trial and appellate lawyers. Headquartered in Los Angeles, we represent a wide range of clients in complex, high-stakes, and high-profile business disputes in state and federal courts throughout the country, including the United States Supreme Court.

For more information, please contact Peter Stris at (213) 995-6802 or pstris@stris.com.