Peter Stris and John Stokes named 2026 Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys by Los Angeles Business Journal

We are proud to congratulate our partners Peter Stris and John Stokes on being named to Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2026 list of Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys.

This honor reflects Peter and John’s outstanding advocacy. Over the past 18 months, they (and a star-studded team of firm lawyers) achieved over $650 million in settlements for clients.

Congratulations, Peter and John!

From the LABJ’s supplement:

“Peter Stris is one of the most prominent business litigators of his generation. He serves as a lead strategist and presenter in must-win trials, landmark appeals, and rapid media-response campaigns. In addition, he is the founding partner of LA-based Stris & Maher LLP.

Stris has built one of the nation’s premier business litigation boutiques. At 30+ lawyers and rapidly growing, the firm regularly represents clients in sophisticated business disputes in state and federal courts nationwide. The firm is one of the country’s premier plaintiff-side appellate practices. In addition to building the firm, Stris has personally successfully first-chaired a variety of bet-the-company cases and handled dozens of high-profile appeals, including 10 Supreme Court arguments.”

“John Stokes has emerged as one of the leading trial lawyers of his generation. He wields exceptional responsibility and authority at Stris & Maher LLP, where he leads—and wins—cases with the highest possible stakes for his clients. His practice is defined by taking on matters that are existential to businesses and individuals alike, often stepping in when the outcome will determine control of a company, the viability of a business, or the recovery of hundreds of millions of dollars.

What distinguishes Stokes is his rare combination of first-chair trial leadership and strategic judgment across the full lifecycle of complex litigation. Clients and colleagues trust him not just to execute at trial, but to shape the case from the outset and then defend his wins on appeal.”

Read the LABJ’s full supplement here.