Benesch Litigation Managing Chair Erik Connolly Named to 2027 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America

Benesch is pleased to announce that Erik Connolly, partner and managing chair of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group, has been named to the 2027 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America list. The annual guide recognizes the nation’s top litigators across a wide range of practice areas, honoring attorneys who have distinguished themselves through exceptional advocacy and outstanding results. Selected through Lawdragon’s rigorous editorial process, the list highlights attorneys who continue to shape the legal profession and bring justice to life for their clients.

Erik is a nationally recognized trial lawyer with a career marked by landmark victories in high-stakes commercial, securities and defamation disputes. He has successfully represented clients in matters valued in the billions of dollars, including the $6 billion “pink slime” litigation against ABC and Smartmatic’s $2.7 billion defamation case. His work has earned national recognition from leading media outlets, including The New York Times and Bloomberg, and he was recently named to Forbes America’s Top Lawyers.

Under Erik’s leadership, the Benesch Litigation Group has been recognized as one of the premier litigation practices in the country. The Group has been named a Highly Recommended Firm for Commercial Litigation by Benchmark Litigation, earned national rankings from Best Lawyers and U.S. News & World Report and Chambers, and been recognized by BTI Litigation as a Litigation Leader for Commercial Litigation (top 7%) and Distinguished for Complex Commercial Litigation (top 12%). As Chair of the Litigation Group, Erik oversees more than 200 attorneys and professionals across multiple states, leading the continued growth of the nationally recognized practice through a focus on recruiting, client service and cross-office collaboration.

Erik serves as trusted counsel to Fortune 100 companies, global technology firms, financial institutions and privately held businesses facing their most significant legal challenges. His combination of courtroom excellence, strategic business judgment and client-focused service has made him one of the legal profession’s most respected litigators and a recognized leader within the industry.

View the full list of honorees here.