Partner Michael F. Buchanan was selected as The American Lawyer’s ‘Litigator of the Week’ for achieving a major appellate victory upholding a $42 million jury verdict against a Virginia-based government contractor, affirming the company’s liability for its role in the torture of three Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison during the Iraq War. The win marks another significant milestone in the first-ever jury trial of claims brought by Abu Ghraib survivors and upholds the first jury verdict holding a government contractor liable for torture of detainees at the infamous prison. Mr. Buchanan and the Patterson Belknap team, including Andrew Haddad, Alexandra Mahler-Haug, James Mayer, and Bob LoBue, secured the appeal after more than 17 years of litigation, including more than 15 attempts by the defendant to have the case dismissed, six appeals, and a mistrial following a deadlocked jury.

 Mr. Buchanan received the accolade along with co-counsel Baher Azmy of the Center for Constitutional Rights.

 To read the full article, click here.