Debevoise & Plimpton LLP litigation partners Catherine Amirfar, Helen Cantwell, Susan Gittes, Maura Monaghan, Maeve O’Connor, Ina Popova, Shannon Rose Selden, Erica Weisgerber and Mary Jo White have been named to Benchmark Litigation’s “Top 250 Women in Litigation” list for 2026. The annual list recognizes “the most distinguished women in the world of litigation.”

Since the launch of Benchmark Litigation’s “Top 250 Women in Litigation” list in 2013, the firm’s partners have been honored annually, reflecting Debevoise’s tradition of excellence in client service and its commitment to fostering the development of distinguished women leaders.

This year’s nine honorees represent a wide array of litigation expertise:

Catherine Amirfar, Co-Chair of the firm’s International Dispute Resolution Group and the Public International Law Group and a former member of the firm’s Management Committee, routinely represents multinational corporations, sovereign states and international organizations before international arbitration tribunals and U.S. and international courts. From 2014–2016, Ms. Amirfar served as the Counselor on International Law at the U.S. Department of State in the Obama Administration.

Helen Cantwell, Co-Chair of the firm’s White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group, focuses on white collar criminal defense, regulatory enforcement actions and internal investigations for a wide variety of corporations, financial institutions and non-profits. Prior to joining Debevoise, Ms. Cantwell served for eight years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Susan Gittes’ practice focuses on complex civil litigation and regulatory inquiries and has significant experience in federal and state courts, with a focus on representing insurance companies in a broad range of litigation and regulatory matters and in defending securities and fiduciary duty litigation.

Maura Kathleen Monaghan, Co-Chair of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Group and Healthcare & Life Sciences Group, focuses on a wide range of complex commercial litigation matters, including products liability and mass tort litigation, environmental, healthcare, regulatory and criminal investigations and arbitration.

Maeve O'Connor, Co-Chair of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Group and Securities Litigation Practice and Chair of the firm’s Insurance Litigation Practice ,and a former member of the firm’s Management Committee, specializes in defending securities and fiduciary duty litigation for a wide array of client industries and in representing financial services companies in a range of complex and high-stakes litigation and regulatory matters.

Ina Popova, Co-Chair of the firm’s European Disputes Group, focuses on international arbitration, international litigation and public international law. Ms. Popova represents both private parties and States in their most challenging international disputes and is recognized as one of the best advocates of her generation. She is admitted to practice in Paris and New York and also sits as arbitrator.

Shannon Rose Selden, Chair of the firm’s Investment Management Litigation practice and Co-Coordinator of the Private Equity Group, has a broad practice representing hedge fund and private equity clients, as plaintiffs and defendants, in complex, high-stakes litigation. Ms. Selden has significant experience as lead counsel in state and federal courts in the full range of matters affecting asset management firms, including merger, securities, contract, corporate governance, fiduciary, financing and debt restructuring disputes.

Erica Weisgerber, partner in New York and Chair of Bankruptcy Litigation and Co-Chair of the Liability Management & Special Situations team, focuses on antitrust, restructuring and bankruptcy litigation. Ms. Weisgerber advises clients on restructuring- and litigation-related issues arising in bankruptcy cases, out-of-court restructurings and liability management transactions, intercreditor and lender disputes, cross-border insolvency proceedings, and distressed situations across various industries.

Mary Jo White, partner in New York and leader of the Strategic Crisis Response and Solutions Group, specializes in multifaceted government investigations and white collar, SEC enforcement and internal investigations. Ms. White has decades of experience, having served as Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and as a well-known private practitioner in high-profile matters.

This year’s honorees led some of the most significant litigation matters and were selected based on several phases of research including review of recent case work, peer reviews and client feedback.