Appellate

On December 11, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit unanimously affirmed the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California’s finding that Apple Inc. (“Apple”) committed civil contempt based on Apple’s willful violations of a permanent injunction that Cravath client Epic Games, Inc. (“Epic”) previously secured against Apple. The Court of Appeals affirmed several contempt sanctions imposed by the District Court against Apple, while modifying or reversing in part certain other sanctions and remanding to the District Court for further proceedings. The Court also unanimously affirmed the denial of Apple’s request to vacate or modify the permanent injunction based on recent California state court decisions and denied Apple’s request to reassign the case to a different district judge on remand.

On July 31, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit unanimously affirmed a jury verdict won by Cravath client Epic against Google in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California that Google has engaged in illegal anticompetitive behavior in the distribution of mobile apps and in the handling of in‑app payments. The Ninth Circuit also unanimously affirmed the district court’s permanent injunction against Google. The district court’s injunction prohibits Google from providing benefits to phone manufacturers, app developers and others in exchange for favoring the Google Play Store, prohibits Google from requiring the use of its own payment solution and also requires Google to take steps to restore competition, such as carrying other app stores on the Google Play Store.

On April 30, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted Cravath client Epic Games, Inc.’s (“Epic”) motion to enforce a nationwide permanent injunction against Apple, Inc.’s (“Apple”) anti‑steering policies for in‑app payments. Epic secured the injunction to restrain and prohibit Apple’s anticompetitive conduct and fees, following a three‑week bench trial in May 2021, in which Cravath also represented Epic. In its April decision, the Court ruled that Apple was in willful violation of the 2021 injunction, having thwarted the injunction’s goals and continued its anticompetitive conduct. The Court noted that “Apple willfully chose not to comply with this Court’s Injunction. It did so with the express intent to create new anticompetitive barriers which would, by design and in effect, maintain a valued revenue stream; a revenue stream previously found to be anticompetitive. That it thought this Court would tolerate such insubordination was a gross miscalculation.” As a result, the Court enjoined Apple from implementing its new restrictions and fees that violated the injunction, effective immediately.

On January 6, 2025, The Walt Disney Company (“Disney”) and FuboTV Inc. (“Fubo”) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Disney to combine its Hulu + Live TV business with Fubo, forming a combined virtual MVPD company of which Disney will become the majority owner.

On October 15, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed an inter partes review (“IPR”) decision by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) in favor of Cravath client ADT Inc., invalidating all claims of a patent at issue in litigation brought by Vivint, Inc.

On December 9, 2025, Cravath partner Gary A. Bornstein was featured as a 2025 Competition MVP by Law360, which highlighted his representation of Epic Games in separate antitrust lawsuits against Apple and Google, including securing a District Court decision that Apple violated an anti‑steering injunction, and a victory at the Ninth Circuit affirming Epic Games’ antitrust trial victory and permanent injunction against Google. In the profile, Gary discussed the satisfaction of winning difficult cases, explaining it’s “always a more gratifying victory when the outcome is not assured.” Gary also addressed the challenges of antitrust work, noting that antitrust issues are “company‑defining” and that “working as outside counsel on those cases is really counseling the senior people at the company on issues that go to the heart of their business. It requires you to have a commercial perspective on what's going on.” 

On December 6, 2025, Cravath partner Benjamin Gruenstein presented to The International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators, a collaboration between public- and private-sector litigation professionals and the Basel Institute on Governance that aims to promote worldwide access to solutions in cases of economic crime. Ben delivered a talk entitled “Evolving Standards for Sentence Reduction: Interpreting § 3582(c)(1)(A) Post-First Step Act,” in which he discussed developments in the law governing compassionate release, including his recent argument before the Supreme Court in Fernandez v. United States.

On August 12, 2025, Cravath partner Helam Gebremariam was featured in Bloomberg Law’s “They’ve Got Next: 40 Under 40” series, which recognizes young lawyers who are “raising the bar in the legal profession,” based on their work on key client matters, assumption of leadership roles, pro bono commitments and more.

Cravath partner Timothy G. Cameron authored the U.S. chapter of The Legal 500’s 2025 “Litigation Country Comparative Guide,” which provides an overview of the law and practice of litigation and dispute resolution across a variety of jurisdictions. The chapter discusses the legal and regulatory frameworks governing commercial disputes in the United States, including how proceedings are commenced and when decisions can be appealed. The chapter also examines the potential for increased antitrust litigation in the coming years, and how technology such as automation and artificial intelligence may continue to streamline the litigation process.

On June 25, 2025, Cravath partner Gary A. Bornstein was named to Bloomberg Law’s inaugural “Unrivaled” list, which recognizes 32 trial lawyers nationwide “who lead the legal profession in high-stakes and impactful trials and settlements.” The accompanying profile highlighted Gary’s representation of Epic Games in its successful antitrust litigation against Google, which has included victory in a jury trial determining Google engaged in anti-competitive behavior in the distribution of mobile apps and handling of in-app payments. Gary explained his trial strategy of “keeping it simple and letting the evidence speak for itself.” Gary also spoke about the importance of credibility in the courtroom, saying “judges and juries always spot inauthenticity, and they never forgive you when you breach their trust. We are advocates, but we cannot advocate effectively if our audience does not believe what we say.” Offering advice to young trial lawyers, Gary said: “Say yes. When opportunities arise, take them. Even if you think you’re not ready, grab the chance to learn. At the beginning of your career, every time you speak in court, you get better at it.”