Wikler Named Co-Chair of Complex Litigation & Strategic Counseling; Wray Named Chair of Government Investigations & White Collar

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Jeremy Wikler has been named co-chair of Shook, Hardy & Bacon’s Complex Litigation & Strategic Counseling (CLSC) practice, joining Jennifer Stevenson, and Chris Wray has been named chair of the firm’s Government Investigations & White Collar practice.

Wikler to Co-Chair Complex Litigation & Strategic Counseling

Wikler, a partner in Shook’s Kansas City office, has spent nearly two decades defending clients in multidistrict litigation (MDL) and other mass actions, as well as individual cases in state and federal courts across the country. He advises companies across the life sciences, automotive, financial services, technology and retail industries on discovery and information governance. His experience spans every phase of litigation, from early case assessment and fact and expert discovery through judgment, appeals and resolution.

Wikler is editor-in-chief of the Electronic Discovery Institute’s Discovery Cases that Count, which covers more than 1,300 of the most impactful discovery cases of the past three decades. He has also contributed to multiple chapters and guides on discovery and AI.

He joins Stevenson who defends companies in multi-district and consolidated litigation and class actions in state and federal courts, in leading a practice that works with clients to navigate complex, high-stakes disputes. She has been co-chair of the practice since January 2024.

Shook’s Complex Litigation & Strategic Counseling Practice is an innovative group of 40-plus attorneys who serve to deepen the firm’s MDL, class action, and mass tort capabilities across a variety of substantive areas and industries, including automotive technology, consumer products, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical and medical devices. The firm has defended clients in more than 100 MDLs, including several of the largest in history.

Together, Wikler and Stevenson bring more than four decades of leadership experience to clients and joint defense groups.

“Early pretrial and discovery decisions in mass tort and multidistrict litigation can have multimillion-dollar and strategic consequences,” said Madeleine McDonough, chair of Shook. “Jeremy and Jennifer bring complementary experience to helping clients manage those stakes and build a defense that supports their business goals.”

“Our approach is to get ahead of litigation, not simply react to it. That means planning early, shaping foundational pretrial orders, insisting on proportionate discovery on both sides, enforcing rules to vindicate client rights and challenging tactics that generate costs without advancing a case,” said Wikler. “We bring that same practical focus to information governance and AI. I’m excited to join Jennifer in leading those efforts.”

Wray to Chair Government Investigations & White Collar

Wray, who is also based in Kansas City, focuses on high-stakes government investigations, class action defense and appellate advocacy. His litigation experience includes consumer product class actions and product liability matters. He has handled bet-the-company litigation at every level of the state and federal court systems, including before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Before joining Shook, Wray served in the Missouri Attorney General’s and Treasurer’s offices, including as chief of staff and deputy solicitor general in the Attorney General’s Office, where he oversaw operations for more than 300 attorneys and staff. This government service, together with his background as a CPA and former Big 4 auditor, informs his work guiding clients through governmental subpoenas and civil investigative demands, tax controversies, unclaimed property audits, and the financial and forensic issues that arise in internal and government investigations. Wray also teaches accounting and serves as adjunct faculty at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.

“Government investigations can involve simultaneous legal, financial and operational questions. Chris brings experience in each of those areas, along with an understanding of how government offices work. That perspective is invaluable to clients facing an investigation and to the team he will lead,” said McDonough.

“Investigations can put significant demands on a business before any case reaches a courtroom,” said Wray. “Our role is to help clients understand what is being asked of them, examine the facts and develop a response that accounts for both their legal obligations and business needs. I look forward to leading the practice and advancing that work.”

Shook’s Government Investigations & White Collar practice defends businesses and individuals in their most pressing regulatory enforcement proceedings, white collar defense matters, and investigations, including trials, internal investigations, crisis responses and complex litigations.

About Shook, Hardy & Bacon
Founded in 1889, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. has 18 offices in the United States with attorneys and professional staff serving clients in the health, science and technology sectors in areas ranging from product liability defense and business litigation to intellectual property prosecution and litigation, environmental and toxic tort, privacy and data security and regulatory counseling.

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SOURCE Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.