May 28, 2026
Willkie recently won its largest award to date against Iran for its support of terrorism, securing approximately $4.9 billion on behalf of Gold Star family members and American veterans injured by terrorist attacks in Iraq. Willkie's clients have now been awarded approximately $9.08 billion in total damages in the ongoing mass action lawsuit.
Judge Randolph D. Moss of the District Court for the District of Columbia recently issued a memorandum opinion in Robert Martino et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran, No. 21-1808, finding Iran liable for providing material support to the terrorist organizations responsible for 96 attacks in Iraq from 2003 to 2017. Judge Moss ordered the largest judgment to date in the case, awarding approximately $4.9 billion—$968 million in compensatory damages, $1.5 billion in prejudgment interest, and $2.5 billion in punitive damages—to 202 plaintiffs.
The ruling, which was unsealed and made public on May 20, is part of an ongoing mass action lawsuit that Willkie and co-counsel brought against Iran to hold the country liable under the state-sponsored terrorism exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA). The plaintiffs are eligible to recover portions of their damages awards from the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (USVSSTF), among other means.
The damages award is the latest in a succession of victories in the lawsuit, including a $455 million judgment in October 2022, a $1.1 billion judgment in February 2025 and a $841 million judgement in October 2025.
The Willkie team is led by partners Michael Gottlieb and Nicholas Reddick, with co-counsel Ryan Sparacino of Sparacino PLLC, and includes associates Nicholas Conlon, Logan Kenney, Erik Holmvik, Trevor Newton, Juliet Dale, Meghan Olivar, Kevin Burns, Minji Doh, Jacqueline Cope and Jules Marenkova, as well as former Willkie associate Lindsay Hemminger and numerous other associate team members, paralegals, and support staff.
Judge Randolph D. Moss of the District Court for the District of Columbia recently issued a memorandum opinion in Robert Martino et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran, No. 21-1808, finding Iran liable for providing material support to the terrorist organizations responsible for 96 attacks in Iraq from 2003 to 2017. Judge Moss ordered the largest judgment to date in the case, awarding approximately $4.9 billion—$968 million in compensatory damages, $1.5 billion in prejudgment interest, and $2.5 billion in punitive damages—to 202 plaintiffs.
The ruling, which was unsealed and made public on May 20, is part of an ongoing mass action lawsuit that Willkie and co-counsel brought against Iran to hold the country liable under the state-sponsored terrorism exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA). The plaintiffs are eligible to recover portions of their damages awards from the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (USVSSTF), among other means.
The damages award is the latest in a succession of victories in the lawsuit, including a $455 million judgment in October 2022, a $1.1 billion judgment in February 2025 and a $841 million judgement in October 2025.
The Willkie team is led by partners Michael Gottlieb and Nicholas Reddick, with co-counsel Ryan Sparacino of Sparacino PLLC, and includes associates Nicholas Conlon, Logan Kenney, Erik Holmvik, Trevor Newton, Juliet Dale, Meghan Olivar, Kevin Burns, Minji Doh, Jacqueline Cope and Jules Marenkova, as well as former Willkie associate Lindsay Hemminger and numerous other associate team members, paralegals, and support staff.
