The National Law Journal named Skadden to its 2009 "Appellate Hot List" of law firms showing "stellar appellate advocacy." The firm has been honored in each of the two years that the newspaper has published the list. Noted in the April 6, 2009 publication were three notable reversals that Skadden secured at the appellate level in 2008, representing:
- Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America in Negrete v. Allianz Life Insurance Co. of North America, which has had widespread significance for class actions and settlement negotiations occurring in multiple jurisdictions;
- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company in Broussard v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., which has affected and will continue to affect the numerous Katrina cases pending against State Farm and other insurers in which the plaintiffs assert punitive damages claims for denying homeowners coverage for damage from storm surge flooding; and
- Pennsylvania/Massachusetts inmate Francis Hannon, who Skadden represented pro bono in Hannon v. Beard. In a case of first impression, the First Circuit held that prison officials who transfer inmates to other states pursuant to the ICC are subject to the jurisdiction of the out-of-state court where the claims at issue relate to the transfer itself.