Rajeev K. Adlakha

Raj is a partner in the Vorys Cleveland office and a member of the litigation group.  He has experience in a wide range of complex business matters, including in the areas of securities fraud, antitrust, shareholder derivative actions, mergers and acquisition litigation, banking litigation, commercial contract disputes, real estate disputes, trademark infringement, and claims under the bankruptcy code.

Notable experience includes:

• Representing a Fortune 500 company in earn-out litigation relating to its acquisition of a subsidiary
  
• Representing and counseling public-company buyers and sellers in M&A transactions in connection with Section 14 and other disclosure-based claims
  
• Representing a medical practice in asserting claims against a private-equity buyer who walked away from a purchase agreement to acquire the practice
  
• Representing a Fortune 500 company in a real-estate dispute affecting the site of its corporate headquarters
  
• Counseling a large national bank regarding potential claims and liabilities arising from its purchases and sales of mortgage-loan pools and representing it in settlement negotiations and litigation with counterparty banks addressing those claims and liabilities
  
• Representing a Fortune 500 financial institution in defense of securities litigation arising out of its underwriting of mortgage-backed securities
• Representing a municipality in litigation against a developer involving financial disputes relating to a large mixed-use development
  
• Representing a public-company retailer in achieving dismissal of securities-fraud claims arising out of the company’s disclosures relating to its prospects following a large acquisition
  
• Defending a steel-processing company against trade-secret claims arising out of its hiring of employees who previously worked at a competitor
• Advising companies on distribution and eCommerce channel structures and agreements designed to protect brand value and leading comprehensive enforcement programs against unauthorized sellers
• Successfully prosecuting trademark-infringement actions by leading consumer-product manufacturers against unauthorized sellers
• Representing a “Big Four” public accounting firm in defense of a securities fraud class action alleging accounting fraud at an audit client
• Advising a public company’s board of directors regarding its evaluation of acquisition proposals and representing the directors in shareholder litigation relating to their approval of a going-private transaction
• Representing a public specialty-chemicals company in an arbitration arising out of its divestiture of a manufacturing division
• Representing a Fortune 100 conglomerate in achieving dismissal of price-discrimination claims under the Robinson-Patman Act

Raj received his J.D. magna cum laude from the New York University School of Law, where he was named a Pomeroy Scholar and a Butler Scholar and was an articles editor of the New York University Law Review.  He received his undergraduate degree from Yale University.

Before joining Vorys, Raj practiced for several years as an associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP in New York.  Prior to that, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Harry T. Edwards at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.  Before attending law school, Raj served as a Special Assistant to the Cabinet Secretary in the White House.

Prior Associations

Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, 2005-2009

Honors & Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, 2024

Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Litigation, 2014-2015

Martindale-Hubbell AV Peer Review Rated

Professional & Community Activities

The Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland, Board of Trustees

Judge John M. Manos Inn of Court

Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation, Fellow

Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Chair of the Litigation Section, 2016-2017

Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, 2020 Fellow

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

Asian American Bar Association of Ohio

Yale Alumni Association of Cleveland, Board of Trustees, 2012-2018