Top Rated White Collar Crimes Attorney in Cleveland, OH

Honors/Awards:

• AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell for over 28 years., Martindale-Hubbell
• 2006-2021 – Selected for inclusion in the 2006-2021 editions of The Best Lawyers in America©.  Listed in the current edition for Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Litigation-Construction; Litigation-Environmental., The Best Lawyers in America©
• 2021 – Recognized by Cleveland Magazine as one of Cleveland’s 500 most influential leaders, Cleveland Magazine
• 2020 – Named the Best Lawyers® 2020 Litigation-Environmental “Lawyer of the Year” in Cleveland., Best Lawyers
• 2019 – Named by Ohio Super Lawyers to its 2019 “Top 100” Ohio attorneys list and its 2019 “Top 50 Cleveland Area” attorneys list. These lists include those lawyers who ranked highest in the 2019 Ohio Super Lawyers nomination, research and blue ribbon review process., Ohio Super Lawyers 
• 2018 – Named by Ohio Super Lawyers to its 2018 “Top 100” Ohio attorneys list and its 2018 “Top 50 Cleveland Area” attorneys list. These lists include those lawyers who ranked highest in the 2018 Ohio Super Lawyers nomination, research and blue ribbon review process.,  Ohio Super Lawyers 
• 2018 – Named the Best Lawyers® 2018 Litigation-Environmental “Lawyer of the Year” in Cleveland. , Best Lawyers
• 2016 – Named the Best Lawyers® 2016 Litigation-Environmental “Lawyer of the Year” in Cleveland., Best Lawyers
• 2013 - Selected for inclusion in the London-based publication, The International Who's Who of Business Crime Defence Lawyers 2013., The International Who's Who of Business Crime Defence Lawyers 2013
• 2010 - Selected for inclusion in Inside Business Magazine's listing of Northeast Ohio's "Leading Lawyers," an honor bestowed upon only one percent of the region's practicing attorneys (Civil Litigation)    , Inside Business Magazine
• 2008 - 2009  Recognized as a leading practitioner in the field of criminal law by the London-based publications, The International Who's Who of Business Crime Lawyers, 2008 and The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, 2009 , The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers
• 2006 - 2007 Recognized in Corporate Counsel Magazine: Best Lawyers - Environmental Law, Corporate Counsel Magazine
• 2005-2021 – Selected for inclusion in Chambers USA. Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Ohio)., Chambers USA
• 2004-2021 – Selected to Ohio Super Lawyers list. Areas of practice: Criminal Defense: White Collar; Environmental Litigation; Commercial Litigation., Ohio Super Lawyers

Special Licenses/Certifications:

• Ralph is licensed to practice in the U.S., Ohio and Florida Supreme Courts, as well as numerous Federal district and appellate courts

Bar/Professional Activity:

• Master Bencher, A.J. Celebrezze Inn of Court
• Member of Panel of Mediators for Commercial Disputes - Cuyahoga County, Ohio Common Pleas Court
• Fellow, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
• Member, American and Ohio State Bar Associations
• Member, Judicial Advisory Committee to the U.S. District Court (Northern District of Ohio)
• Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America, The Trial Lawyer Honorary Society
• Life Member, Conference of the Eighth Judicial District of Ohio
• Member, U.S. Attorney's Advisory Council

Pro bono/Community Service:

• Leadership Cleveland, Class of 2006

Verdicts/Settlements:

• Served as common counsel for several defense groups in large, multi-party cost recovery actions where he has negotiated favorable settlements and site-specific apportionment of response costs among a majority of the parties.
• Obtained a major arbitration victory for a Fortune 500 company utilizing a detailed and technical evaluation of a specific site and of the client's activities in relation to clean-up work ordered by U.S. EPA.

Other Outstanding Achievements:

• Represented numerous industrial clients as well as a defense group made up of potentially responsible parties in a government-initiated cost-recovery action under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act.
• Successfully represented companies and individuals in white collar criminal matters of bankruptcy and health care fraud, Davis-Bacon Act compliance, procurement fraud, antitrust and securities enforcement, IRS tax matters, ERISA benefit matters and criminal enforcement of environmental laws including wetland issues.
• Negotiated a highly technical air permit involving the emission of volatile organic compounds in a non-attainment area.
• Defended criminal and civil antitrust enforcement actions commenced by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Ohio Attorney General's Office involving allegations of bid rigging, territorial allocation and antitrust conspiracy under federal and state statutes.
• Defended and prosecuted claims of unfair competition, majority/minority shareholder disputes, trade secret covenant-not-to-compete and tortious interference with business relationships including claims asserted under civil (federal and state) RICO statutes and the Economic Espionage Act.
• Served as an Assistant Director of Law for the City of Cleveland.

Newsletters:

• June, 2005 -- Co-author of Client Alert on Environmental Law ("Toxic Release Inventory Data Due July 1")

Educational Background:

• T.M. Cooley School of Law, J.D., 1976; University of Notre Dame, B.A., 1971