Skadden is pleased to welcome Archis Parasharami as a partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. and Palo Alto offices. Mr. Parasharami joins Skadden from another global law firm, where he served as co-head of its Washington, D.C. litigation and dispute resolution practice and co-leader of its class action practice. With two decades of experience managing complex litigation, he will play a pivotal role in expanding Skadden’s leading class action defense, multidistrict litigation and mass arbitration capabilities. He will be joined in Washington, D.C. by Daniel Jones and Kevin Ranlett, who are also joining the firm as partners and previously worked with Mr. Parasharami.
Together, Mr. Parasharami, Mr. Jones and Mr. Ranlett bring a distinguished record of defending businesses in high-stakes class action litigation in federal and state courts nationwide. Their combined practice spans all aspects of consumer class actions and complex litigation, with a particular focus on developing strategies to defeat class actions, address sprawling multidistrict litigation and combat mass arbitrations. They regularly advise companies in the technology and consumer-facing sectors.
“The arrival of Archis, along with Dan and Kevin, reinforces our commitment to providing our clients with unparalleled aptitude in class action defense, aggregate litigation and mass arbitration,” said John Beisner, of counsel and leader of Skadden’s Mass Torts, Insurance and Consumer Litigation Group. “Archis’ comprehensive understanding of class action lawsuits, coupled with his success in high-stakes litigation — including his involvement in multiple victories before the U.S. Supreme Court — positions him as a true leader in the field. With a presence in both Washington, D.C. and Northern California and a national practice, he further strengthens our ability to serve clients wherever these matters arise.”
James Carroll, global head of Skadden’s litigation/controversy practices, added, “Archis and his team’s impressive track record in defending against class actions and mass arbitrations will further enhance our ability to deliver exceptional results for clients. Their background complements our existing strengths, and we look forward to leveraging their insights to tackle the most complex class action challenges.”
“We have worked closely alongside Archis for years, and we’re delighted to welcome him, Dan and Kevin to Skadden,” said class actions and mass arbitration partners Michael McTigue and Meredith Slawe. “Their depth of knowledge and experience at the intersection of consumer class actions, mass arbitration and multidistrict litigation will align well with Skadden’s leading practice in this space.”
Mr. Parasharami has extensive experience drafting and defending the enforceability of arbitration agreements, particularly in the consumer and employment contexts, and addressing mass arbitrations. He has also played a pivotal role in landmark U.S. Supreme Court class action- and arbitration-related cases, including AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion, Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins, Lamps Plus, Inc. v. Varela and Kindred Nursing Centers L.P. v. Clark.
“Skadden’s reputation for excellence in complex litigation, class actions and mass arbitration is unmatched,” said Mr. Parasharami. “The firm’s global platform and collaborative culture provide an ideal environment to help clients tackle their most challenging disputes.”
Mr. Parasharami received his J.D. from Harvard Law School (cum laude) and his A.B. from Princeton University (summa cum laude).
Daniel Jones helps clients to prepare and present appeals, and has authored numerous briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court, federal and state appellate courts and trial courts around the country, with a focus on class action and arbitration issues. He has represented businesses in defeating class certification in multiple federal trial courts and routinely briefs cutting-edge class action defense issues at both the trial and appellate levels. Mr. Jones received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and his B.A. from Amherst College.
Kevin Ranlett defends businesses in complex class and representative actions in state and federal courts across the country, as well as in high-stakes mass arbitrations. He has successfully defended and resolved a wide variety of claims, including allegations of false or deceptive advertising, data breach and other privacy claims and alleged violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Alien Tort Claims Act and various other consumer protection statutes. Mr. Ranlett received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and his B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.