REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE Rocco’s extensive experience includes:
- Lead counsel for a major service provider in the retail and hospitality industry in a three-week jury trial involving claims of breach of contract in federal court in Massachusetts.
- Representing an independent service organization in the health care industry in connection with intellectual property and breach of contract claims in multiple jurisdictions.
- Lead counsel for an international consumer products company in a trade secret dispute brought by a competitor.
- Defending a Big Four accounting firm in a multi-million dollar professional liability case in Florida state court.
- Defending an automotive finance company in a civil rights class action lawsuit in federal court in Tennessee.
- Representing a major college in a multi-million dollar construction defect arbitration.
- Defending a major forest products company in a four-week jury trial involving claims of mismanagement and breach of contract.
- Defending the special committee of a board of directors in a class action lawsuit seeking to enjoin the billion dollar sale of company to management group.
- Defending a consumer products company in a class action securities case and related shareholder derivative lawsuit involving allegations of “channel stuffing.”
- Defending an automobile manufacturer in a multi-plaintiff dispute with franchisees concerning payments for warranty parts.
- Representing the State of Michigan in a three-week school desegregation case in which the federal court granted the state’s motion for unitary status, ending more than 20 years of court supervision.
- Representing the State of New York in a seven-month bench trial involving a challenge to the constitutionality of the state’s school funding system.
- Representing the State of Georgia in a constitutional challenge to the state’s school funding statutes.
- Representing major metropolitan Atlanta school districts in complex litigation matters.
PROFESSIONAL HONORS AND AWARDS
- Selected as a Georgia Local Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation (2011)
- Selected as a Future Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation (2011)
- Selected for inclusion in Georgia Super Lawyers® (2007-2012)
- Named to The Best Lawyers in America in the area of education law (2007-2013)
- Named among the “Legal Elite” by Georgia Trend magazine (2009, 2011)
PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, State Bar of Georgia
- Member, Atlanta Bar Association
- Member, Federalist Society
- Member, Law and Judiciary Committee, Georgia Chamber of Commerce
- Chairman of the Board, Reach for Excellence, Marist School
- Past Chairman of the Board, Catholic Charities Atlanta
- Past Chairman of the Board, Christ the King School
RECENT PUBLICATIONS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- Co-author and presenter, “Georgia State E-Discovery,” Institute for Continuing Legal Education (November 2012)
- Author and presenter, “Free Speech or Misconduct: Board Members, Staff, Students and the Internet,” Georgia School Boards Association (November 2012)
- Co-author, “Avoiding 'Benefit of the Bargain' Damages in Letters of Intent,” Business Law Today (October 2010)
- Co-author, “Accountability Left Behind,” Education Next (Summer 2008)
- Co-author, “Educational Adequacy Litigation—A Detour on the Road to Reform,” Critical Issues In Education Law and Policy, Lexis Nexis (April 2005)
- Presenter, "What Did You Intend? Practice Points in Negotiating Letters of Intent: Using the Tools and Avoiding the Traps?" ACC Georgia Chapter Luncheon (October 12, 2010)
- Speaker, The Politics of Inclusion: Higher Education at a Crossroads, University of North Carolina Law School (September 12, 2006)
- Speaker, The 103rd Annual National Catholic Education Association Convention and Exposition (April 18-21, 2006)
- Speaker, Virginia Commonwealth Education Law Conference (March 27, 2006)
- Panelist, "Adequacy Lawsuits: Their Growing Impact on American Education," Program on Education Policy and Governance, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (2005)
- Speaker, “Education Adequacy Litigation - A Detour on the Road to Reform,” Virginia Commonwealth Education Law Conference (April 29, 2005)
- Speaker, ABA’s Commission on the 50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education (August 7, 2004)
- Speaker, “50 Years After Brown, What Have We Achieved and What Remains to Be Done?” (April 23-24, 2004)
- Presenter, "The Price of Leaving No Child Behind: The Financial Impact of High Standards on Urban School Districts," National School Boards Association Annual Meeting (2003)
- Presenter, "Practical Strategies for Promoting Diversity in Admissions and Assignments," National School Boards Association Annual Meeting (2002)