Ralia E. Polechronis
Partner
Ralia E. Polechronis is a Partner at Wilkinson Stekloff. Her practice focuses primarily on complex civil matters with experience in all phases of litigation in state and federal court and in arbitration. She has defended clients in multi-district litigation, class actions, breach of contract and fraud cases, and also has conducted internal investigations. Before joining the firm, Ralia was the Executive Director and General Counsel of the nonprofit Partnership for Educational Justice (PEJ) where she led the organization’s national impact litigation strategy. Prior to her work at PEJ, she practiced at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP for nearly eight years, during which she represented a wide range of clients while also maintaining a robust pro bono practice in education matters and advocating for women’s reproductive rights. Ralia clerked for Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye on the New York State Court of Appeals.
Education
- Undergraduate: Boston College, B.A. magna cum laude
- Law: Harvard Law School, J.D., cum laude
Clerkship
- Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye, New York State Court of Appeals
Notable Matters
- Member of senior team managing multiple aspects of the products liability litigation in Northrup v. Covidien, where a U.S. District Court Judge handed down a decisive pre-trial victory based on key admissions from Plaintiff’s expert that were quoted extensively in the Court’s opinion dismissing the case.
- Served as lead counsel for the Special Litigation Committee of a Fortune 50 company in connection with shareholder derivative litigation relating to breach of fiduciary duty allegations arising out of the nationwide opioid crisis.
- Defended Fortune 50 company against CCTA and RICO claims against the City of New York.
- Member of senior team defending the NFL in its landmark concussion litigation class action settlement and in related cases for the Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals.
- Defense of Fortune 100 company accused of fraud in the sale of fund-linked notes to foreign investors.
- Represented largest New York City charter school network in multiple lawsuits, including the dismissal of a complaint seeking to collect approximately $100 million in rent.
- Served as co-counsel with the Center for Reproductive Rights in successfully challenging Oklahoma’s mandatory pre-abortion ultrasound law.
Publications
- Progress Begins with Dissent, Los Angeles & San Francisco Daily Journal, (2016)
- Vergara Facts Meet the Test, Los Angeles & San Francisco Daily Journal, (2016)
Other Activities
Throughout her career, Ralia has shown a commitment to public policy and public education. She served as a New York City Urban Fellow in the Administration for Children’s Services under the Deputy Commissioner for Child Protective Services. Ralia also committed much of her time to reforming the public education system, both serving on the New York City Bar Committee for Education and the Law and leading MESA Charter High School’s founding Board of Trustees as its Chair for five years.