Rudy Perrino is a recognized trial attorney with significant experience defending and prosecuting claims in a broad range of areas: environmental, mass tort, toxic tort, product liability, commercial, oil and gas, and food law.  Rudy’s environmental experience includes defending and prosecuting claims under almost nearly every major federal and state environmental statute including: CERCLA, RCRA, CWA, CAA and state analogs.  Rudy routinely counsels clients in relation to regulatory compliance, permitting, inspections, investigations, responding to NOVs and enforcement actions.

Rudy also has experience litigating and trying cases involving cross-border and transnational disputes, including the defense of foreign judgment recognition and enforcement actions in the U.S. and on foreign soil. He has managed and litigated large-scale, high exposure cases in courts across the country and around the world. He also has substantial experience counseling large public and private companies on issues relating to best practices, foreign corrupt practices act, regulatory compliance and chemical safety issues.

Rudy previously served as the director of litigation at Dole Food Company, where he managed worldwide litigation. While at Dole, Rudy was the lead lawyer driving the strategy that proved a massive international fraudulent enterprise and led to the resolution of more than 20,000 claims and over 250 lawsuits in Latin America and the U.S., and positioned the company to resolve or otherwise dispose of hundreds of other lawsuits around the world.

Prior to working for Dole Food Company, Rudy worked for several years as a litigator representing chemical companies, petroleum companies, manufacturers, distributors and other various business interests, primarily in claims of toxic exposure and environmental contamination. His experience defending toxic exposure claims covers a wide spectrum of toxins, including pharmaceuticals.

Rudy currently serves as co-chair of the American Bar Association Section of Litigation’s Corporate Counsel Committee and has previously served as co-chair of the Product Liability Committee, the Environmental and Energy Litigation Committee (ELC) and of the Mass Torts Litigation Committee. As co-chair of these committees, Rudy directs the day-to-day functioning of the committee and leads the thousands of practitioners around the country in the business of providing benefits to the Section’s members, such as continuing legal education seminars, publication and speaking opportunities, and networking opportunities.  Rudy has also served as a member of the Section of Litigation’s governing Council.

Rudy regularly provides pro-bono legal services through a number of organizations.

Rudy is fluent in Spanish.

In the News

• Daily Journal Top Defense Verdict 2021, SOMA v. Choice, February 9, 2022 issue.
• Daily Journal Top Defense Verdict 2015, Macpherson Oil Company (MOC) v. Pace Diversified, February 16, 2016 issue.
• The American Lawyer, "Breathing Fire from the Bench, Judge Finds Plaintiffs' Lawyers Committed Fraud, Dismisses Tort Case Against Dole as Sanction," April 4, 2009.
• Wall Street Journal, Review & Outlook- “A Blatant Extortion," Wednesday, May 13, 2009.

Speaking Engagements

• “Artificial Intelligence in Mass Tort Litigation,” 32nd Annual Toxic Torts & Environmental Law Spring Conference, ABA Tort Trials & Insurance Practice Section, April 2024
• “Social Inflation, Litigation Funding, Crisis Communication and Litigation Support,” Emerging and Environmental Claims Management Association Annual Meeting, May 2023
• “Advancing Litigation Objectives Through Strategic Communications,” ABA Section of Litigation Annual Meeting, May 2023
• “The Exported Tort,” 2012 ABA Section of International Law Annual Conference, New York, NY, April 20, 2012
• “The Latest Trends & Tactics in Prosecuting & Defending Foreign Mass Accident Litigation,” 2011 Aviation Litigation CLE Seminar, New York Bar Association/American Bar Association, New York, NY, June 2, 2011
• “Roundtable: Does International Arbitration Meet General Counsels' needs?”  International Arbitration in the 21st Century: Trends, Developments, Changes, Los Angeles County Bar Association/American Bar Association, Los Angeles, CA, May 20, 2011
• “Agunda v. Chevron: The Case of Chevron in Ecuador,” 9th Annual International Litigation and Arbitration Conference, The Florida Bar, International Law Section, Hollywood, FL, February 4, 2011
• “Understanding Medical Monitoring Damages,” Environmental, Mass Torts, and Products Liability Committees Annual Joint CLE Seminar, Snowmass, CO, January 27-29, 2011

Publications

• G. Cooke, et al., “Class Action Fairness Act: Law and Strategy”, American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, 2013; updated 2020.
• R. Perrino, “Improve Diversity?  Where do I Start?”, American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Mass Tort Committee Newsletter, Vol. 11, No. 1, Winter 2012
• C. Christianson, J. Green, R. Perrino, D. Weiner and F. Wisner, “The Latest Trends & Tactics in Prosecuting & Defending Foreign Mass Accident Litigation,” 2011 Aviation Litigation CLE Seminar written materials, New York Bar Association/American Bar Association, New York, NY, June 2, 2011
• R. Perrino, “Does Daubert Apply to Expert Evidence Submitted at the Class Certification Stage?”, American Bar Association Section of Litigation, Mass Tort Committee Newsletter, Vol. 9, No. 3, Summer 2011
• R. Perrino, “Trending Away from Medical Monitoring? “ American Bar Association Section of Litigation, Mass Tort Committee Newsletter, Vol. 9, No. 1, Fall 2010