Rita A. Sheffey

Partner

Contact

  • Atlanta
    p404.888.4053
    f404.888.4190
  • Atlanta
    p404.888.4053
    f404.888.4190

Rita's practice focuses on complex environmental, patent and trademark infringement, and product liability litigation; she also maintains an active, extensive pro bono practice.

Focusing primarily on complex, scientific-based litigation, Rita draws on her PhD in Chemistry in handling environmental, toxic tort, product liability, trademark and patent infringement, and business torts litigation in federal and state trial and appellate courts. Rita's environmental litigation experience includes CERCLA (Superfund), RCRA, Clean Air Act, and Clean Water Act issues, as well as toxic torts. Rita has experience in mediation and arbitration (as counsel and as an arbitrator), trade secrets, securities, insurance coverage, construction, and general civil litigation.

Rita is admitted to practice in the US District Courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia and the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; the US Courts of Appeals for the Fourth, Eleventh and Federal Circuits; and the US Supreme Court.

Rita also has an extensive pro bono practice, both within the firm as chair of the Atlanta Pro Bono Committee and Director of the firm's Southside Legal Center neighborhood legal clinic, and outside the firm in Atlanta and Georgia. She has been recognized and honored extensively for her pro bono commitment.

Relevant Experience

  • Intellectual Property Litigation: Lead trial counsel successfully defending consumer products against claims of patent infringement, breach of confidentiality agreement, and misappropriation of trade secrets, including partial summary judgment and directed verdict on all remaining claims at trial. 
  • Intellectual Property Litigation: Trial counsel successfully defending consumer products company against claims for trademark infringement, breach of confidential relationship, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, fraudulent concealment, negligent misrepresentation, trade dress infringement, unfair competition and deceptive trade practices brought by product manufacturer, including partial summary judgment, and post-trial judgment as a matter of law on all remaining claims. 
  • Intellectual Property Litigation: Represented major retailer in successfully defending claims for trademark infringement and false advertising brought by product manufacturer. 
  • Environmental Litigation: Represented Fortune 500 companies in successfully prosecuting and defending claims under state and federal law for environmental contamination of property including manufacturing facilities. 
  • Environmental Litigation: Represented a chemical manufacturer in both state and federal courts successfully defending environmental claims brought by a customer pursuant to CERCLA and state law for spills allegedly occurring during delivery of liquid chemical product by an independent transporter. 
  • Environmental Litigation: Represented one of the nation's largest oil pipelines in defending federal enforcement action under the Clean Water Act. 
  • Environmental Litigation: Represented one of the nation's largest oil pipelines in defending riparian landowners' individual and class action claims for property damage resulting from spill of fuel oil from pipeline; obtained favorable settlement for company. 
  • Environmental Litigation: Represented electric utility company in defending a prevention of significant deterioration applicability determination. 
  • Product Liability Litigation: Represented a medical device manufacturer in successfully defending numerous products liability claims, including challenges to plaintiffs' experts on Daubert grounds. 
  • Arbitration: Represented software development company in successfully pursuing license agreement claims in federal district court and the ICC International Court of Arbitration. 
  • Arbitration: Served as neutral third arbitrator in a private dispute between a law firm and a departing partner.
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