Amit Rana

Partner
Amit Rana

Amit Rana co-chairs Venable’s nationally recognized Class Action Defense Group and co-leads the firm’s California Commercial Litigation Practice. Clients turn to Amit for their most complex and high-stakes matters, whether they be commercial disputes or defending businesses and entrepreneurs against consumer class actions. He represents clients across various industries in both his class action and commercial litigation practice and appears regularly in state and federal courts across the country. 

Amit has deep experience defending against consumer class actions, particularly those brought under unfair competition and false advertising statutes. He has defended against more than 100 consumer class actions—both threatened and filed—and he tailors creative legal strategies to meet business objectives across sectors, such as food and beverage, cosmetics, supplements, household products, franchising, and software.

Amit also maintains a broad commercial litigation practice with significant experience in trade secret misappropriation, partnership conflicts, and high-value business disputes. He also frequently litigates stock and equity issues, earnout disputes, and other post-merger and acquisition (M&A) matters. Drawing on his deep knowledge of marketing and advertising law, he also litigates competitor disputes, especially under the Lanham Act. Amit also regularly advises on class action risk mitigation and conducts M&A due diligence focused on advertising and marketing liabilities. 

Amit is committed to pro bono service, achieving favorable outcomes for asylum seekers, victims of domestic violence, prisoners, and those facing housing and employment discrimination. 

Experience

Representative Matters

Class Actions

  • Won a motion to dismiss a class action alleging false advertising of poultry products for a national grocery chain (affirmed on appeal)
  • Won a motion to dismiss a class action alleging false advertising of cold-pressed juice products for a major juice brand
  • Won a motion to dismiss a class action alleging false advertising related to health claims for a snack food brand (affirmed on appeal)
  • Won a motion to dismiss a class action alleging false advertising related to multi-function malic acid for a national beverage brand
  • Defended a protein manufacturer against false advertising claims related to protein content claims, resulting in the matter being voluntarily dismissed
  • Defended a prominent poultry manufacturer against false advertising claims related to label statements, resulting in the matter being voluntarily dismissed
  • Defended a multinational dairy manufacturer against false advertising claims related to ingredient statements, resulting in the matter being voluntarily dismissed
  • Defended a prominent candy company against false advertising claims related to ingredient statements, resulting in the matter being voluntarily dismissed
  • Defended a prominent spice company against false advertising claims related to the origin of chili peppers, resulting in the matter being voluntarily dismissed
  • Defended a public snack food corporation against false advertising claims regarding slack-fill, resulting in the matter being voluntarily dismissed
  • Defended a national frozen desserts brand against false advertising claims, resulting in the matter being voluntarily dismissed

Commercial Litigation

  • Represented the plaintiff in a three-week arbitration trial, resulting in a nine-figure arbitration award (one of the largest in Colorado state history)
  • Represented the plaintiffs, shareholders of a market research company, in a four-week jury trial in a licensing dispute, resulting in a jury verdict for the client
  • Represented the plaintiff, a social media marketing company, in an arbitration hearing, resulting in a complete recovery of money owed and no recovery on counterclaims
  • Won a summary judgment for an international semiconductor technology company defending against trade secret claims
  • Obtained an injunction in California Superior Court for a prominent microbrewery against a distributor to enforce termination and recapture distribution rights
  • Represented a municipality in a contract dispute with a professional sports team regarding arena rights, resulting in voluntary dismissal of claims with no settlement payment
  • Represented a snack bar company in a sponsorship dispute with a professional motorsports team, resulting in a favorable settlement
  • Represented selling shareholders of an emerging technology company in an M&A dispute, resulting in a favorable settlement
  • Represented a prominent microbrewery in a contract dispute with a distributor, resulting in a favorable settlement

Insights

Credentials
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Education

  • J.D. University of California at Davis 2013
  • B.A. Political Science and History University of Michigan 2007

Bar Admissions

  • California

Recognition
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  • Super LawyersRising Star, Northern California, 2021 – 2023