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’s environmental experience is similarly broad, having defended petroleum companies, chemical manufacturers, materials manufacturers, equipment manufacturers, automotive manufacturers, hazardous waste generators, property owners and even food suppliers in a variety of disputes involving claims of soil, groundwater, surface water and protected waters contamination, permit violations, environmental law and regulatory violations and the like. He has even defended allegations of criminal conduct with respect to environmental issues.

Rudy is co-chair of the American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation’s Product Liability Committee and has previously served as co-chair of 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 is fluent in Spanish.