Geoffrey J.Ritts (Geoff)

Geoff Ritts focuses on defending corporations, officers, and directors in securities, shareholder, and derivative litigation. He also counsels boards on governance issues. Chambers describes Geoff as "an excellent strategic thinker" and "insightful, practical and a leader who is also a team player." The Legal 500 US called him a "strong all-round litigator" who "makes himself available and is great to work with." In 2023, BTI Consulting named Geoff a "Client Service All-Star."

Geoff represented a top 10 bank in securities, derivative, and ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act) lawsuits arising from the subprime mortgage crisis. He represented a major financial institution in multidistrict litigation (MDL) relating to the Bernard Madoff scandal. Geoff has represented many public companies in securities cases where courts dismissed complaints under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Representative clients in public matters include Conagra Brands, KeyCorp, U. S. Steel, Goodyear, Verizon Communications, FirstEnergy, Macy's, Cardinal Health, Cleveland-Cliffs, and Erie Indemnity.

Geoff has served as an adjunct professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, teaching complex litigation. He is a faculty member at the Practicing Law Institute's annual securities litigation conference. Geoff coauthored a treatise on complex litigation in state courts (Statewide Coordinated Proceedings: State Court Analogues to the Federal MDL Process) and has written numerous articles on securities law and class actions, in publications such as Litigation magazine, National Law Journal, Journal of Corporation Law, and Defense Law Journal. Geoff has been invited to testify before the Ohio Legislature on class actions. He is a trustee of the Lake Erie Council of the Boy Scouts of America.