Jared Ruocco

Jared is a founding partner of Elsberg Baker & Maruri.

He is an experienced trial lawyer specializing in complex commercial litigation. Jared has successfully litigated a wide array of commercial matters, including shareholder and corporate governance disputes, breach of fiduciary duty claims, “busted” M&A transactions, commercial contract disputes, fraud claims, business torts, and employment disputes. Jared has represented clients in a diverse mix of industries, including private equity, commercial real estate, pharmaceuticals, energy, manufacturing, healthcare, software, consumer product wholesale and distribution, and startups.

Benchmark Litigation named Jared in its 2024 40 & Under list. Each year, Benchmark Litigation recognizes the nation’s foremost up and coming litigators.

Lawdragon named Jared one of the “500 Leading Litigators in America” and “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers.”

Jared regularly appears before federal and state courts across the country and has represented clients in several confidential arbitrations before JAMS, AAA, and FINRA.

Jared has extensive experience litigating in the Delaware Court of Chancery and has successfully represented clients in a number of matters there, including through trial.

In addition to his legal practice, Jared also served as a Lecturer in Law at Columbia Law School where he taught courses related to litigation practice.

Year joined firm: 2024

• Successfully represented Fairstead as co-lead trial counsel in a high-stakes arbitration against a former executive who secretly launched a competing company while still employed. After uncovering that the executive had misappropriated confidential information, corporate opportunities, and employees, Fairstead terminated him and clawed back his equity. Following a weeklong hearing, the arbitrator ruled decisively for Fairstead, finding the evidence “overwhelming” and awarding full defense victory plus attorneys’ fees.
• Representing Diem Investments in a fraud and fiduciary duty action against e-commerce startup Maisonette, Inc. and its high-profile board, including Marissa Mayer and NEA CEO Tony Florence. The case arises from Diem’s investment in Maisonette’s late-stage funding rounds, based on financials and growth metrics that were allegedly known by the board to be false. The matter raises significant questions about board accountability, disclosure standards, and governance in venture-backed startups.
• Representing Perceptive Advisors in a high-profile dispute with Gina Bartasi, the former CEO of fertility startup Kindbody. The case involves claims for breach of fiduciary duty and is currently pending in NY Supreme Court.
• Won trial victory after one-week bench trial in Delaware Court of Chancery in the first COVID-era busted deal case in which the client sought to walk away from a $6 billion deal.  In addition to being released from deal, client obtained full recovery of its $600 million+ deposit and was awarded its full attorneys’ fees and costs.  Affirmed on appeal by the Delaware Supreme Court in an opinion setting the precedent on ordinary course covenants in deal documents.
• Obtained complete plaintiff’s jury verdict with punitive damages in the US District Court for the Central District of California on behalf of renowned entrepreneur and chemist, Dr. Anton Toutov, in a multi-million shareholder dispute concerning the attempts by Dr. Toutov’s co-venturers to freeze him out of their lab testing company, KorvaLabs. Jared was recognized for this decisive trial victory by the American Lawyer in its “Litigator of the Week” publication.

• Appellate
• Arbitration
• Commercial
• Commercial disputes
• Dispute resolution
• Labor and employment
• Plaintiff

• Financial services
• Investment management
• Pharmaceutical and life sciences
• Real estate

• J.D., Columbia Law School, 2014
• B.A., Brandeis University, 2011

• State Bar of New York, 2014
• United States District Court: Southern District of New York