Ilana D. Cohen

Ilana represents major corporations, including pharmaceutical companies, financial institutions, insurance companies, and high-profile individuals in complex litigation matters. She practices in general litigation before state and federal courts—including coordinated multidistrict litigation—and represents her clients in matters ranging from complex multi-jurisdictional disputes to civil securities fraud actions and boundary-pushing product liability cases. Ilana also represents individuals and corporations in connection with regulatory investigations and related civil proceedings. Her litigation experience includes the following.

Class actions and mass arbitrations. Defends businesses in class action litigation in federal and state courts around the country, with a focus on strategy issues, multidistrict litigation, and critical motions seeking the dismissal of class actions or opposing class certifications. Also represents companies in threatened and filed mass arbitrations, in which plaintiffs’ counsel seek to represent large numbers of consumers or workers in similar serial arbitrations.

Product liability litigation. Represents pharmaceutical, chemical, tobacco, and other types of manufacturers in product liability disputes across multiple jurisdictions, including suits premised on a state’s novel interpretations of the Drug Dealer Liability Act. 

Complex civil litigation. Represents local, national and global corporate clients in federal and state courts in a variety of civil actions, including commercial actions, contract disputes, class actions, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and antitrust matters. Also represents corporations and individual officers and directors in federal securities class actions and shareholder derivative suits, and counsels clients and boards of directors in connection with securities law issues. 

Trial practice. Develops strategy for complex trial litigation, and has handled many aspects of trial preparation, including dispositive motions, mock jury panels, and witness (fact and expert) preparation.

Appellate practice. Litigates appeals and develops legal strategy at the trial level to ensure appellate preservation, including arguing motions in limine and evidentiary issues, proposed jury instructions and verdict forms, and directed-verdict motions. 

Ilana earned her J.D. from The George Washington University Law School, where she was executive editor of The Federal Circuit Bar Journal. She then served as a law clerk to the Honorable Michael M. Baylson of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Before joining Shook, Ilana was an associate in the Manhattan office of an Am Law 100 firm.