Subodh Chandra | Cleveland Civil Rights Lawyer

A former federal prosecutor, law director for the City of Cleveland, and large-firm litigator, Subodh Chandra is the founding and managing partner of the Chandra Law Firm LLC.

Chandra's practice focuses on high-profile civil-rights, employment, and business litigation; white-collar-criminal defense; and internal investigations. He practices in both federal and state courts. The litigation that Chandra handles often has a crisis-communications, public-policy dimension.

Before founding the firm, Chandra served as director of law for the city of Cleveland, a billion-dollar corporation. Chandra led the work of an 82-lawyer department with both criminal and civil divisions. He also sometimes served as Cleveland's acting mayor.

As Cleveland's general counsel, Chandra handled legal work in-house and slashed by nearly 90% spending on outside counsel, saving millions; moved vigorously through in-house investigations to clean up internal corruption; restored the department's reputation; and attracted top performers who helped make it Ohio's most diverse law firm.

Previously, as federal prosecutor, Chandra successfully prosecuted healthcare fraud and corruption—winning a commendation from FBI director Robert Mueller for "demonstrated excellence" as well as from the special agent in charge of the FBI's Cleveland office. Chandra also prosecuted tax fraud, bank fraud, and other economic crimes.

Before that, Chandra served as a litigator in large law firms in both Cleveland and Los Angeles. Chandra defended the cities of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills against high-profile allegations of police misconduct, and represented large media companies and motion-picture studiios. Some of his more memorable work included defending the television show "Hard Copy" against libel charges by the singer Michael Jackson.

Chandra began his legal career as special presidential counsel at the American Bar Association.

Chandra is a graduate of the Yale Law School, where he was executive editor of the Yale Law & Policy Review. He also graduated with honors and distinction from Stanford University, which awarded him the John Gardner Fellowship to work as a protégé of Ohio Governor Dick Celeste.

Chandra has served as Distinguished Practitioner in Residence at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, teaching appellate practice and legal ethics. He has also served as a legal-ethics and attorneys' fees expert in litigation.

Long active in assisting people who aspire to public service, Chandra was also a 2006 candidate for Ohio Attorney General, winning most newspaper endorsements. The Cincinnati Enquirer called Chandra "the best candidate Ohio Democrats have produced in years." Chandra was also one of the earliest supporters of President Barack H. Obama, raising money for his campaign, serving on the national Asian-American advisory committee, and serving as a delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

Chandra presently serves on the Special Ohio Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Chandra is admitted to practice law in Ohio, California, and New Mexico (inactive), and in federal courts around the country.

Based on the review of his peers, he has been included in Best Lawyers® in America for civil rights and Ohio Super Lawyers®.

Chandra and his wife are the proud parents of triplet sons.

Position	Organization	Location	Duration
Managing Partner	The Chandra Law Firm LLC	Cleveland, OH	Present

School	Degree	Major	Graduation
Yale Law School	J.D.	Law School	1994
Stanford University	A.B.	Political Science & Sociology	1989

State / Court	Date
New Mexico (Inactive)	1995
Ohio	1998
California	1997

• U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Ohio Special Advisory Committee | Member | 2013 - Present
  Ohio Employment Lawyers Association | Member | 2012 - Present
  Cleveland Employment Lawyers Association | Member | 2012 - Present
  Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals Judicial Conference | Life Member | 2006 - Present
  International Network of Boutique Law Firms | President, Ohio Chapter | 2006 - Present

• Advocate of the Year | Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless | 2011
  Best Progressive Crusader | Cleveland Scene Magazine | 2009
  40 under 40 | Crain's Cleveland Business | 2003
  Recognition for healthcare prosecutions | Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Robert Mueller | 2002
  Creating a Voice Award | Project Impact | 2002

• The Federal Lawyer | Charging Attorneys' Fees: A Plaintiff Lawyer's Perspective | 2013
  Cleveland Bar Journal | The Reform Experience of the Cleveland Department of Law | 2005

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• Subodh Chandra on MSNBC regarding Tamir Rice police-shooting case
• Subodh Chandra press conference on voting-rights case
• Subodh Chandra Cleveland.com profile
• Subodh Chandra
• Avvo | Subodh Chandra