Practices & Industries

Education

  • City University of New York School of Law (J.D.)

Bar/Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • New York
  • Connecticut

Languages

  • Bengali
  • Hindi

Devika Kewalramani

Partner

dkewalramani@mosessinger.com

T(212) 554-7832

F(917) 206-4332

  • Biography
  • Representative Matters
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Devika Kewalramani is a partner and co-chair of Moses & Singer's Legal Ethics & Law Firm Practice which advises law firms, lawyers and legal departments on ethical, legal and business aspects of law practice. She also currently serves as the firm's general counsel. Devika’s practice focuses on the laws that regulate lawyers. She counsels clients on issues relating to legal ethics, professional discipline and law firm disputes. Devika conducts ethics audits for law firms and develops ethics manuals for firms.

A frequent lecturer, panelist and author on legal ethics, Devika speaks to law firms, corporate legal departments, bar associations and other professional organizations on conflicts of interest, engagement letters, unauthorized practice of law, attorney advertising, e-discovery, cloud computing, social media and cyberliability. The editor of New York State Bar Association’s Journal magazine recognized Devika as author of one of the best articles of 2010: “Up Close and Professional With New York’s Engagement Letter Rules” (September 2010). She is also a faculty member of the Practising Law Institute and of Lawline.com.  Devika serves on the Professional Ethics Committee of the New York State Bar Association and the Professional Discipline Committee of the New York City Bar Association.  She is a member of the Advisory Board of the Ethics Institute of the New York County Lawyers' Association.

Devika began her career at Moses & Singer as an associate in the firm’s Banking and Finance practice, where she represented major financial institutions in secured and unsecured financings.

Publications
  • Lexis® Practice Advisor for Corporate Counsel: Ethics For In-House Counsel, Author (2012).
  • The Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics, Mentor to Journal staff members for note publications on ethics (2010-11 and 2011-12).
  • "The New York Rules of Professional Conduct," Oxford University Press, Rules Co-Editor and Contributor of Three Chapters: "Rule 1.7 – Conflicts of Interest: Current Clients;" "Rule 1.8 – Current Clients: Specific Conflicts of Interest Rules;" and "Rule 1.9 – Duties to Former Clients" (2010 and 2011).
Presentations [View All]
  • "Ethical Arrhythmias in Trusts & Estates Practice," American Heart Association's 13th Annual Invitational Conference on Estate Planning and Administration, April 2013
  • "Ethics for Corporate Lawyers: Multijurisdictional Practice And Other Current Issues 2013," Practising Law Institute, February 2013
  • "Be Careful Who You 'Like:' Legal and Ethical Implications of Social Media Use in the Workplace and Employment and Labor Litigation," Seton Hall University School of Law Circuit Review Symposium, February 2013
  • "To Click or Not to Click: That is the Ethical Question?" New York Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), January 2013
  • "Ethics Matter in Real Estate Deals," Practising Law Institute, November 2012
  • "Ethical Gaps, Mishaps and Traps in Real Estate Practice," Practising Law Institute, November 2012
  • "High Tech, High Risk, High Stakes: Key Strategies to Protect You & Your Client," Citrin Cooperman Cyberliability and Ethics Seminar, October 2012
  • "How to Balance E-Discovery Requirements and Cloud Computing Challenges with Ethical Compliance," New York County Lawyers' Association, October 2012
  • "Ethics Challenges For Law Firms," Kern Augustine Conroy & Schoppmann, P.C. Attorney Conference, June 2012
  • "Hi-Tech Ethics Lowdown for Downtown Lawyers," Downtown Lawyers Organization, May 2012
  • "Ethics in Elder Law," Practising Law Institute’s (PLI) 24th Annual Elder Law Institute, April 2012
  • "Ethics for Inhouse Lawyers: Emerging Issues, Evolving Duties," Barclays Capital, April 2012
  • "Dealing with Ethical Issues Facing Intellectual Property Practitioners," New York County Lawyers’ Association, February 2012
  • "Hot Topics in Legal Ethics: Current Issues, New Risks and Recent Developments," Esquire Bank, Ultimate Abstract of New York and Citrin Cooperman, December 2011
  • "Ethical Considerations for the Real Estate Leasing Attorney," Analysis of Case Study by Devika Kewalramani, Practising Law Institute, November 2009, November 2010 and November 2011
  • "Ethics for Real Estate Attorneys," Analysis of Case Study by Devika Kewalramani, Practising Law Institute 10th, 11th and 12th Annual Commercial Real Estate Institute, December 2008 (New York), November 2008 (Chicago), December 2009 (New York), December 2010 (New York) and November 2011 (New York)
  • "In-House Counsel Ethics: Risks, Trends and Real-World Challenges," Moses & Singer CLE Program to Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., September 2011
  • "Cloud Computing: Balancing Privacy and Data Mobility," Moses & Singer CLE Webinar to FriendFinder Networks Inc., August 2011
  • "Latest Trends and Insights Impacting Law Practice in a Turnaround Economy," Chair, the Association of the Bar of The City of New York, July 2011
  • "Ethics, Technology and Solos," Business Lawyers Group, July 2011
  • 2nd Annual USA India Business Summit, participant, June 2011
  • "Cloud Computing: Thunderstorms or Silver Lining?," Co-Sponsored by New York County Lawyers’ Association and its Cyberspace Committee, June 2011
  • "From Outsourced to Cloudsourced: The Next Level of Risks," Moses & Singer’s In-House Counsel CLE Program, June 2011
  • "Ethics for New Lawyers," Lawline.com CLE Seminar, April 2011
  • "Women's Leadership That Inspires Global Change," The 55th Annual United Nations Conference on Women's Empowerment, March 2011
  • "Ethical Issues in Client Representation Agreements," WebCredenza National Teleseminar, February 2011
  • "Fees, Retainer Agreements, and Letters of Engagement," New York State Bar Association, November and December 2010
  • "Attorney Advertising via Blogs, Websites and Social Networks: Ethical Risks," Strafford National CLE Webinar, November 2010
  • "Everyday Ethics Issues Facing Your Law Practice," Moses & Singer Women’s Initiative Program, November 2010
  • "Best Practices for Protecting Your Law Practice from Ethical Violations," Esquire Bank and Ultimate Abstract of New York, October 2010
  • "Navigating the Attorney Advertising Maze: Recent Rules, Cases and Ethics Opinions," New York County Lawyers’ Association, September 2010
  • "Minimize Risks, Manage Challenges and Avert Ethical Pitfalls," Esquire Bank and Ultimate Abstract of New York, July 2010
  • "Indian Businesses Go Green," host, Citi-Anchin Indian Initiative, June 2010
  • "Ethics of Going Green At Home And Abroad," The Institute of International Social Development and Forum 21, April 2010
  • "The New NY Ethics Rules: An Inside View for In-House Counsel," legal department of Deutsche Bank AG, April 2010, and JPMorgan Chase & Co., February 2010 and Moses & Singer’s In-House Counsel CLE Program, May 2010
  • "Getting Engaged and Serving Your Client Under New York’s Engagement Letter Rules," The Judicial Title Insurance Agency LLC, March 2010
  • "Essentials of Setting Up A New Law Practice: Formation Issues, Ethics And Other Key Considerations," Chair, the Association of the Bar of The City of New York, Small Law Firm Center, March 2010
  • "Ethics in Commercial Mortgage Practice: Analysis of Case Study by Devika Kewalramani," Practising Law Institute, March 2008 (Chicago), February (2008) (New York) and March 2010 (New York)
  • "Attention In-House Counsel: New York’s New Ethics Rules Apply To You," Fidelity National Financial, Inc., December 2009
  • "What Every Lawyer Needs to Know About New York’s Engagement Letter Rules," Hudson Valley Bank and Lawline.com CLE Seminar, November 2009, Rivkin Radler LLP, January 2009, Asian American Bar Association of New York, December 2008, the Association of the Bar of The City of New York, May 2007 and Moses & Singer In-House Counsel CLE Program, March 2006
  • "The Rules, They Are A-Changin’," The Copyright Society of the U.S.A., September 2009
  • "How New York's New Ethics Rules Impact Subordinate Lawyers," New York County Lawyers' Association, September 2009
  • "New York's New Ethics Rules: What's New, What's Not, and What Changed?" Quinn Emanuel, October 2009, Citibank/Corporate Solutions New York, August 2009 and Moses & Singer's Law Firm Managing Partners Forum, July 2009
  • "Highlights of New York’s New Rules of Professional Conduct," Advantage Title, 2009 CLE Seminar Series, June 2009
  • "New York Adopts New Rules of Professional Conduct: Are You Ready?" Moses & Singer’s In-House Counsel CLE Program, March 2009 and Lawline.com, May 2009
  • "Seven Risk Management Tips for Law Firms," Lawline.com, May 2009
  • "Law Firms and In-House Counsel," MSI Global Alliance North America and Latin America Local Members' Meeting, January 2009 (Miami)
  • "Legal Ethics: Solutions to the Most Common Challenges," National Business Institute, September 2008
  • "Law Firm Blogs: Legal and Ethical Concerns," Moses & Singer’s In-House Counsel CLE Program, November 2007
  • "Ethical Duties of Supervisory and Subordinate Lawyers," Moses & Singer’s In-House Counsel CLE Program, October 2008 and the Association of the Bar of The City of New York, October 2007
  • "Conflicts of Interest, Engagement Letters and Attorney Advertising Rules," National Business Institute, September 2007
  • "What You Need to Know About Legal Opinions," Moses & Singer’s In-House Counsel CLE Program, January 2007
  • "What Every Lawyer Needs to Know About Conflicts of Interest," the Association of the Bar of The City of New York, June 2006
  • "Law Firm Conflicts Management," Moses & Singer’s In-House Counsel CLE Program, December 2004
Professional Affiliations
  • Member, Advisory Board of the Ethics Institute of the New York County Lawyers' Association
  • Member, Committee on Professional Discipline, The Association of the Bar of the City of New York
  • Past Chair, Subcommittee on Engagement Letters, Professional Responsibility Committee, The Association of the Bar of the City of New York
  • Past Member, Committee on Professional Ethics of the New York State Bar Association

Representative Matters

  • Conducted ethics audits for mid-size and boutique law firms to identify gaps in ethical compliance.
  • Developed law firm ethics manuals with key policies on confidentiality of client data, conflicts checking, e-mail and the Internet, computer security and social media.
  • Advised a mid-size law firm on unique ethics issues relating to law firm partnership agreement provisions.
  • Drafted a law firm separation agreement for a boutique law practice enabling transfer of business to the reconstituted firm while shielding the new firm from potential liability.
  • Counseled law firms on cutting edge law practice structures and arrangements, including virtual law offices using cloud technology and alternate business structures.
  • Advised start-up practices on ethics and risk management protocols.
  • Counseled a mid-size law firm on conflicts of interest, engagement letters and attorney advertising rules.
  • Represented lateral lawyers on ethical duties relating to law firm departures.
  • Counseled lawyers on professional discipline charges and investigations.


 

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