/ Biographies
Moxi Upadhyaya is an experienced trial attorney who has represented businesses and individuals in numerous bench and jury
trials and depositions. Although she maintains a national practice, Moxi is often sought out for her extensive knowledge of the
District of Columbia federal and local courts and administrative agencies, given her unique prior government service in the
District.
Moxi’s clients include universities, hospitality companies, medical systems and practices, energy companies, commercial real
estate developers and owners, professional services organizations, and local businesses. In addition to handling complex
commercial disputes, including breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and defamation claims, she has represented large
organizations in Title VII employment suits. Her practice includes regulatory and administrative litigation challenging
regulations and agency orders in the DC Circuit and other DC courts.
Moxi is uniquely familiar with practice in the DC federal and state courts. While serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Robert
L. Wilkins of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Moxi advised on pending complex civil, administrative, and
criminal matters involving high-profile issues of first impression. She regularly confronted questions of constitutional law,
contract interpretation, statutory interpretation, federal civil procedure, and DC law. Prior to joining Venable, Moxi served a
two-year term as law clerk to the Honorable Eric T. Washington, former chief judge of the District of Columbia Court of
Appeals. While there, Moxi was involved in numerous complex civil, criminal, and administrative cases that presented issues of
first impression affecting the District of Columbia.
Moxi serves on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Committee on Grievances, as well as the Board of Directors
of the Council for Court Excellence and the D.C. Access to Justice Foundation. She previously served as co-chief of the D.C. Bar
Litigation Section Steering Committee. For her pro bono work, she has been given the Defender of Innocence Award from the
Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project, Venable’s Benjamin R. Civiletti Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year and the David W. Goewey
Lawyer of the Year award. Moxi received her J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law, cum laude. She also
holds a B.J. magna cum laude, from the Missouri School of Journalism, and an A.B., with honors, in Latin from University of
Missouri.
Moxila A. Upadhyaya
Partner
maupadhyaya@Venable.com
Washington, DC | +1 202.344.4690