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Karl G. Dial is a board certified civil trial specialist and CPA with almost 40 years’ experience trying complex civil cases. He focuses his practice on commercial litigation, including bet-the-company cases involving claims against directors and officers, professional malpractice, securities litigation, trade secrets, energy litigation, intellectual property litigation, and class actions. Karl has wide-ranging experience litigating throughout the United States and has tried more than 45 complex civil cases.

Capabilities

Experience

  • Securities and Director & Officer Litigation: Represented over one hundred officers and directors in securities class actions, derivative suits, SEC enforcement matters, and other claims.°
  • Energy Litigation: Handled numerous disputes involving lease ownership, drilling operations, oilfield services, working interests, exploration and production, pipelines, reserves, and other energy issues.°
  • Regulatory Investigations: Handled dozens of regulatory enforcement actions by federal and state regulators, including numerous SEC investigations into alleged misstatements in financial statements and dozens of state agency investigations into alleged violations of rules governing professionals.°
  • Internal Investigations: Conducted multiple internal investigations by Boards and Audit Committees involving allegations of improper accounting and breaches of fiduciary duty.
  • Trade Secrets/Contract Litigation: Jury trial of trade secrets, contract and fraud claims involving software development project, with damages claimed in the nine figures.
  • Banking Litigation: Defending multiple financial institutions’ trust departments against claims by trust beneficiaries alleging breach of fiduciary duty and other claims, with damages claimed in the millions to tens of millions.
  • Health Care Class Actions: Defended major hospital system against multiple putative class actions alleging surprise billing for services. One case dismissed; the other settled.
  • Caribbean Islands Litigation: Representing Silicon Valley investor in dispute over ownership of two Caribbean islands; opposing party claims damages of over US$44 million; damages claim dismissed, quiet title action in the U.S. Virgin Islands is pending.
  • Energy Pipeline Litigation: Defended energy company in dispute over ownership of a pipeline. Obtained summary judgment, affirmed on appeal.
  • Frac-Sand Supplier Litigation: Representing supplier of frac sand to oilfield services industry in disputes over products supplied and disputes with contractors, with damages claims in the millions. 
  • Explosion Litigation: Defending supplier of gas in connection with claims for alleged wrongful death, , personal injury, and economic losses from an explosion.
  • Ponzi Scheme Litigation: Defended large accounting firm against Ponzi scheme and securities claims seeking US$7 billion in investor losses.°
  • Securities Fraud Litigation: Obtained dismissal of class action securities claim (affirmed by the Fifth Circuit) seeking US$1.5 billion against the chief financial officers of one of the largest failed banks.°
  • Accounting Litigation: Defended multiple audit firms against claims of alleged improper accounting related to tender offers, sales of subsidiaries, class actions by investors, and bankruptcy trustees, including multiple jury trials involving audits and accounting issues.
  • International Merger Litigation: Defended against injunction claims, class actions, and derivative lawsuits seeking to interfere with US$30 billion merger. Claims dismissed.°
  • Fiduciary Duty Litigation: Jury trial of shareholder derivative lawsuit involving claims for over US$20 million based on alleged breach of fiduciary duty and accounting fraud.°
  • Securities Sale Litigation: Represented sellers of securities seeking payment of US$40 million for post-closing consideration based on post-sale financial results of the business.°
  • Products Liability: Defending medical device manufacturers in dozens of products liability cases.

°The above representations were handled by Mr. Dial prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

  • Certified Public Accountant°
  • Board Certified in Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization

°Greenberg Traurig, LLP is a law firm, not an accounting firm.

Recognition & Leadership

  • Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Securities Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Banking and Finance Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation, 2006-2024
    • Selected, "Lawyer of the Year," Litigation - Banking and Finance, Dallas/Fort Worth, 2024
  • Listed, Benchmark Litigation, Local Litigation Star—Texas: General Commercial, Securities, Intellectual Property, 2013-2024
  • Listed, Chambers USA Guide, Litigation: Securities, 2014-2023
  • Listed, The Legal 500 United States, Dispute Resolution - Securities Litigation: Defense, 2021 and 2023
  • Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Texas Super Lawyers (Business Litigation), 2003-2004, 2006-2023
  • Rated, AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5.0 (30+ Years)

°AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell DistinguishedSM and Martindale-Hubbell NotableSM are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell® certification procedures, standards and policies.

  • Past President and Board Member, University of Texas Law Review Association
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation and Dallas Bar Foundation

Credentials

Education
  • J.D., with Honors, University of Texas School of Law
    • Order of the Coif
    • Texas Law Review
  • B.B.A., with Highest Honors, University of Texas at Austin
    • Graduated No. 1 from the McCombs School of Business

Admissions
  • Texas
  • New York