Experience

• Co-lead trial counsel to a global engineering company in an indemnity case arising out of the 2009 explosion of a food manufacturing plant in Garner, North Carolina. After a four-week jury trial, the jury returned a verdict of $108.9 million in favor of the client, two times the amount of the largest verdict in Nebraska at that time. This verdict, recently affirmed by the Nebraska Supreme Court, was recognized by the National Law Journal as a “Top 50 Verdict” of 2016 in its Elite Trial Lawyers report.*
• Counsel to multiple hospitality companies in litigation and enforcement actions arising out of data breaches. Secured voluntary dismissal of a class action brought by issuing banks against one client, negotiated a favorable mediated resolution of a consumer class action brought against another and is actively involved in a regulatory enforcement investigation involving a third.
• Lead counsel to the growers and processors of more than half of the nation’s domestically grown sugar in multiple lawsuits, defending his client’s ability to plant, harvest and process biotech sugarbeets. Directly sued opposing food advocacy groups through use of the Declaratory Judgment Act. Developed and implemented a trial strategy that challenged the credibility of opposing claims and exposed the absence of injury to plaintiffs, ultimately voiding injunctive remedies. Center for Food Safety, et al. v. Vilsack, et al.
• Led client and joint defense in six consolidated multi-plaintiff tort actions brought by New York City transit workers alleging injuries from diesel exhaust exposure in enclosed transit terminals. Won dismissal of all claims on federal pre-emption grounds. In re Jackson, et al. v. General Motors Corp., et al.
• Won an unprecedented trial verdict as lead trial counsel in a case of first impression defended by the California Attorney General. The court invalidated a California regulation, finding it unconstitutionally impaired contracts with the world’s leading diesel engine manufacturers and amounted to an illegal recall. Caterpillar Inc., et al. v. California Air Resources Board
• Assisted a client in defense and resolution of an industrywide investigation and government enforcement dispute concerning the regulation of engines, which remains one of the largest government enforcement efforts in history. Led client and industry joint defense of multiple follow-on lawsuits alleging claims of unfair business practices, breach of contract and warranty, and violations of the RICO statute. United States v. Caterpillar Inc., et al.
• Served on the defense, trial and appellate teams of the second-largest environmental enforcement action ever tried before a jury, involving allegations of unpermitted operations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. A settlement was eventually approved between the parties. U.S. v. Marine Shale Processors
• As counsel to a multinational food and beverage company in an antitrust class action, negotiated and obtained significant limits to the scope, burden and expense of electronic discovery. In re: Chocolate Confectionary Antitrust Litigation
• Exposed a competitor’s role in secretly funding a citizen suit against a client. The suit ended on the eve of the preliminary injunction trial after citizens unsuccessfully sought to withdraw their own preliminary injunction motion. Pennsylvania Environmental Enforcement Project, Inc. v. Keystone Cement Co.
• Co-leader of a nationwide team that managed a national litigation docket involving more than 100 active cases. Developed and utilized cutting-edge case management and litigation budgeting tools. Unocal National Litigation Docket (See American Lawyer, “The Fix Is In,” Nov. 1, 2005).

News

• 11/22/2019
  Gil Keteltas Discusses Issues Raised by Disappearing Message Apps
• 2/22/2019
  Seven BakerHostetler Attorneys, Four Practice Areas Ranked in 2019 edition of Chambers Global
• 9/12/2018
  Gil Keteltas to Speak at PLI's Hot Topics in Electronic Discovery 2018
• 12/28/2016
  150 BakerHostetler Attorneys Named 2016 Super Lawyers; 91 Named Rising Stars
• 2/15/2013
  BakerHostetler appears on NPR's All Things Considered to discuss Madoff Recovery Initiative; host Robert Siegel interviews SIPA Trustee Irving Picard and his Chief Counsel David Sheehan
• 2/12/2013
  Madoff Recovery Initiative surpasses $5 billion in distributions to allowed claimants; CNBC's Scott Cohn discusses latest recovery with BakerHostetler's SIPA Trustee Irving Picard and his Chief Counsel David Sheehan
• Taking Back the "e": BakerHostetler's E-Discovery Advocacy and Management

Press Releases

• 1/16/2020
  BakerHostetler Introduces Multidisciplinary Digital Assets and Data Management Practice Group to Help Clients With 'Everything Data'
• 4/29/2019
  Chambers and Partners USA Honors 127 Attorneys and 43 Practice Areas in 2019 Guide
• 5/3/2018
  Chambers and Partners USA Honors 118 Attorneys and 45 Practice Areas in 2018 Guide

Alerts

• 3/25/2020
  COVID-19 and U.S. Statutes of Limitation
• 3/20/2020
  Key COVID-19 Considerations for U.S. Discovery and Information Governance
• 3/18/2020
  FAQs: COVID-19 - Force Majeure and Other Defenses to Contractual Performance

Events

• 12/10/2014
  Employment Class Actions: Strategies for Target Defendants

Community

• Cornell University Speech & Debate Society: Advisory Board (2015 to 2018)
• Cornell University Glee Club: Alumni Board (2017 to 2018)
• Cornell Club of Washington, D.C.
  • Office of the President (1994 to 1995; 1995 to 1996)
  • Office of the Vice-President (1992 to 1993; 1993 to 1994)
  • Office of Scholarship Vice-President (1991 to 1992)
  • Investment and Audit Committee (1996)
• Cornell University Council (2005 to 2007)

Pro Bono

• Represented a client in an issue related to denial of Social Security and disability benefits. Examined a vocational expert at appeal before an administrative law judge and won appeal of denial of benefits. Worked with a neighborhood association to fight an open-air drug market using a nuisance law. Resulted in closure of a “problem” business property following a contested DCRA hearing and license revocation.

Services

• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
• U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
• District of Columbia

Education