Kathryn E. Deal

With nearly 20 years of complex litigation and investigations experience, Kate leads clients through multidimensional legal challenges. She has defended corporate and organizational clients in putative class and mass proceedings arising under civil RICO statutes, consumer protection laws, privacy-based acts, tort provisions, antitrust statutes, securities laws, and civil rights legislation. She has served clients in multiple industries, including retail, energy (both exploration and production companies and fuel retailers), pharmaceuticals, medical devices, technology and media, and higher education. In addition, Kate has represented clients in connection with parallel government investigations and actions, including state attorney general lawsuits and regulatory proceedings that often accompany aggregate civil litigation. Working closely with senior management, Kate has counseled clients on privacy and compliance programs, as well as corporate governance issues and fiduciary obligations that affect litigation risk.

Kate is also a veteran trial lawyer and courtroom advocate. She has obtained favorable verdicts and awards in numerous jury trials, bench trials, and arbitration hearings for clients in the investment banking, healthcare, higher education, manufacturing, and retail industries. She has successfully tried claims of securities fraud, product liability, unfair competition, trademark infringement, sexual harassment, unlawful discrimination, and other complex disputes in state and federal court. Her experience includes serving as trial counsel in bellwether cases as part of a virtual law firm for clients facing mass tort litigation.

In addition to her civil and commercial litigation experience, Kate handles white collar criminal investigations and litigation. As an Assistant US Attorney, Kate led the investigation and prosecution of complex criminal frauds. She prosecuted international money laundering schemes, violations of international economic sanctions against a state sponsor of terrorism, pandemic fraud matters, aggravated identity thefts, bank fraud, and public corruption cases, among other economic crimes.

Throughout her career, Kate has had a robust pro bono practice. Partnering with organizations such as the American Bar Association and the ACLU of Pennsylvania, Kate has represented pro bono clients to secure their constitutional rights in capital cases, free speech cases, and immigration-related matters.

• Served as merits counsel and trial counsel for global pharmaceutical companies in multiple mass tort proceedings and multidistrict litigation
• Obtained a defense jury verdict for a national collegiate association on federal claims of unlawful discrimination
• Obtained a favorable arbitration award for a global investment bank and expungement for two of its investment professionals on alleged claims of securities fraud and breach of fiduciary duty
• Obtained a defense jury verdict for a steel manufacturer following a federal trial on claims of co-worker sexual harassment and hostile work environment
• Obtained a defense jury verdict for a medical device manufacturer following a state court trial on claims of product defect
• Obtained a preliminary injunction, a permanent injunction, and a seven-figure award of attorney fees on behalf of an apparel manufacturer and retailer following a federal bench trial on claims of unfair competition and trademark infringement
• Defended and favorably resolved over 30 putative class, mass, and individual actions, arbitration proceedings, and a state attorney general action against a national oil and gas producer and its affiliates related to royalty and lease acquisition practices
• Obtained voluntary dismissal of a putative consumer fraud class action asserted against a leading science and technology museum
• Obtained pre-discovery dismissal of a putative consumer fraud class action asserted against a fuel retailer for allegedly deceptive gift card practices
• Negotiated a favorable individual settlement of a putative consumer fraud class action filed against a fuel retailer for allegedly deceptive promotional activity and rewards program practices
• Obtained pre-discovery dismissal of a putative class action against a consumer products retailer for alleged breach of warranty and deceptive trade practices
• Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a medical device manufacturer in a putative class action brought by third-party payors following a voluntary product recall
• Obtained dismissal of a putative class action filed against an insurer for alleged data privacy violations
• Advised numerous retailers and brands on consumer-facing terms and conditions and data privacy, including compliance with Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the California Consumer Privacy Act, and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act
• Obtained pre-discovery dismissal of two putative class actions field against a national collegiate association for alleged unlawful discrimination and civil RICO violations
• Represented leading retail trade associations as amicus curiae in briefing before the US Supreme Court and in regulatory submissions regarding the Telephone Consumer Protection Act
• Led the investigation and prosecution of complex economic crimes as a federal prosecutor, including a multinational fraud and aggravated identity theft ring with hundreds of individual and corporate victims; a conspiracy to sell sanctioned Iranian oil to China in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act; and the district’s first indictment and conviction for violation of the Paycheck Protection Program authorized under the CARES Act