Deborah Sloan's litigation practice is diverse, ranging from lawsuits bringing innovative challenges to internet businesses to complex, multiparty construction disputes. Her cases include multidistrict litigation as well as single party disputes. Deborah has tried cases in federal and state district courts, in arbitration, and to administrative review boards. She has also argued several appeals.
Deborah is lead counsel for IBM in technology disputes arising from stadium builds, including renovations and technology upgrades at Texas A&M University's Kyle Field and the state-of-the-art Atlanta Falcons Mercedes Benz Stadium. Deborah has also served as lead counsel for IBM in multiple breach of contract cases and defends IBM in age discrimination arbitrations. Deborah has substantial experience in tax litigation; she led the successful defense of HomeAway, Expedia, and other travel websites in individual and class actions brought by tax authorities to retroactively extend hotel taxes traditionally imposed only on hotels to websites facilitating hotel reservations.
Other significant engagements include assisting in Jones Day's lead counsel representation of colleges and universities in football injury concussion cases, defending a global retailer's wage/hour class actions, and representing tobacco companies in lawsuits brought by state attorneys general. Deborah's single party lawsuits include representing companies of all sizes in breach of contract and tort cases, including class actions. Her intellectual property experience includes representing Wendy's in domestic and international trademark disputes, successfully defending Ball Corporation in a 24-day patent licensing dispute, and successfully prosecuting and defending trademark and copyright infringement lawsuits.
Deborah chairs the Firm's Lawyer Training Committee.
Experience
Speaking Engagements
- October 17, 2017
Successfully Interacting with Executives and The Board - November 18, 2015
Strategic Career Planning Panel - October 20, 2015
Texas General Counsel Forum: Litigate, Mediate or Arbitrate? Evaluating the Options - September 2014
Understanding Intellectual Property: Trademarks, Patents, Copyrights and More - June 2014
Women's Leadership Forum - December 14, 2011
Affirmative Discovery Strategies - November 8, 2011
Litigation Breakfast Series Controlling Litigation Costs - August 12, 2011
Expanding Your Business Over the Internet May Land You in a Web of New Lawsuits - October 2010
Jones Day MCLE University - Dallas - March 8, 2006
Jury Selection presented with other Inn of Court members to Patrick E. Higginbotham American Inn of Court - January and February 2006
The Auditor/Lawyer Tango: Dancing in the Dark? presented with Robert Estep (Jones Day) and Dave Middendorf (KPMG) to the Association of Corporate Counsel, Dallas and Fort Worth chapters
- Boston University (J.D. cum laude 1990; B.A. magna cum laude 1987)
- Maryland, District of Columbia, Texas, and Pennsylvania
D Magazine "Best Lawyers in Dallas"
Texas Super Lawyers