Deborah SavareseSloan

Partner

Dallas + 1.214.969.5203

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

  • IBM defends litigation stemming from construction and technology deployment at Atlanta Falcons' Mercedes-Benz StadiumJones Day is defending International Business Machines Corporation ("IBM") in multiple disputes deriving from a state of the art passive optical network ("PON") and distributed antenna system ("DAS") technology deployment at the Atlanta Falcons' Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
  • Universities defend multidistrict putative class action litigation brought by former football playersJones Day is serving as lead counsel for all NCAA member institution defendants in a multidistrict litigation ("MDL") consolidating more than 500 putative class actions brought on behalf of former football players.
  • Online travel companies vindicated in Fifth CircuitJones Day assisted online internet travel companies Expedia, Inc., Hotels.com L.P., and Hotwire, Inc. in reversing an $84 million class action judgment for taxes, interest, and penalties awarded to municipalities in Texas, securing a ruling from the Fifth Circuit that hotel occupancy taxes are owed on amounts paid to hotels for occupancy and not on fees charged by websites to facilitate reservations.
  • IBM amicably resolves litigation over subcontractor payments related to state of the art technology system deployed at Texas A&M's Kyle FieldJones Day defended International Business Machines Corporation ("IBM") against payment claims brought by fiber optic cable installation subcontractors in connection with major renovations and upgrades to Texas A&M's Kyle Field, where IBM designed and provisioned state of the art passive optical network ("PON") and distributed antenna system ("DAS") communications systems.
  • Expedia maintains tax court victory all the way to Pennsylvania Supreme CourtAfter securing an unprecedented victory before the Philadelphia Tax Review Board reversing a million dollar tax assessment against Expedia, Inc. based on the website's online hotel reservation services, Jones Day defended the win through three layers of appellate review.
  • IBM resolves claims arising from $157 million software solutions projectJones Day defended International Business Machines Corporation ("IBM") in a breach of contract dispute stemming from a $157 million software solutions project.
  • HomeAway prevails in tax dispute with Palm Beach County Tax CollectorJones Day defended HomeAway, Inc. in a Florida state court declaratory judgment action seeking to hold the travel and vacation home rental website liable for tourist development taxes.
  • IBM resolves claims asserted under Texas Consumer Protection ActJones Day defended International Business Machines Corporation ("IBM") in a Texas state court lawsuit alleging consumer protection and fraud in connection with referral of a mobile application development project to an IBM business partner.
  • Expedia defeats hotel tax claims in FloridaJones Day helped secure trial court victories affirmed on appeal for Expedia, Inc. and other online travel companies hauled into court by several Florida counties representing high-volume tourist destinations including Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.
  • Expedia, Hotels.com, and Hotwire secure summary judgment dismissing all claims with prejudiceJones Day represented online internet travel companies Expedia, Hotels.com, and Hotwire in a case in which the City of Houston and Harris County-Houston Sports Authority sought to hold internet travel companies liable for hotel occupancy taxes under local ordinances applicable to hotels and third parties that own, operate, manage or control hotels.
  • NTR Metals secures declaratory judgment enforcing settlement agreementJones Day represented NTR Metals, LLC in a declaratory judgment action to enforce a Mutual Release and Settlement Agreement entered into with a business associate after years of unconsummated negotiations, prevailing on summary judgment in this breach of contract suit.
  • Hotwire, an online travel company, resolves nationwide consumer class actionJones Day represented online travel company Hotwire in a nationwide consumer class action regarding pricing and charges for hotel reservations placed through its website and call centers.
  • Expedia, Hotels.com and Hotwire defeat Ohio municipalities' hotel occupancy tax claimsJones Day secured a significant victory in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of our clients, Expedia, Hotels.com and Hotwire, in an action brought by several Ohio municipalities, including the cities of Columbus, Dayton and Findlay, against the entire online travel industry for allegedly unpaid hotel occupancy taxes.
  • 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