Deborah Savarese Sloan

Partner

Dallas + 1.214.969.5203

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Deborah Sloan's litigation practice is diverse, ranging from lawsuits bringing innovative business challenges to complex, multiparty commercial 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 has served as lead counsel for IBM in technology disputes arising from stadium builds, renovations, and technology upgrades, including projects at Texas A&M University's Kyle Field and the Atlanta Falcons Mercedes Benz Stadium. Deborah has also served as lead counsel for IBM in multiple breach of contract cases and age discrimination arbitrations. Deborah has substantial experience in tax litigation; she led the successful defense of several 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. She is currently protesting a $1.8 billion state tax assessment.

Other significant engagements include defending companies in Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations and false claims act cases, 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 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 bringing and defending trademark and copyright infringement lawsuits.

Deborah is the Partner-in-Charge of Associate Training and Development and chairs the Firm's Lawyer Training Committee.

Experience

  • IBM amicably resolves litigation over subcontractor payments related to technology system deployed at Mercedes Benz StadiumJones Day defended International Business Machine Corporation ("IBM") against claims brought by a subcontractor in connection with the construction and technology solution deployed at the Mercedes Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons.
  • IBM resolves lawsuit over technology deployment during NFL stadium constructionJones Day represented International Business Machines Corporation ("IBM") in a lawsuit to recover damages from the subcontractor who designed the Distributed Antenna System ("DAS") providing cellular service to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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, Hotels.com, and Hotwire, online travel companies, defend nationwide litigation that sought to extend hotel room rental taxes to their internet travel reservation servicesJones Day represented Expedia, Hotels.com, and Hotwire in multiple individual and class action cases filed in federal and state courts across the country involving claims by state and local municipalities that online travel companies were subject to hotel room rental taxes and sought to collect back taxes on reservations for hotel stays in their jurisdictions.
  • 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.
  • Expedia obtains dismissal of City of Atlanta's claims for back taxes and penaltiesJones Day obtained dismissal of claims brought by the City of Atlanta for back taxes, penalties, and attorneys fees against Expedia, Inc. and its affiliates.
  • 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.
  • Wendy's secures permanent injunction against UDF over FROSTY trademarkJones Day secured a permanent injunction for Wendy's International, Inc. ("Wendy's") against United Dairy Farmers ("UDF") prohibiting UDF's use of the FROSTY trademark.
  • Expedia, Hotels.com, and Hotwire secure series of victories in connection with occupancy tax in CaliforniaJones Day secured a series of victories on behalf of online travel companies Expedia, Inc., Hotels.com, and Hotwire LP (the "Expedia Entities") in connection with their ongoing transient occupancy tax ("TOT") litigation with various cities in California.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Pepsi Bottling Group settles dispute during acquisition of Better BeveragesJones Day represented The Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc. in connection with a dispute of the acquisition of Better Beverages.
  • 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 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.
    • View All

    June 2024 Alert

    The Changing Landscape for Business Disputes in Texas: Justices Named to Inaugural Business Dispute Appellate Court

    May 2020 Alert

    Ninth Circuit Permits Education-Related Benefits but Rejects Student-Athletes' Bid for Payments Akin to Salaries

    March 2019 Alert

    Court Rejects Student-Athletes' Latest "Pay-for-Play" Bid

    June 2017 Commentary

    Eastern District of Texas Latest Court to Criticize "Subject To" Language in Discovery Objections

    May 2016 Alert

    Crutchfield v. Testa—Can States Tax Online Interstate Retailers Based on Their Virtual Presence?

    May 2016 Alert

    Taxpayers and Retailers Be Warned!

    August 2015 Jones Day Publications

    Coupon Discounts Raise Sales Tax Issues for Retailers

    May 2015 Alert

    Coupon Discounts Raise Sales Tax Issues for Retailers

    August 2014 Commentary

    The New Texas Two-Step: Texas Supreme Court Articulates Evidence Spoliation Framework

    Additional 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

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