Dan Gold is a partner in the firm’s Litigation practice. His practice focuses on securities class actions, fiduciary duty cases, class actions and other complex commercial litigation matters.

He has successfully represented numerous corporations, boards of directors, individuals and financial institutions, including the dismissal of shareholder derivative cases against the directors of AT&T and the dismissal of securities class actions against Tenet Healthcare and ExxonMobil. Dan also obtained denial of class certification and dismissal of all claims in a matter brought by hedge fund investors seeking more than $1 billion in damages, summary judgment in a lawsuit alleging improper competition with the American Airlines Center, summary judgment on a $780 million claim arising from a major telecommunications transaction and denials of class certification in significant consumer class actions for the National Football League (NFL). He also played a leading role in successfully defending the NFL in a jury trial against fraud claims brought by Super Bowl XLV ticketholders.

Dan has been recognized for securities litigation by Chambers USA, with clients noting that he is “a really smart lawyer,” an “excellent strategist” and a “great writer,” with “very good common sense” and “problem-solving” abilities. He has also been recognized by The Legal 500 for his work in M&A Litigation, Acritas as an “Acritas Star – Standout Lawyer,” by Thomson Reuters as a “Texas Super Lawyer” and by D Magazine as a “Best Lawyer in Dallas” for Securities Litigation and Enforcement.

Dan frequently writes and speaks on issues related to class actions, securities litigation and fiduciary duties. Dan has presented, interviewed and published articles for various organizations and publications, including the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, Dallas Business Journal, Bloomberg, Compliance Week, Corporate Counsel, Securities Regulation Law Journal, Business Insurance, DFW Financial Services Counsel Roundtable, Securities Reform Act Litigation Reporter, Law360, UT Conference on Securities Regulation and Business Law, Litigation Section of the State Bar of Texas, Dallas Bar Association Securities Section and the Dallas Bar Association Business Litigation and Antitrust and Trade Regulation sections.

For his service commitment, Dan received the I. Zesmer Young Leadership Award from the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas in 2019 and was honored as the Cardozo Society 2014 Young Attorney of the Year. He also serves as a member of the Anti-Defamation League Regional Board for North Texas and Oklahoma, a member of the board of Levine Academy and Co-Chair of the Professional Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas.

• Defending AT&T and its officers and directors against securities class actions and shareholder derivative suits related to alleged misstatements in connection with the company’s acquisition of Time Warner.
• Defending an oilfield services company against securities class actions in Colorado state and federal courts alleging misstatements in connection with the company’s initial public offering.
• Defending an international chemical manufacturer against putative class actions pending in Texas state and federal courts alleging violations of the federal Securities Act of 1933 in connection with two public stock offerings.
• Obtained dismissal of securities class action filed against Tenet Healthcare, ExxonMobil and Supreme Industries.
• Obtained voluntary dismissal of plaintiffs’ claims in response to summary judgment motion in a case alleging misrepresentations regarding hedge fund strategy.
• Defense of securities class actions filed against financial services institutions including Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, and Santander Consumer USA Holdings.
• Defeated class certification for NFL in a lawsuit alleging claims of breach of contract and fraud against the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys for allegedly not providing prescribed seats to Super Bowl XLV ticketholders. Defeated individual plaintiffs’ fraud claims at jury trial.
• Lead counsel for defendants in a putative class action alleging breach of fiduciary duty, aiding and abetting and vicarious liability in connection with the failure of a hedge fund. Obtained dismissal of all claims against entity defendants, and was subsequently retained to defend individual defendants. Defeated class certification and obtained voluntary dismissal of remaining claims.
• Defended a private exploration and production company in a shareholder derivative lawsuit challenging the acquisition of oil and gas working interests.
• Obtained complete summary judgment on behalf of a top real estate developer and related defendants in breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud lawsuit by Mark Cuban-controlled companies and the operator of the American Airlines Center.
• Obtained complete summary judgment on the pleadings for AT&T on claims of breach of contract, fraud and quantum meruit brought by a German investment bank. Successfully defended judgment on appeal.
• Represented companies, boards, special committees and investment banks in shareholders suits in Delaware and Texas challenging mergers and acquisitions and tender offers.
• Successfully opposed class certification in a case alleging that online college violated Texas Education Code.
• Represented provider of enterprise software solutions in the Delaware Chancery Court trial and subsequent Delaware Supreme Court appeal of the first case to challenge the validity of a 4.99 percent shareholder rights plan (or net operating loss “poison pill”).
• Advise hedge funds on minimizing litigation risk in connection with fund formation and structuring, exculpation and indemnification clauses and investor disputes.
• Represented hedge fund in connection with clawback claims asserted by a bankruptcy trustee for debtors that invested in Ponzi scheme.
• Advised Board of Directors of a public company involved in merger transaction on minimizing risks and exposure of potential shareholder fiduciary duty and busted deal litigation.
• Successfully defended adversary proceeding brought by bankruptcy trustee claiming breach of contract. After obtaining dismissal of the complaint, convinced trustee’s counsel not to pursue the claim.
• Represented Special Committee of the Board of Directors of a public company in investigation of alleged wrongdoing by senior management.
• Defended worldwide pump manufacturer in a class action alleging securities fraud arising from accounting restatement, merger integration issues and missed earnings projections. Obtained an order denying class certification and granting complete summary judgment in favor of the defendants, which was remanded for further proceedings after appeal.
• Representation of Special Litigation Committee of one of the country’s largest temperature-controlled transportation services companies in investigating breach of fiduciary duty claims arising from related-party transactions.
• Obtained dismissal of shareholder derivative suits in New York and Texas alleging that directors and officers breached their fiduciary duties in connection with accounting restatement, merger integration issues and missed earnings projections.
• Defended the former President and CFO of a public company in a securities fraud class action arising out of the alleged failure to disclose related-party transactions. Representation of high technology client in parallel securities fraud class action, derivative litigation, formal SEC inquiry and internal investigation involving alleged accounting misstatements. Representation of biotechnology client in securities fraud class action arising out of non-approval of a new drug.
• Representation of investment advisor in connection with SEC inquiry into “pay to play” practices involving public pension funds. Defense of an individual in SEC enforcement action alleging illegal insider trading.
• Obtained summary judgment on behalf of the former President and CFO of a public company in a lawsuit brought by the bankruptcy trustee of a former distributor claiming fraudulent inducement and civil conspiracy. Defense of former directors of a bankrupt company in an adversary proceeding brought by bankruptcy trustee alleging breach of fiduciary duty.

Professional Affiliations

• Member, Anti-Defamation League Regional Board for North Texas and Oklahoma
• Co-Chair, the Jewish Foundation of Greater Dallas – Professional Division
• Member, Levine Academy Board

Awards & Accolades

• Recognized by Chambers USA in Securities Litigation – Texas (2017-2023)
• Recognized by The Legal 500 in M&A Litigation (2023)
• Recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Litigation - Securities (2024)
• Recognized by D Magazine as a “Best Lawyer in Dallas” for Securities Litigation and Enforcement (2018-2023)
• Recognized by Thomson Reuters as a “Texas Super Lawyer” in Securities Litigation (2020-2021)
• Recognized by Acritas as an “Acritas Stars – Stand-out Lawyer” (2020-2021)
• Recipient of the I. Zesmer Young Leadership Award from the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas (2019)
• Recognized by Thomson Reuters as a “Texas Super Lawyer Rising Star” in Securities Litigation (2007-2017)
• Honored as the Cardozo Society “Young Attorney of the Year” (2014)