Gemma R Galeoto

Gemma R. Galeoto
[email protected]
Dallas, Texas
214.981.9258 (direct)
214-891-5887 (Ext: 122)
214.981.9203 (fax)

Partner

Gemma R. Galeoto is a trial attorney licensed in five states. With over a decade of first-chair trial and arbitration experience, Gemma focuses her practice on complex business issues involving myriad sectors, including private equity funds, venture capital, financial institution litigation, healthcare litigation, breach of contract claims, and trade secret disputes. In addition to assisting clients with complex disputes, Gemma has experience conducting internal investigations and representing audit committees. She has tried dozens of jury and bench trials and arbitrations, resolved multiple cases pre-trial through mediation and motion practice, and is an excellent advocate in and out of the courtroom.

Before joining Calhoun Bhella & Sechrest, Gemma was a partner at an AmLaw25 law firm. She brings her BigLaw expertise and big-picture thinking to solve client’s problems efficiently and effectively.

Ms. Galeoto is tenacious, using collaborative and comprehensive approaches to solve problems for her clients efficiently and effectively. A true counselor, Ms. Galeoto's peers and community have repeatedly recognized her as a D Magazine "Best Lawyer Under 40," and she is named by Texas Super Lawyers magazine to the Up-and- Coming 50 Women and Up-and-Coming 100 Rising Stars.

Representative Experience
Financial Services Litigation

Successfully represented a national bank in recovery of $26 million for a breach of a commercial guaranty
Successfully represented an Immigration Investor Program (EB-5) lender in defeating fraud and misrepresentation allegations, obtaining full dismissal of claims alleging millions of dollars in damages through summary judgment
Obtained complete victory, including a temporary injunction win and large mediation award, for an energy services private equity client in a dispute involving a multimillion dollar breach of an asset purchase agreement
Obtained successful pre-trial resolution of a multimillion-dollar private equity dispute
Overturned a more than $800,000 default judgment against a national financial institution
Negotiated the reversal of a default judgment against a national financial institution with no costly motion practice Obtained a large default judgment for a nontraditional lender against a delinquent entity
Successful representation of nontraditional lenders in merchant disputes
Significant successful experience representing private equity firms and financial institutions/banks in breach of contract litigation
More than a decade of experience representing financial institutions in lender liability and intercreditor disputes,
including Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Consumer Protection Act (DTPA) claims
Obtained complete relief for title loan lenders in multiple bench trials involving breach of contract disputes

Trial, Appellate, Arbitration and Injunctive Relief Experience

Lead counsel for a week-long arbitration dispute involving a multimillion-dollar director dispute against a publicly traded company
Lead counsel for a managed care organization (MCO) in a multimillion-dollar trade secret dispute, obtaining favorable pre-trial resolution for clients
Co-led internal investigation on behalf of a publicly-traded company
Obtained a temporary injunction win and complete victory for an employer involving non-compete and misappropriation of trade secret claims against a former employee
Lead counsel for a telemedicine provider in litigation involving a multimillion-dollar breach of contract and theft of intellectual property with a discount plan organization
Obtained a temporary injunction win in favor of an environmental energy services company against another company and former employee for multimillion-dollar violations of a non-solicitation agreement
Obtained victory for a large energy turbine manufacturer in a successful multimillion-dollar litigation under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA)
Counsel for an MCO in multiple arbitration proceedings defending against allegations of underpayment in Medicare, Medicaid and commercial market claims
Appellate counsel in oral argument representing an MCO with regard to Texas Citizens Participation Act (Anti- SLAPP) claims
Obtained dismissal of multiple claims against business entities under the Texas Anti-SLAPP statute Defeated Rule 202 pre-suit discovery requests against a business client
Defended multiple business clients in various non-party subpoena duces tecum requests
Successfully represented energy brokerage entities in multiple Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) claims Obtained a contested temporary restraining order in a case against a business seller accused of violating company
asset purchase agreement
Settled multiple disputes regarding breach of non-compete agreements, breach of non-solicitation and trade secret disputes
Obtained complete relief for a franchise owner in a case involving substantial personal sanctions Successfully defended multiple franchises in litigation involving lease disputes
Lead counsel in multiple successful cases involving claims for misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of guaranty agreements, breach of non-solicitation agreements, breach of asset purchase agreements and other breaches of contract

BAR ADMISSION

California
Colorado
Florida
Texas
Washington

COURT ADMISSIONS

All State Courts in Texas
All State Courts in CaliforniaAll State Courts in ColoradoAll State Courts in Florida
All State Courts in Washington
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida

EDUCATION

Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, J.D., cum laude
Southern Illinois University, B.A., summa cum laude

HONORS & AWARDS

Best Lawyers Under 40, D Magazine, Business & Commercial Litigation, 2018-2024 Up-and-Coming 50: Women Texas Rising Stars, Texas Super Lawyers magazineUp-and-Coming 100: Texas Rising Stars
Rising Star, Texas Super Lawyers magazine, 2014-2024 The Order of the Barristers
Fred C. Moss Outstanding Graduating Advocate of the Year

MEMBERSHIPS

Texas Humane Network, Board of Directors, 2023-Present The Barking Project, Board of Directors, 2024-Present
Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow, 2019-2023
Dallas Winds Orchestra, Board of Trustees, 2019-2022; Assistant Secretary, 2020-2022 Prism Health North Texas, Board of Directors, 2017-2018
Dallas Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), 2016-2020
Dallas Bar Association, WE LEAD Leadership Class, 2019; Bench Bar Committee, Co-Vice Chair; 2019; Judiciary Committee, 2019
Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, Board of Directors, 2014; Leadership Class, Steering Committee Member, 2013; Foundation, Life Fellow; Older Wiser Lawyers (OWL) Committee Co-Chair, 2018; Animal Welfare Committee Member, 2012-2020
Dallas Women Lawyers Association, Women's Circle Committee Member and Mentor, 2017-2019 Women in the Law Council, State Bar of Texas Women in the Law Section, 2018
Junior League of Dallas, Alumna
Genesis Alliance: Women's Shelter & Support, Board of Directors, 2019

PUBLICATIONS

Healthcare Fraud Developments, Pratt's Government Contracting Law Report, July 2021 Healthcare Law Update: April 2021, Holland & Knight Alert, April 16, 2021
Texas Governor Issues 3 New Executive Orders to Gradually Reopen State, Holland & Knight Alert, April 29, 2020
Texas Governor's Executive Orders Take First Steps Toward Reopening of State, Holland & Knight Alert, April 22, 2020
Court Ruling in Yale Hospital's Late Career Practitioner Policy May Have Far-Reaching Impact, Holland & Knight Healthcare Blog, February 27, 2020
Supreme Court Limits Tolling of Limitations Period to Individual, Not Class Actions, Holland & Knight Alert, June 12, 2018

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Exploring the Ethics of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Legal Realm, The Masters Conference, March 21, 2024
Taking a Bite out of Animal Cruelty: Recent Developments in Texas Animal Laws, Texas Humane Network, June 21, 2023
The Pitch on Business Development, Dallas Women Lawyers Association, April 7, 2022
Lender Liability, American Bar Association (ABA) Commercial Lending School – Advanced, May 1, 2019