Gilbert Keteltas

The chair of BakerHostetler’s Commercial Litigation practice team, Gilbert S. Keteltas is a trial lawyer with more than 25 years of experience litigating complex commercial, tort and government enforcement disputes on behalf of national and international corporations.

Recognized by the National Law Journal as a 2016 Litigation Trailblazer for innovative trial advocacy, Gil’s experience spans practice areas and industries. He has advocated in courtrooms across the country on behalf of manufacturers, engineers, hospitality companies, agricultural cooperatives and farmers, and has served as trial counsel in jury and bench trials.

Gil also is experienced in coordinating and leading the defense of multi-jurisdictional, multi-party disputes – including disputes involving a mix of government and private plaintiffs – and in developing and implementing litigation risk-reduction strategies before litigation is filed.

Gil’s national trial practice benefits from his experience in electronic discovery. He brings a practical approach to e-discovery that recognizes the importance of focused advocacy in addressing the burdens, costs and opportunities of discovery in modern complex litigation.

Experience :

• Counsel to multiple hospitality companies in litigation and enforcement actions arising out of data breaches. Secured voluntary dismissal of a class action brought by issuing banks against one client, negotiated a favorable mediated resolution of a consumer class action brought against another and is actively involved in a regulatory enforcement investigation involving a third.
• Won an unprecedented trial verdict as lead trial counsel in a case of first impression defended by the California Attorney General. The court invalidated a California regulation, finding it unconstitutionally impaired contracts with the world’s leading diesel engine manufacturers and amounted to an illegal recall. Caterpillar Inc., et al. v. California Air Resources Board
• Served on the defense, trial and appellate teams of the second-largest environmental enforcement action ever tried before a jury, involving allegations of unpermitted operations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. A settlement was eventually approved between the parties. U.S. v. Marine Shale Processors
• As counsel to a multinational food and beverage company in an antitrust class action, negotiated and obtained significant limits to the scope, burden and expense of electronic discovery. In re: Chocolate Confectionary Antitrust Litigation

Memberships :

• Georgetown Law Advanced E-Discovery Institute
  • Board of Advisors (2008 to 2018)
  • Planning Committee Co-Chair (2016 to 2017)
• Georgetown Law Corporate Counsel Institute: Advisory Board Member (2005 to 2018)
• Sedona Working Group 1: Electronic Document Retention & Production
• Practicing Law Institute: Faculty (2014 to 2018)

Community :

• Cornell University Speech & Debate Society: Advisory Board (2015 to 2018)
• Cornell University Glee Club: Alumni Board (2017 to 2018)
• Cornell Club of Washington, D.C.
  • Office of the President (1994 to 1995; 1995 to 1996)
  • Office of Scholarship Vice-President (1991 to 1992)
• Cornell University Council (2005 to 2007)

Education :

• J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1989, Business Editor, Georgetown International Environmental Law Review (1988-89)
• B.S., Cornell University, 1986

Admissions :

• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit
• U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
• District of Columbia