Karl Geercken

Karl Geercken is the national co-leader of Alston & Bird’s 300-plus member Litigation Department. Like the attorneys he leads, Karl has experience representing clients across the U.S. and the world in a broad range of complex, high-stakes commercial litigation and arbitration. Karl is fluent in German and is co-leader of the firm’s German Practice Team and is a member of the Global Business Strategies Team.

Karl focuses on the business goal of the client and works with his team to devise a strategy that supports it. He emphasizes early, thorough case assessment as a tool to reduce uncertainty in litigation.

In addition to his work for U.S. clients in manufacturing, financial services, technology, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, real estate and other industries, Karl has represented a number of ultra-high net worth individuals in a variety of business disputes and art law matters.

He frequently manages parallel U.S. and foreign litigation and has extensive experience in cross-border litigation and jurisdictional issues and has been called upon to represent foreign governments or their agencies in U.S. courts.

As a result, he has developed insight into handling issues common to international dispute resolution, including those relating to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), the Act of State Doctrine and obtaining discovery abroad.

Bar Admissions:

•  New Jersey
•  New York

Education:

•  The George Washington University (J.D., 1992)
•  University of Rochester (B.A., 1987)

Memberships:

• Cultural Vistas, Board Chair
• American Council on Germany
• New York Super Lawyers, 2013–2017