Karen Pieslak Pohlmann has more than 25 years of experience defending class actions asserting violations of the federal securities law, derivative suits, claims arising from mergers and acquisitions, and appraisal actions. Karen has worked on numerous successful motions to dismiss or case dispositive motions with more than 30 granted since 2009, including appellate victories in the Third, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits, and the Delaware Supreme Court. She has also tried several cases in federal and state courts, including the Delaware Court of Chancery.
Karen represents issuers, their directors and officers, and underwriters in suits asserting claims under the federal securities laws, derivative suits relating to corporate governance, challenges to mergers and acquisitions, and appraisal actions, obtaining victories on motions to dismiss as well as favorable results at mediations. In addition, Karen has defeated motions for injunction or class certification and persuaded plaintiffs to withdraw suits before courts ruled on legal arguments for dismissal. Her cases have involved issues ranging from restatements, lowered guidance, adverse decisions by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), responses to a leak, audit committee investigations, changes in business strategy, executive compensation, alleged violations of the False Claims Act (FCA)/Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), non-prosecution agreements with the Department of Justice (DOJ), and challenges to the price and process in a merger or acquisition. She has also worked extensively with experts on damages and causation issues.
Her trial experience includes nonjury appraisal trials in the Delaware Court of Chancery, a Pennsylvania state court appraisal action, a federal nonjury trial involving the interpretation of a contract between a sales representative and a manufacturer, a nonjury trial in the Delaware Court of Chancery concerning the sale of a $39 million telecommunications business, and a five-week federal jury trial on lender liability claims, as well as the trial of a contested termination of parental rights motion. She has conducted direct and cross examinations of fact and expert witnesses.
In addition to financial institutions, her clients have included corporations such as Hewlett-Packard, Zimmer Biomet, JLL, Sempra Energy, General Cable, and Brocade Communications Systems, as well as start-up ventures.
Karen has been recognized for her pro bono work. Since the early 1990s, she has represented abused and neglected children in the Philadelphia Family Court and in criminal cases as a child advocate and regularly appears in Family Court.
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Member, Best Lawyers – Best Law Firms, Law Firm of the Year, Securities Regulation (2019)
Listed, Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, Securities Litigation (2008–2012)
Distinguished Advocate, Support Center for Child Advocates (2006)
Pro Bono Award, Pennsylvania Bar Association (2006)
Member, American Bar Association
Member, Philadelphia Bar Association
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. A description of the selection methodology for the above awards can be found here.