Overview

Gemma R. Galeoto is a trial attorney in Holland & Knight's Dallas office and is licensed in four states. With more than a decade of experience, Ms. Galeoto focuses her practice on complex business issues involving myriad sectors, including private equity and investment banking disputes, breach of contract claims and trade secret disputes.

Ms. Galeoto has significant courtroom experience as lead counsel in state and federal court, arbitrations, injunctive relief requests and in appellate oral argument.

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

  • Successfully overturned a more than $800,000 default judgment against a financial institution
  • Obtained the successful pre-trial resolution of a multimillion-dollar private equity dispute
  • Successful representations of nontraditional lenders in merchant disputes
  • Significant successful experience representing investment 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
  • Successfully represented a national bank in recovery of $26 million for a breach of a commercial guaranty, and successfully defended against commercial foreclosure proceedings
  • Successfully represented an Immigration Investor Program (EB-5) lender in defeating fraud and misrepresentation allegations, obtaining full dismissal of claims through summary judgment
  • Obtained complete relief for title loan lenders in multiple bench trials involving breach of contract disputes

  • After a temporary injunction trial, obtained complete victory for an employer involving non-compete and misappropriation of trade secret claims against a former employee
  • Lead counsel in multiple successful cases involving claims for misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of contract
  • Counsel for a large energy turbine manufacturer in successful multimillion-dollar litigation under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA)
  • Successfully represented an energy brokerage entity in Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) claims
  • Won a temporary injunction in favor of an environmental energy services company against another company and former employee for violations of a non-solicitation agreement
  • Obtained opposed temporary restraining order in case against a business seller accused of violating company asset purchase agreement
  • Successfully settled multiple disputes regarding breach of non-compete agreements, breach of non-solicitation and trade secret disputes
  • Successfully represented a business client, obtaining relief from substantially threatened sanctions
  • Successfully represented multiple companies in obtaining injunctive relief in non-compete and trade secret litigation
  • Defended multiple franchises in litigation involving lease disputes

  • Lead counsel for a telemedicine provider in litigation involving millions of dollars in breach of contract and theft of trade secrets claims
  • Counsel for a managed care organization (MCO) in multiple arbitration proceedings defending against allegations of underpayment in Medicare, Medicaid and commercial market claims
  • Second chair in an appellate argument in the Third Court of Appeals of Texas with regard to Texas Citizens Participation Act claims involving a MCO
  • Multiple years of experience representing hospitals, insurers, healthcare entities and MCOs in liability disputes, antitrust disputes, provider disputes and healthcare fraud investigations

Credentials

Education
  • Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, J.D., cum laude
  • Southern Illinois University, B.A., summa cum laude
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • California
  • Florida
  • Texas
  • Washington
Court Admissions
  • All State Courts in Texas
  • All State Courts in California
  • All 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
Memberships
  • Texas Humane Network, Board of Directors, 2023
  • Dallas Bar Association, WE LEAD Leadership Class, 2019; Bench Bar Committee, Co-Vice Chair; 2019; Judiciary Committee, 2019
  • Genesis Alliance: Women's Shelter & Support, Board of Directors, 2019
  • 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 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
  • Patrick E. Higginbotham Inn of Court, Former Associate
  • Junior League of Dallas, Alumna
Honors & Awards
  • Rising Star, Texas Super Lawyers magazine, 2014-2024
  • Up-and-Coming 50: Women Texas Rising Stars, Texas Super Lawyers magazine, 2021-2024
  • Up-and-Coming 100: Texas Rising Stars, Texas Super Lawyers magazine, 2021-2024
  • Best Lawyers Under 40, D Magazine, Commercial Litigation, 2018-2024
  • Holland & Knight Pro Bono All-Star, 2020
  • Order of Barristers
  • Fred C. Moss Outstanding Graduating Advocate of the Year

Publications

Speaking Engagements

News