Karin Torgerson is a trial lawyer practicing in the Firm’s litigation section. She currently defends significant personal injury, wrongful death, and products liability claims, as well as qui tam and false claims litigation brought by State Attorneys General and others. She has served as lead trial counsel for a Texas-based natural gas utility on multiple wrongful death and significant personal injury claims resulting from explosions and other natural gas-related incidents and regularly defends international pharmaceutical companies from Medicaid Fraud allegations. Her practice includes class action and multi-district litigation matters. She also has experience in investigations, including Sarbanes-Oxley investigations, and gaming license applications.
Following her graduation from the University of Texas School of Law in 1995, Karin began her legal career as an Associate with the Firm in October of 1995. Shortly after being elected to the partnership in 2003, she resigned to accept a commissioned officer position in The White House as Special Assistant to President George W. Bush. She held several positions in The White House over her two-years there, first in the Staff Secretary’s Office and later in the President’s volunteer service initiative, USA Freedom Corps. Karin returned to Texas, the Firm, and partnership, in May of 2005. Karin currently serves with three other partners on the Firm’s Lateral Hiring Committee.
Karin is a loyal contributor to the University of Texas at Austin, the United Way, and the North Texas Food Bank, among other charities. A beginning art collector, Karin is also a longtime supporter of the area’s major art museums.
Representative Experience
- Representation of Natural Gas Utility - Karin has served as lead trial counsel in multiple wrongful death and significant personal injury claims alleged to have resulted from natural gas incidents. She has defended the Texas-based gas company from claims relating to third party damage, allegedly defective equipment, and claimed asbestos exposure. Many of these claims have involved significant burn injuries. She is intimately familiar with the federal Pipeline Safety statute, 49 U.S.C. Section 61001, et seq., applicable Pipeline Safety Act Regulations including 49 CFR Parts 191, 192, and 199, the administrative rules of the Texas Railroad Commission found at Chapter 1 of Title 16 of the Texas Administrative Code, the Texas Utilities Code, including Title 3 (Gas Regulation) and Chapter 251 (Damage Prevention), NFPA 921, and publications of the Common Ground Alliance and other natural gas industry publications. She has also defended the gas company against customer pricing claims in a threatened class action in West Texas.
- Medicaid Fraud and False Claim Litigation - Karin has represented international pharmaceutical companies in defense of Medicaid Fraud claims and False Claims litigation, including allegations relating to Average Wholesale Price, Best Price, and Wholesale Acquisition Cost. She has been actively involved in this litigation across the country, including claims brought by the States of Texas, Florida, California, New York, Hawaii, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.
- Product Liability Personal Injury Claims - Karin has defended an international pharmaceutical corporation against multiple product liability claims, including claims related to recalled medications. She has defended a local helicopter manufacturer in multiple wrongful death, personal injury, and product liability claims in State and Federal court. She also defended an industrial equipment manufacturer against personal injury claims resulting from a double amputation at a recycling facility.
- Representation of Natural Gas Utility in Franchise Tax Litigation - Karin defended class action claims brought on behalf of various municipalities in South Texas against a natural gas utility seeking to recover franchise taxes and other claimed damages for natural gas transported by the gas company through the municipalities.
- Other Representative Cases - Karin represented several trustees of a family property trust in a breach of fiduciary duty case that threatened to block the sale of the corner of State Highway 121 and Preston Road. The trial court granted the trustees’ motion for summary judgment on the day of trial. When the plaintiff appealed, Karin argued the case to the Dallas Court of Appeals, which affirmed the trial court’s decision. Karin also defended an escrow agent in Federal Court in Fort Worth who was accused of breaching his fiduciary duties by not securing the proper paperwork before releasing investment funds. The case against the escrow agent was eventually dismissed. Karin has also defended a national bank in a multi-million dollar breach of contract arbitration following the decline of the plaintiff’s investment account.
- Other Representative Engagements - Not all of Karin’s practice is in the courtroom. Karin has conducted a Sarbanes-Oxley investigation for a nationwide retailer and has assisted in acquiring gaming licenses for members of a private equity fund in their acquisition of nationwide casino chain.
Education
- J.D., The University of Texas School of Law, 1995
- B.A., Plan II Honors Program, The University of Texas at Austin, 1992
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 1995
- District of Columbia, 2004
- U.S. Supreme Court
Admitted To Practice
- 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
Reported Decisions
- Geodyne Energy Income Production Partnership I-E v. Newton Corp., 161 S.W.3d 482 (Tex. 2005).
- McGoodwin v. McGoodwin, 2003 WL 22020781 (Tex. App.—Dallas, August 28, 2003) (not designated for publication).
- Rio Grande Valley Gas Co. v. City of Pharr, 962 S.W.2d 631 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 1997, writ dism’d w.o.j.).
- Ames v. Miller, 184 F. Supp. 2d 566 (N.D. TX. 2002).
Publications & Presentations
Professional History
- Partner, Locke Lord LLP (May 2005 - Present)
- Special Assistant to the President, Executive Office of the President, The White House
- Deputy Director, USA Freedom Corps (September 2004 - April 2005)
- Director of Legal Affairs and Policy Administration, USA Freedom Corps (March 2004 - September 2004)
- Associate Staff Secretary, The White House (March 2003 - March 2004)
- Associate and Partner, Locke Purnell Rain Harrell and Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP (October 1995 - March 2003)
Professional Affiliations & Achievements
- Member, State Bar of Texas
- Member, District of Columbia Bar
- Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
- Member, Dallas Bar Association
- Fellow, Dallas Bar Foundation
- Member, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
- Co-Chair, Legal Ethics and Professionalism Committee (1996 - 1998)
Community Leadership
- United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Tocqueville Society
- Member, Junior League of Dallas
- Program Event Co-Chair, Republican Lawyers of Dallas
- Member, Republican National Lawyers Association
|
|