Caroline Petro Gately is a first-chair trial lawyer with extensive experience in commercial and real estate litigation, primarily in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland courts. She has litigated or tried innumerable commercial and real estate cases, breach of contract claims, fraud and other business torts, commercial landlord/tenant disputes, landlords' and creditors' rights in bankruptcy proceedings, employment adversarial matters, intellectual property disputes, and related insurance coverage conflicts. Ms. Gately has broad knowledge of commercial and real estate law and is fluent in the procedures of the federal and state courts of the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland. In addition to being a litigator, she is a strategist. Ms. Gately has represented various types and sizes of businesses, including pension funds, institutional investment advisors, national asset and property management companies, real estate entrepreneurs, closely held companies and partnerships, and corporate franchisors and retailers with real estate holdings. Significant Matters Global Patent Holdings, LLC v. Panthers BRHC LLC d/b/a The Boca Raton Resort & Club, 586 F. Supp. 2d 1331 (S.D. Fla. 2008), aff'd, No. 2008-1588, 318 Fed. Appx. 908, 2009 WL 886300 (Fed. Cir. 2009) (obtained dismissal of complaint for patent infringement of method patent known as "JPEG-on-a-Website") Twin Towers Plaza Tenants Ass'n, Inc. v. Capitol Park Associates, L.P., 894 A.2d 1113 (D.C. 2006) (affirming award of summary judgment obtained in favor of seller of interest in apartment building against tenants' association that claimed opportunity to purchase under D.C. Rental Housing Conversion and Sale Act) A.T. Massey Coal Co., Inc. v. Rudimex GmbH, 2006 WL 44278 (E.D. Va. 2006) (obtained dismissal of substantially all claims in complaint in connection with wholesale purchase and sale of coal) Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. v. Dick's Clothing and Sporting Goods, Inc., 188 F.3d 501, 1999 WL 639165 (4th Cir. 1999) (affirming grant of summary judgment obtained on claim of trademark infringement) Activities Throughout her career, Ms. Gately has been active in the leadership of law firms where she has worked, holding various leadership positions including Diversity Ombudsman, Office Pro Bono Attorney Coordinator, Hiring Committee Member, Pro Bono Committee Member, Summer Program Coordinating Attorney, and Chair of Associate Litigation Trial Skills Training and Development Program. Ms. Gately's professional activities outside the firm include the following: · The Fishing School, Inc., Board of Directors (2010-present) · Women's Bar Association Foundation, President (2001-2002), Vice President (2000-2001), Board of Directors (1999-2002) · Office of the Inspector General for the DC Department of Corrections, Training instructor on sexual harassment and retaliation (2002-2005) · Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Real Property Steering Committee (2005) · Pro bono representation in real property tax sale foreclosure proceedings and child abuse and neglect proceedings, District of Columbia Superior Court News November 21, 2011, Benchmark Litigation Recognizes 11 Venable Attorneys in 2012 Edition November 17, 2011, Benchmark Litigation recognizes 11 Venable attorneys August 25, 2008, Venable Secures Victory in Internet Business Method Patent Dispute February 6, 2007, Venable Adds Veteran Commercial Litigator Caroline Petro Gately Publications "Bankruptcy Issues Frequently Arising in Real Estate Transactions" "Best Practices: Tips for Property Managers Handling Tenant Defaults" |