Karen Dicke

Partner

Karen.Dicke@lewisbrisbois.com

Karen M. Dicke is a partner in the New Orleans, Albuquerque, and Lafayette offices of Lewis Brisbois and a member of the Professional Liability Practice. She has advised and represented clients in complex commercial litigation involving a wide variety of practice areas, involving issues such as executive and professional liability including business torts, insurance coverage, securities, employment-related issues, legal/medical/professional malpractice, and construction defects. Her cases have ranged in complexity from single party claims to large multi-party and class actions. She works closely with clients – from individuals and small businesses to large corporations and insurers – to develop and implement successful litigation strategies that best suit each client’s specific business needs, litigation exposure and budget. She has the depth of experience to evaluate complex issues thoroughly and efficiently and to provide clear, decisive advice. She has obtained successful verdicts and summary dismissals in numerous cases.

Immediately after graduation from law school, Karen joined the United States Department of Justice, Environment & Natural Resources Division through the Honors Program. Since entering private practice, she has tried cases and argued appeals in state and federal courts. She has defended professionals including lawyers, FINRA registered representatives & financial planners, broker-dealers, architects, engineers, physicians, nurses, business brokers, insurance agents & producers, insurance brokers, title insurance agents, abstractors, and home inspectors.

Karen’s experience with business torts, commercial litigation and directors’ and officers’ liability has involved claims for intentional and tortious interference with contractual relations; tortious interference with business relations; unfair trade practices; fraud and misrepresentation; blue sky violations; violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and ERISA; franchise agreements; intellectual property royalty agreements; and leases. She has counseled and defended businesses in litigation regarding employment discrimination, unemployment compensation, worker’s compensation, employment manuals, employment contracts, non-solicitation/non-competition agreements, joint venture agreements, licensing agreements, and leases. Her insurance coverage work has included financial, commercial, property and personal lines, such as directors’ and officers’, errors & omissions, commercial property, business interruption, builder’s risk, inland marine, cargo, homeowner’s, and automobile policies at primary, excess and reinsurance levels of risk, for loss from a variety of causes, such as fire, hail, water and wind. She was involved in dozens of cases in state and federal court as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

Primary Area(s) of Practice

  • Professional Liability
  • Insurance Law
  • Securities Litigation & FINRA
  • Labor & Employment
  • COVID-19: Labor & Employment
  • Directors & Officers Litigation

Additional Experience

Admissions

Louisiana, All State and Federal Courts

Texas, All State and Federal Courts

New York

Washington

United States Supreme Court

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Associations

  • American Society of International Law
  • Louisiana and Washington State Bar Associations
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Federal Bar Association

Awards & Honors

  • “Best Lawyers in America,” Insurance Law and Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants, 2023-2024
  • AV® Preeminent™ peer review rated by Martindale-Hubbell

Professional Presentations

  • Speaker, "The Women in Law & Leadership Summit: Houston," October 3, 2018
  • Speaker and Author, "Utilizing Alternative Dispute Resolution Tactics in Employment Matters," published in Employment Law: 2017 Comprehensive Guide, NBI, November 2017
  • Speaker and Contributor, "Civil Trial: Everything You Need to Know," published in December 2017, NBI
  • Speaker and Author, "Is Federal Court the Right Court? Jurisdiction, Venue and Local Court Procedure”, “Pleadings and Evidentiary Issues in Federal Court”, and “Thorough Discovery” published in Representing Your Client in Federal Court, NBI, May 2013
  • Speaker and Author, “Preparing the Witness” and “Defending the Deposition” published in Sophisticated Deposition Strategies, NBI, November 2011
  • Speaker and Author, “Catastrophic Losses – What is Covered?” published in Insurance Law Updates in Louisiana, NBI, June 2008
  • Speaker and Author, “How Recent Case Law and Legislative Changes Affect You” published in Human Resource Policies that Prevent Lawsuits, NBI, May 2006

Education

Heidelberg University and University of Chile

Master of Laws (Investments, Trade and Arbitration), with maximum distinction

Tulane Law School

Juris Doctor, cum laude

University of Washington

Bachelor of Arts, German Area Studies and Political Science

Representative Matters

  • Obtained judgment granting motion to dismiss a legal malpractice claim as barred by the Louisiana peremption statute in Hartson, et al. v. Aubert Law Firm, et al., 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 61300 (E.D.La. May 4, 2012).
  • Won dismissal and summary judgments in commercial coverage claim In re: Katrina Canal Breaches Consolidated Litigation, 05-4,182, (E.D. La. (Duval, J.) Document Nos. 14631 and 18951)
  • Won summary judgment which was upheld in Chicago Property Interests, L.L.C. v. Aaron Broussard, 08-CA-0526, (La.App. 5 Cir. January 13, 2009), 8 So.3d 42
  • Tried and won defense verdict in a medical device liability case, after successful summary judgment overturned on appeal in Pipitone v. Biomatrix, Inc., 288 F.3d 239 (5th Cir. 2002)
  • Won summary judgment in Alliance Constr., Inc. v. Lexington Ins. Co., No. 04-0127, (S.D. Tex. March 28, 2005)
  • Tried and won defense verdict in a securities arbitration before FINRA in Carol Jones v. Peter  Veugeler and Summit Brokerage Services, Inc., No. 02-0242 (August 11, 2003)
  • Tried as first chair and defeated motion for injunction, which included testimony of eight expert witnesses. Appeal of same reported at Newton County Wildlife Association v. U.S. Forest Service, 113 F.3d 110 (8th Cir. 1996)

Certifications

Tulane Law School, Environmental Law Certificate, 1995