Stan G. Roman is a founding partner of Krieg, Keller, Sloan, Reilley & Roman LLP and has extensive trial and appellate experience in complex commercial cases. For over thirty years he has been defending accounting firms, law firms, corporate directors and officers, and other individuals and companies who have been sued or investigated. He has also represented both plaintiffs and defendants in scores of significant business disputes. Stan has had great success in many significant trials, in both federal and state courts.

Stan also has extensive experience as an arbitrator, mediator and judge pro tem. He was a partner in a large San Francisco law firm for many years before the formation of Krieg, Keller, Sloan, Reilley & Roman LLP in 1998.

Notable Engagements

Following are examples of cases Stan has handled.

• Defense of the major accounting firms and their partners in over one hundred class action securities cases, investor lawsuits, SEC cases, governmental investigations and commercial disputes.


• Jury trial defense of a $1.1 billion lawsuit brought by the Oakland Raiders claiming that the team was defrauded into moving from Los Angeles to Oakland. Stan won a unanimous defense verdict after a five-month trial.


• Defense of a 500-member law firm in a federal fraud case arising out of $500 million corporate divestiture. Stan's client obtained a full dismissal in the trial court, which was affirmed on appeal by the Ninth Circuit.


• Prosecution of a three-month state trial based upon breach of contract by a real estate syndicator, resulting in a multi-million dollar judgment for the full amount sought by Stan's client.


• Prosecution of a two-month federal jury trial against the International Brotherhood of Teamsters' for breach of the duty of fair representation, resulting in a multi-million dollar judgment for the full amount sought by Stan's clients.


• Prosecution of a federal jury trial arising out of a failed merger of a Fortune 500 company, resulting in a favorable multi-million dollar settlement for Stan's client during trial.


• Jury trial defense of claims brought by three venture capital funds against a major accounting firm. After the co-defendant fund manager admitted at trial that he had engaged in fraudulent conduct, the jury returned a verdict against all defendants after a five-week trial. However, the amount awarded against Stan's client was less than the plaintiffs' lowest settlement demand, and the case was settled prior to judgment.


• Defense of a prominent Ukrainian citizen who was arrested for laundering over $800 million for the Prime Minister of Ukraine. Stan obtained favorable resolutions of criminal proceedings in Ukraine, Switzerland and the U.S., and obtained a dismissal of civil RICO claims in federal district court. Stan then prevailed on appeal in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.


• Representation of corporate officers and directors in numerous actions and investigations brought by the SEC, the Justice Department, the FDIC, the FTC and the FSLIC.


• Federal trial defense of an officer and director of a commodities investment firm in a $100-million action brought by the Federal Trade Commission, resulting in a de minimis settlement and dismissal of Stan's client during trial.


• Defense of an international public relations firm in scores of class and individual actions brought against the tobacco industry. All cases successfully resolved without trials.


• Defense of a promoter and general partner in a securities class action involving public oil and gas partnerships, where hard dollar losses exceeded $200 million. Stan's client obtained a favorable settlement without making any payment.


• Defense of officers and directors of a real estate syndication firm against investor fraud claims exceeding $100 million. The cases were settled short of trial using a small part of available insurance.


• Defense of a merger suitor in a shareholder class action seeking damages and rescission of a merger of public companies. Stan's client obtained a full dismissal by pretrial motion.


• Defense of the owner and general contractor in 15 cases arising out of the construction of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. All were successfully resolved short of trial.


• Prosecution of binding arbitration involving sales of military tanks to Taiwan by U.S. defense contractors. During the arbitration hearing, Stan's client obtained a favorable multi-million dollar settlement.


• Stan has handled multiple appellate matters in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the California Courts of Appeal and the California Supreme Court.


• Other litigation matters for foreign and domestic clients involving securities, contract disputes, partnership disputes, fraud and embezzlement, real estate, white collar crime, distributorship disputes, hospital liability, product liability (aircraft, industrial machinery, construction equipment, medical products) and construction accidents. These cases have involved many court and jury trials, as well as administrative trials, arbitrations and alternative dispute resolution proceedings.

Education

• University of Texas, J.D., with honors (1979)
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., (1976), Phi Beta Kappa

Professional Affiliations and Activities

• State Bar of California, Committee on Federal Courts
• Defense Research Institute, Chair, Professional Liability Committee
• Association of Business Trial Lawyers
• American Bar Association
• Judge Pro Tem in San Francisco Superior Court
• Selected as Super Lawyer in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.