George W. Dahnke received his B.A. degree from Westminster College (MO) and J.D. degree from Northwestern University School of Law. Following graduation from law school, he served as an officer in the United States Army, Artillery Branch, from 1965-1967. Mr. Dahnke has extensive experience in a wide range of litigation, including commercial, securities, insurance coverage, insurance bad faith, product liability, tobacco and professional liability cases. He also has had substantial appellate experience, having served as lead counsel in actions resulting in more than forty reported decisions and additional unreported ones. Mr. Dahnke has also successfully represented customers and brokers in securities arbitration and sub-contractors in construction arbitration.
Mr. Dahnke has been admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Western, Northern and Eastern Districts of Oklahoma, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. In addition, he has been admitted pro hac vice in state and federal courts in ten other states and has successfully briefed and argued appeals in the Supreme Courts of Nebraska and Arkansas. Mr. Dahnke is a member of the American, Oklahoma and Oklahoma County Bar Associations and is a member of the Sections of Litigation and Torts and Insurance Practice of the ABA. He has also served as a member of the Emergency Court of Civil Appeals pursuant to appointment by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Representative Cases of Note:
- · Hudgens v. Cook Industries,
- 521 P.2d 813, 78 A.L.R. 3d 902 (Okla. 1973)
- [Successful in persuading Court to repudiate its established precedents and to impose liability for negligent selection of independent contractor.]
- · First National Bank & Trust Company v. Iowa Beef Processors, Inc.,
- 628 P.2d 764 (10th Cir. 1980)
- [Establishing priority rights of secured lender. One of a group of complex cases arising from collapse of Wheatheart, Inc. cattle feeding venture. Related actions commenced in federal courts on behalf of same client against other national banks in three other states also resulted in substantial recoveries.]
- · In re Amarex Securities Litigation,
- U.S.D.C. W.D. Okla., U.S.D.C. S.D. N.Y.
- [Represented national bank in obtaining payment of letters of credit securing financing of oil and gas limited partnership by overcoming injunctive actions in multiple jurisdictions and represented same client in defense of securities fraud claims consolidated in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, by Panel for Multi-District Litigation.]
- · Brown v. U.S. National Bank of Omaha,
- 371 N.W.2d 692 (Neb. 1985)
- [Represented national bank in securing payment of standby letter of credit securing oil and gas financing. One of series of similar cases handled for the same bank. Represented bank in defense of related Invoil Securities litigation.]
- · National Indemnity Co. v. U.S. Pollution Control, Inc.,
- 717 F. Supp. 765 (W.D. Okla. 1989)
- [Represented insured in obtaining substantial recovery on claims for indemnity against primary and umbrella insurers arising from Hardage-Criner superfund litigation.]
- · First Bank of Okarche v. Lepak,
- 961 P.2d 194 (Okla.2000)
- [Established right of livestock commission merchant to maintain common law defenses in conversion action by secured lender asserting claims under federal and state statutes.]
- · State ex rel. Attorney General v. RJ Reynolds et al.,
- District Court of Cleveland County, Okla. CJ-1996-1499
- [Local counsel for tobacco company defendant and defense liaison counsel in Attorney General litigation against major tobacco companies and other defendants.]
- · In re Spinal Screw Litigation,
- District Court of Tulsa County, Okla. MI 97-8
- [Represented medical device manufacturer in defense of more than two hundred actions consolidated for discovery by Oklahoma Supreme Court and in companion actions filed in all three United States District Courts in Oklahoma.]
