Daniel Girard founded Girard Sharp to offer dedicated, professional representation to everyday Americans. Dan believes that individuals who work hard and play by the rules deserve the same focused, skillful representation enjoyed by corporations, banks, and insurance companies. Under Dan’s leadership, Girard Sharp has become one of the most respected and experienced class action law firms in the United States.
Dan has been appointed by federal courts to lead class actions brought under a range of federal and state laws, often involving investments and consumer financial services matters. Most recently, he served as counsel for investors in the Woodbridge Investments, Peregrine Financial Group and Provident Royalties cases, all of which involved parallel bankruptcy and criminal proceedings against investment promoters. He has led successful class actions in such areas as securities, corporate governance, telecommunications, unfair competition, federal statutory rights, predatory lending, sexual abuse, product liability, and constitutional law.
In addition to individuals, Dan’s past and present clients include municipal and state employee retirement systems, public employee unions, financial institutions, property and casualty insurers, and NYSE companies.
Dan has served the federal court system through his work on federal rule-making committees. He was appointed by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist to the United States Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Civil Rules in 2004 and served on the Civil Rules Committee through 2010. Chief Justice John G. Roberts appointed Dan to the Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure in 2015 and reappointed him to a second term in 2018. Dan’s article, “Limiting Evasive Discovery: A Proposal for Three Cost-Saving Amendments to the Federal Rules,” 87 Denver University Law Review 473 (2010), proposed several rule amendments that were ultimately adopted in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34(b)(2).
Dan also serves as a member of the Council of the American Law Institute, where he chairs the Audit Committee, and serves on the Membership and Development Committees.
He is a long-standing member of the American Bar Association, Section on Business Law, Corporate and Business Litigation Committee.
J.D., University of California at Davis School of Law, 1984
B.A., Cornell University, 1979
Jay Peak EB-5 Investment Visa Litigation
Worked with leadership team members and federal equity receiver to recover $150 million in action against Raymond James Financial relating to EB-5 Visa investment project to develop Jay Peak in the Vermont area.
In re Sears Derivative Litigation
Lead counsel in action arising out of Sears’s spinoff of 235 properties to Seritage Growth Properties, a newly formed REIT, to a group that included hedge funder Eddie Lampert and now-treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin. Negotiated a $40 million recover for Sears Holdings Corporation in a derivative action in Delaware Chancery Court.
In re Sony Pictures Employee Data Breach Litigation
Lead counsel in action on behalf of employees affected by cyberattack attributed to North Korea following release of film The Interview; led negotiation of settlement for cash and identity theft insurance.
In re Peregrine Financial Group
Lead counsel in action against US Bank following collapse of Peregrine Financial Group, prosecuted in coordination with federal bankruptcy trustee and Commodities Futures Trading Commission. Recoveries totaled over $70 million.
In re Provident Royalties, LLC/Medical Capital
Lead counsel in a class action against broker-dealer Securities America Inc. and its corporate parent, Ameriprise Inc., in connection with sales of Provident Royalties and Medical Capital investment schemes. Led settlement negotiations resulting in a $150 million settlement for the federal class action and individual investors in arbitration proceedings.
In re American Express Financial Advisors Securities Litigation
Co-lead counsel in a class action on behalf of individuals who alleged that American Express steered its clients into underperforming “shelf space funds” to reap kickbacks and other financial benefits. Negotiated a cash settlement of $100 million and additional relief.
Scheiner v. i2 Technologies, Inc., et al.
Represented the lead plaintiff, Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, and served as co-lead counsel in securities fraud class action on behalf of investors in i2 Technologies. Negotiated cash settlements of $88 million from the company, its officers, and its former auditor (Arthur Andersen LLP), as well as significant corporate governance reforms.
In re Corrections Corporation of America
Served as co-lead counsel in securities class action brought by investors against a real estate investment trust and its officers and directors following false statements the defendants allegedly made in the context of a merger. Negotiated a settlement for over $104 million in cash and stock.
In re H&R Block Express IRA Litigation
Served as lead counsel in class action against H&R Block alleging that the tax firm misled consumers in the marketing and sale of its “Express IRAs.” Recovered $19.4 million settlement for H&R Block customers.
Odom v. Microsoft
Lead counsel in this consumer class action on behalf of Best Buy customers who were signed up for free trials of Microsoft’s MSN internet service, never logged in, or used the service, but were charged regular monthly fees by Microsoft after the end of the trial period. Achieved a cash settlement providing for reimbursements up to a maximum of $75 as well as other benefits.
Natural Gas Antitrust Cases I, II, III, IV
Member of the Executive Committee in this coordinated antitrust litigation against numerous natural gas companies for manipulating the California natural gas market. Settled for total recovery of $160 million.
In re Towers Financial Corporation Noteholders Litigation
Served as liaison counsel and Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee member in this securities and RICO class action against promoters and professionals associated with failed investment scheme described at the time by the SEC as the “largest Ponzi scheme in U.S. history.”
Mitchell v. American Fair Credit Association
Served as lead counsel in a class action lawsuit alleging that American Fair Credit Association (AFCA) operated an illegal credit repair scheme. Achieved settlements for the class valued at over $40 million.
Ho v. San Francisco Unified School District
Lead lawyer for San Francisco public school students of Chinese descent in civil rights action seeking to terminate racial and ethnic quotas imposed under 1983 desegregation consent decree. Settled on the first day of trial, with SFUSD and California State Board of Education agreeing to end quota system and mandatory racial “self-identification.”
Pending Cases
Community & Professional
We are pleased to announce that eight lawyers at Girard Sharp LLP have earned a place in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in
Dena Sharp recognized among Top 50 Women Attorneys, Top 100 Attorneys We are proud to announce that 11 Girard Sharp lawyers have been recognized in
Judge Edward J. Davila of the Northern District of California on February 10, 2023 appointed Girard Sharp and Susman Godfrey to serve as co-lead counsel
2022 marked another year of focused, collaborative effort by our close-knit team, with some notable achievements, several high-stakes cases set for trial in 2023, and
We are pleased to announce that Girard Sharp has been included in the 2023 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list. Our firm
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