Charles Andrew Dirksen

Since joining Gold Bennett Cera & Sidener LLP in 2000, Mr. Dirksen has represented the firm's clients primarily in complex multidistrict antitrust class action litigation. He has assisted in recovering over $700 million for clients and other class members.  Mr. Dirksen has worked, or continues to work, as Co-Lead Counsel for the class plaintiffs on several cases, including:

In re Rubber Chemicals Antitrust Litigation (N.D.Cal.):  Recovered nearly $320 million for clients and class members who purchased several types of rubber chemical products directly from defendants.

In re Methionine Antitrust Litigation (N.D.Cal.):  Worked as co-lead counsel and achieved settlements with defendants totaling $107 million for the benefit of direct purchasers of methionine, an animal feed additive.

In re EPDM Antitrust Litigation (D.Conn.):  Over $100 million was recovered for direct purchasers of the synthetic rubber ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM).

In re Plastics Additives Antitrust Litigation (E.D.Pa.):  Recoveries of over $50 million have been achieved for direct purchasers of organotin heat stabilizers, MBS and acrylic impact modifiers, acrylic processing aids, and epoxidized soybean oil.

Mr. Dirksen has represented plaintiffs in dozens of other antitrust actions in a variety of industries. Among other matters, he is currently working on In re Urethane Antitrust Litigation; In re Municipal Derivatives Antitrust Litigation; and In re Rail Freight Fuel Surcharge Antitrust Litigation.  Mr. Dirksen also has defended a company targeted by the California Attorney General's office in a civil antitrust investigation, and worked extensively on several of the firm's securities fraud matters, including In re CBT Securities Litigation.

Prior to attending law school, Mr. Dirksen worked in Washington, D.C., at a large firm as a paralegal on a variety of complex antitrust matters. He assisted in the defense of corporate clients involved in individual and class action litigation, as well as federal Department of Justice and state attorneys general criminal grand jury investigations.

In law school, Mr. Dirksen interned in the Special Prosecution Unit of the San Francisco District Attorney's Office. After law school, but prior to joining the firm, Mr. Dirksen performed work for clients engaged in products liability, patent, and maritime litigation.

Mr. Dirksen is admitted to practice in all California state courts and in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Mr. Dirksen received a B.A. (magna cum laude) from Boston College, and a J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law. He spent a year as an Article Editor of USF's Maritime Law Journal.

Mr. Dirksen is a member of the State Bar of California and the American Bar Association. He is also an officer and member of the Board of Directors of The Mockingbird Foundation, an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) charitable organization that has raised and distributed over $600,000 to music education programs for children.