Karl J. Sleight
Member, Co-Leader Racing and Gaming Industry Team
Co-Leader, Cannabis Industry Team
Harris Beach PLLC
Karl focuses on providing legal counsel and strategic advice to clients that operate in highly regulated environments having an active government oversight component. Karl was recognized for his accomplishments in the field, when he was named to the City and State Law Power 50 which listed the “50 most powerful people in New York politics working in the law.” He assists clients along a broad spectrum of sectors and emerging industries, including in the fields of gaming, Title IX and health care, and advises on government ethics and lobbying compliance. Karl represents individuals, businesses and institutions in complex civil litigation, government administrative investigations, cases against the State Attorney General and white collar criminal defense matters. He often represents individuals and institutions in high profile matters containing a public or political element. He has represented numerous Fortune 100 companies as well as private citizens and political figures involved in government inquiries and has served as special counsel for Major League Baseball.
Karl has served as counsel to casino and gaming interests on a variety of matters and assisted clients in successfully navigating the statewide casino site selection competition and process in 2014, continuing to represent successful bidders in this regard. Notably, in the field of thoroughbred racing, Karl represents entities in the field and is also a licensed horse owner, a member of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders and the managing partner of a racing stable that annually finishes in the top 10 percent by earnings of all licensed owners in North America. He serves on the organizing committee of the Albany Law School Saratoga Institute on Racing and Gaming Law, which sponsors the annual industry conference in Saratoga Springs in August, where he has been a featured speaker and commentator on issues of ethics and racing.