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Overview

Businesses, colleges and universities across the nation turn to Mike when they face class actions and other types of high-stakes litigation.

Over the past 30 years, Mike has litigated a wide range of complex legal issues. He is especially recognized for his experience and results in defending class action lawsuits, having for many years been named as an Illinois Super Lawyer in the area of class litigation.

Mike represents colleges and universities in many types of cases, including class actions. He successfully defended a law school against class action claims brought by former students concerning disclosure of post-graduation employment statistics. Mike also represents higher education clients in suits brought by faculty members concerning tenure, discharge and medical leave determinations; by students involving suspension, expulsion and other disciplinary issues; and by faculty, staff and students involving assertions of discrimination.

Mike assists product manufacturers in the sporting goods, food and beverage, and other industries in defending class action cases alleging product defect and deceptive advertising brought under state consumer protection statutes and warranty theories. He has represented banks, mortgage lenders, mortgage servicers and finance companies in hundreds of consumer class action lawsuits in state and federal courts across the country. Recently, Mike has litigated, and provided compliance counseling about, federal and state privacy statutes, including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. He has also represented businesses in employment-related litigation, including class action and collective action cases involving working conditions and wage and hour issues.

Mike also regularly litigates all types of business-to-business and professional–to-professional commercial litigation claims.

Industries

Services

Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, 2025
    • Commercial Litigation, 2024
  • Illinois Super Lawyers, Class Action & Mass Torts, 2013-2020
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent

Education

  • J.D., DePaul University College of Law
  • B.A., Bates College

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • Chicago Bar Association, Class Litigation Committee, Chair, 2009-2010, Vice Chair, 2008-2009, Seminar Coordinator, 2007-2008
*Contact Michael to set up an in-person consultation by appointment in the Chicago office.
2023 Pro Bono Contributor
Experience
  • Obtained complete dismissal of class action claims brought against law school by its former students. Dismissal affirmed on appeal.
  • Represented colleges and universities in suits involving tenure and discharge determinations, medical leave, student discipline and discrimination issues.
  • Served as litigation and compliance counsel on Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act.
  • Obtained dismissal of nationwide class action suit alleging false advertising against manufacturer of premium whiskey.
  • Defended several sporting goods companies in class actions alleging product defect, deceptive advertising and misrepresentation of product features.
  • Acted as national litigation counsel to major mortgage lender for individual and class action suits alleging violations of federal and state consumer protection statutes.
  • Defended class action suits against individuals and businesses brought under Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) related to sending of "junk fax" and "junk text" advertisements.
  • Defended national food manufacturer in state and federal class litigation concerning product labeling and internet, print and signage advertising.
  • Represented professionals, including physicians, dentists, lawyers and accountants, in partnership and shareholder disputes and litigation.
  • Represented businesses/policyholders in insurance coverage tenders, disputes and litigation, achieving multimillion-dollar financial recoveries and insurer agreements to defend clients in thousands of existing and future asbestos and other lawsuits.
  • Successfully represented clients in defense of individual and class action employment suits alleging harassment, wrongful discharge and violation of federal and state wage and hour laws.
Outside the Office

Mike loves to play golf.

He is an obsessively mediocre golfer who gets out on the course as often as his schedule permits. Mike has enjoyed vacations with family and friends at golfing destinations in Scotland, Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, Oregon and Wisconsin. A 2018 trip to the Bandon Dunes resort in Oregon was a highlight.

He has left the clubs behind for vacations to Italy, Ireland and France with his wife of 30 years. Though their children are grown, the entire family continues to make an annual trek to a summer retreat in northern Michigan.

A Chicago sports fan, Mike is a die-hard Cubs fan, still in shock and euphoric disbelief that the Cubs finally won the World Series in 2016.

Class Action

Mike represents class action defendants in a variety of industries, including food and beverage, mortgage lending, consumer lending, sporting goods and insurance. Clients rely on Mike’s advice on strategy and his mastery of the procedural issues involved in defeating class certification – the game within the game in class action litigation. He has chaired the Chicago Bar Association’s Class Litigation Committee, has been named an Illinois Super Lawyer in class actions and is a frequent speaker on all facets of class actions.