Michele concentrates her practice on product liability and general business litigation in the firm’s Technology, Manufacturing & Transportation team. She has extensive experience working with manufacturing companies in the transportation industry — from the car dealerships her family owns in the St. Louis area to large automotive companies. Examples of her legal work include:
- Serving as national product liability counsel for one of the world’s largest airbag electronic component suppliers.
- Acting as lead counsel in cases pending throughout the United States involving occupant restraint systems, seat systems, accelerator systems, and steering and stability systems for car or truck manufacturers and component suppliers.
- Serving as lead counsel in product liability cases involving light-rail systems, electrical control panels and transformers.
Michele has tried cases in state and federal courts and represented a client in international arbitration before the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Court of Arbitration. She also has argued appeals in state courts. In her business litigation practice, Michele has negotiated various complex contracts on behalf of her clients and acted as lead counsel in cases involving breach of contract allegations. She has also represented employers in employment litigation lawsuits involving retaliatory discharge claims.
Michele’s international experience involves application of various treaties and jurisdictional challenges and defending foreign-based manufacturers against product liability allegations in the United States. She frequently serves clients in Germany and has participated in an international arbitration in Hong Kong and negotiated contracts in South Korea.
Michele is the leader of the firm’s Toxic Tort and Product Liability group.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Product Liability Advisory Council
- Defense Research Institute
- The Missouri Bar
- State Bar of Texas