Michael has extensive experience with high-stakes litigation in federal and state courts. He represents both plaintiffs and defendants in cases involving mergers and acquisitions, partnership and shareholder disputes, director and officer liability, cybersecurity, privacy, and technology, and consumer protection. Michael’s most significant representations include:
Merger & Acquisition Litigation
- Seller of cloud company in litigation asserting fraud, earnout, and promissory note claims and challenging restrictive covenants.
- Private equity seller of marketing company in dispute asserting fraud, indemnification, and earnout claims.
- Seller of COVID-tracking SaaS company in litigation asserting earnout claims.
- Private equity buyer of health, rehabilitation, and nursing center rollup in failed transaction seeking buyer reimbursable costs.
- Seller of apartment complex in litigation about failed transaction asserting entitlement to earnest money deposit.
- Sellers of casino in federal putative class action asserting ERISA overvaluation claims.
- Former president and majority shareholder of RV park in litigation by selling shareholders claiming breaches of fiduciary duty and undervaluation.
Partnership & Shareholder Disputes
- COVID diagnostic lab in ownership dispute.
- Minority shareholders of COVID tracking and mining company in oppression dispute.
- Minority shareholder of oncology practice in partnership dispute.
- Prominent academic and consultant in litigation asserting breach of contract, tortious interference, and false light claims and challenging restrictive covenants.
Director & Officer Liability
- Former CFO of steel mining company in bankruptcy litigation asserting claims for breach of fiduciary duty.
- Former directors, officers, and shareholders of grocery wholesale cooperative and its majority-owned subsidiary in bankruptcy litigation asserting claims of breach of fiduciary duty, fraudulent and preferential transfer, and breaches of contract.
Cybersecurity, Privacy, & Technology Litigation
- Senior housing facility in state putative class action asserting violation of consumer protection and data privacy laws.
- Managed services company in litigation arising out of cyberattack.
- Accounting firm in litigation arising out of cyberattack.
- Various companies in litigation arising from the diversion and interception of wired funds.
Consumer Protection Litigation
- Major automotive manufacturer in federal multidistrict litigation asserting putative consumer fraud class action arising out of one of largest automotive recalls in U.S. history.
- Major automotive manufacturer in federal putative class action asserting consumer fraud class action arising out of alleged manufacturing and design defect.
Michael also partners with the firm’s Cybersecurity, Data Protection & Privacy group to advise technology clients on domestic and cross-border data privacy issues, including application of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and the legal responsibilities of businesses handling Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI).
Michael listens closely to clients so that he can understand their needs and communicate their legal options effectively. Above all, he ensures that clients remain fully informed throughout the process and that their objectives are always prioritized.
