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PROMINENT ASSIGNMENTS
Extensive litigation experience, at both the trial and appellate levels, in Federal and State courts and before Arbitration Panels, in the following substantive areas of law:
Commercial Litigation, with particular expertise in the areas of contract disputes, business tort claims, and litigation arising from the sale, merger, acquisition and/or dissolution of business entities;
Automotive Litigation, with particular emphasis on disputes between original equipment manufacturers and automotive suppliers, and disputes between and among various Tiers of automotive suppliers;
Bankruptcy Litigation, with particular expertise in the areas of preference actions, fraudulent transfer claims, and litigation relating to the rejection of contracts;
Franchise and Distribution Litigation, with particular emphasis on the representation of franchisors in disputes with franchisees and third-parties;
Financial Services Litigation, with particular emphasis representing financial institutions in disputes with borrowers and third-parties; and
Real Estate Litigation, with particular expertise in the representation of landlords, developers and landowners against tenants and third-parties.
Specific representations include the following:
Obtained defense verdict after trial in favor of Tier I automotive supplier against sales representative that sought approximately $30 million in damages related to contract termination;
Obtained defense verdict after trial on behalf of Ford Motor Company against Tier I automotive supplier that sought in excess of $8 million in damages related to contract termination;
Obtained defense verdict after trial on behalf of defendant-purchaser of manufacturing business against claim by plaintiff-seller that purchaser agreed to assume approximately $3 million in pension obligations;
Successfully represented defendant-seller of marketing business, through two years of discovery and two months of trial, against claims of plaintiff-purchaser seeking $150 million in damages as a result of a terminated merger;
Obtained preliminary injunction on behalf of Chrysler LLC entitling Chrysler to take immediate possession of tooling possessed by Tier I automotive supplier, effectively terminating the $200 million contractual relationship between the parties;
Successfully represented defendant-seller private equity fund against claims of plaintiff-purchaser private equity fund seeking 30 million in post-purchase price adjustments arising out of alleged pre-transaction "accounting irregularities";
Obtained judgment in favor of Tier I automotive supplier in $7.2 million shareholder dispute with joint venture partner;
Successfully defended AT&T, Inc. in $5.5 million fraudulent transfer action arising out of the bankruptcy of a former AT&T affiliate;
Successfully defended a large retail jeweler in $7.6 million preference action arising out of the bankruptcy of Montgomery Ward;
Obtained judgments of approximately $2.5 million and $4.5 million on behalf of national real estate franchisors against two of their largest franchisees;
Michigan counsel to numerous national franchisors, including but not limited to Century 21 Real Estate LLC, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, Sotheby's International and ERA Franchise Systems LLC;
On numerous occasions, have successfully represented landlords/developers in multi-million disputes with tenants, third-parties and others.
REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS
AT&T Inc.
Century 21 Real Estate, LLC
Chrysler LLC
Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation
DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc.
E.I. DuPont de Nemours
Ford Motor Company
Magna International, Inc.
Target Corporation
Turner Construction Company
AREAS OF PRACTICE EMPHASIS
Automotive
Banking & Financial Services
Business Torts
Distribution & Dealer
Franchise
Product Liability & Toxic Tort
Real Estate
Trademark & Unfair Competition
PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT
State Bar of Michigan, U.S. Courts Committee
Federal Bar Association
Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association
American Bar Association
University of Michigan Alumni Association
EDUCATION
University of Michigan, B.A. 1995 (with distinction)
Northwestern University School of Law, J.D. 1998 | 