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Overview
Michael has a proven track record guiding publicly held, private, and cooperatively owned businesses in navigating antitrust issues and developing successful distribution models. He has demonstrated litigation skills to represent companies in disputes and provide practical advice for minimizing future legal problems.
Michael is Chair of the Firm’s Antitrust practice group and was previously Co-Chair of the Commercial Litigation practice group. He practices in the area of commercial litigation, with a strong emphasis on antitrust (litigation and counseling).
Education & Admissions
University of Chicago Law School (J.D., 1983), cum laude, Order of the Coif
Managing and Book Review Editor, The University of Chicago Law Review, 1982-1983
London School of Economics (General Studies, 1980)
Marquette University (B.A., History, 1980), summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
Admissions
- Minnesota
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second, Third, Fifth, Eighth, and Federal Circuits
- U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
Clerkships
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Chicago, IL, Honorable Richard A. Posner, 1983-1984
Experience
Representative Experience
- Manara Minerals in a deal to acquire 10% of Vale Base Metals Limited, the holding entity of Vale SA’s energy transition metals business
- Michael won dismissal of an antitrust suit that had been brought against the country’s largest supplier of bankruptcy software to bankruptcy trustees in McGarry & McGarry, LLP v. Bankruptcy Management Solutions, Inc., 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 93133 (N.D. Ill. June 16, 2017).
- Michael represented IEEE in securing a favorable Business Review Letter from the U.S. Department of Justice in 2015.
- Michael won dismissal of an antitrust suit that had been brought against several defendants in Techreserves Inc. v. Delta Controls Inc., 2014 WL 1325914, S.D.N.Y., (S.D.N.Y. March 31, 2014), appeal dismissed.
- Michael represented Robert Bosch GmbH before the Federal Trade Commission in securing clearance of its proposed acquisition of the Services Solutions business of SPX Corporation. In the Matter of Robert Bosch GmbH, Docket No. C-4377 (April 2013).
- Michael won dismissal of antitrust claims against the defendant in In2 Networks, Inc. v. Honeywell International Inc., 2011 WL 4842557 (D. Utah 2011).
- Earlier in his career, Michael participated in several years of discovery and then co-chaired the trial of ITA v. Northwest Airlines, an action involving claims under the Sherman Act and the Clayton Act. He represented Ajinomoto Co. in In re MSG Antitrust Litigation. He served as lead counsel for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in multi-state litigation involving a national competitor’s alleged Lanham Act violations and “bait and switch” sales tactics. He represented multiple defendants in In Re: Minnesota L-tryptophan Proceedings, a mass-tort proceeding that involved over ninety individual cases. He has tried numerous public-customer securities arbitrations, and he has served as a chairman or panel member in securities arbitrations.
News & Resources
Articles
January 26, 2026
January 21, 2025
November 26, 2024
April 25, 2024
February 14, 2024
December 21, 2023
July 21, 2023
January 24, 2023
December 22, 2022
January 25, 2022
September 3, 2021
February 05, 2021
February 3, 2021
January 30, 2020
January 17, 2020
News & Press Mentions
August 21, 2025
August 15, 2024
August 17, 2023
December 15, 2020
December 9, 2020
March 12, 2020
April 25, 2019
April 2, 2019
February 22, 2019
August 15, 2018
Events & Speaking Engagements
October 11, 2007 - October 11, 2007
September 27, 2007 - September 27, 2007
January 18, 2007 - January 18, 2007
October 12, 2006 - October 12, 2006
November 07, 2005 - November 07, 2005
Select Presentations
- "Hart-Scott-Rodino and Premerger Notification," 2013 Business Law Institute (Minnesota CLE May 7, 2013)
- “Critical Legal Issues for Cooperatives,” Presentation to National Cooperative Business Association Conference on Purchasing Cooperatives (2009-2012)
- "Business Considerations for Participating in Standards Development," Presentation to the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade IPR Working Group (Oct. 15, 2009)
- "Critical Legal Issues for Cooperatives," Presentation to National Cooperative Business Association Conference on Purchasing Cooperatives (Sept. 2009)
- "Do You Want to Play 'Ex Ante'? Negotiating Royalty or Other License Terms Before the Standard is Set," Presentation to American Intellectual Property Law Association (May 13, 2009)
- "Standard Setting and ‘Patent Ambush’: Lessons from the Federal Circuit's Recent Qualcomm v. Broadcom Decision," Telebriefing for Practising Law Institute (Mar. 10, 2009)
Professional & Civic
Professional Achievements
- Member, Minnesota State Bar Association (Antitrust Section, Chair, 2005-2006; Vice Chair, 2004-2005; Council Member, 2006-2015)
- Member, American Bar Association (Antitrust Section; Vice Chair, Trial Practice Committee, 2004-2008)
- Editorial Co-Chair, Antitrust, 2019-Present; Articles Editor, 2018-2019; Associate Editor 2008-2018
- Member, Hennepin County Bar Association
- Adjunct Professor, Antitrust, University of Minnesota Law School, 2014
- Adjunct Professor, Antitrust, University of St. Thomas Law School, 2002-2013
- Adjunct Professor, Antitrust, Hamline University Law School, 1988-1999
Community Involvement
- Member, Minnesota Orchestra Board of Directors, 2016-present
- Advisory Director, Classical Actors Ensemble, 2019-present
- President, Prevention Alliance, a non-profit corporation providing chemical-abuse prevention and counseling programs to Twin Cities youth, 1991-1997
Accolades
- Named one of “America’s Leading Business Lawyers” (Band 1) by Chambers USA (Antitrust), 2015-2024
- Named a Top Lawyer in Antitrust Law by Minnesota Monthly, 2024
- Named to BTI Client Service All-Star Attorneys, 2019-2020
- Named to BTI Client Service All-Star MVP Attorneys, 2020
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America©, 2008-2025
- Named "Minneapolis Litigation - Antitrust Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers©, 2018 and 2020
- Recognized as a "Stand-Out Lawyer" by Thomson Reuters, 2024-2025
- Listed as a Minnesota Super Lawyer, 2002-2021
