REPRESENTATIVE CASES

SUPREME COURT WIN

Mike argued a landmark case before the Illinois Supreme Court involving construction law. Mike's case was initially dismissed, but Mike appealed and won. The other side appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court, but Mike won there as well. The case set precedent for all subcontractors in the state moving forward.

APPELLATE COURT WIN

Mike currently represents the plaintiffs in a sprawling and complex case involving tens of millions of dollars in illegal sports wagers. These gambling wagers have generated more than a dozen different lawsuits, three different appeals, and investigations by at least five different federal agencies, including the FBI and the Secret Service. If Mike's clients prevail, they stand to collect more than $30,000,000.

FEDERAL APPEAL WIN

Mike represented a college baseball coach who was accused of sexually abusing one of his current players when that player was a child. The player allegedly recovered repressed memories during therapy from when he attended baseball camp as a child. Mike transferred the case to bankruptcy court to protect his client. The alleged victim and his lawyers were accused of violating the bankruptcy rules. After a trial, Mike obtained a verdict for his client in excess of $100,000 against the alleged victim and his lawyers for violating the bankruptcy rules. The verdict was upheld on appeal by the Federal District Court. This case was featured in the Wall Street Journal on two separate occasions. Mike's client was later convicted of criminal sexual abuse, but that conviction was recently overturned on appeal. Mike's client is presumed innocent.

APPELLATE COURT WIN

Mike's clients bought a home for nearly $2,000,000 in a gated community. Immediately after the real estate closing, they cut two trees down from their own backyard. Their HOA filed a lawsuit to have the trees replaced. The HOA also wanted more than $180,000 in fines and attorneys' fees. There was a rule prohibiting the removal of trees without the permission of the HOA, but Mike presented a creative argument why his clients could not be fined. The case lasted nearly six years and involved numerous side issues including allegations of computer hacking, but Mike got the entire case dismissed. The dismissal was upheld on appeal.

BANKRUPTCY LITIGATION WIN

Mike represented a prominent law firm that was owed more than $300,000 in legal fees from a divorce client. The law firm was hired as trial counsel and immediately conducted over 40 separate days of trial litigation, but the client refused to pay. The client was ordered to pay her lawyers more than $100,000 towards the legal fees but she filed bankruptcy instead. After winning several significant motions, Mike got the entire bankruptcy case dismissed so that the law firm could pursue its fees.

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION WIN

Mike's clients invested more than $350,000 into a Colorado medical marijuana company. When the money and the marijuana disappeared, Mike sued the owners of the medical marijuana company and obtained a judgment in excess of $1,000,000. Mike eventually traced his clients' stolen money through a web of shell companies to an investment in a North Dakota oil field.