Michael is a trial-court and appellate litigator representing businesses and individuals in high-stakes disputes and government investigations.
He approaches litigation with a problem-solving mindset, seeking the most practical and efficient paths to victory for his clients.
Michael’s trial-court litigation practice focuses on commercial litigation and class-action defense across a diverse range of industries, including clients in the retail, energy, consumer products, manufacturing, financial services, consumer marketing, healthcare, and food service industries. His class-action defense practice focuses on consumer-protection and false-advertising claims, while also extending to environmental claims.
Michael also chairs Benesch’s Appellate Practice Group, leveraging his past experience as a Sixth Circuit clerk and as the Simon Karas Fellow in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, where he represented state agencies and officeholders before the Ohio Supreme Court, Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, and U.S. Supreme Court.
*Matter completed prior to joining Benesch.
Representative Experience
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Achieved reversals of lower-court decisions refusing to enforce a telehealth company’s arbitration clause in intermediate courts of appeal in New Jersey and Florida, as well as the Sixth Circuit.
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Drafted amicus brief to Washington State Supreme Court addressing whether consumer-protection statutes support claims for price-gouging during a pandemic.
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In intermediate Ohio appellate court, represents residents of small town challenging local ordinance permitting residents to carry handguns to city council meetings in violation of Ohio statute prohibiting firearms in buildings in which a courtroom is located.
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In the New Jersey Supreme Court, achieved reversal of a lower-court decision holding that N.J. Consumer Fraud Act plaintiffs state a claim by alleging that the retailer advertised a false discount.
- On behalf of telehealth provider, defeated RICO claim asserted by competitor.
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Represented a chain-restaurant franchisee as plaintiff in a civil RICO class action seeking recovery for overcharges by its supplier. Drafted successful class certification briefs before the case was resolved with a nine-figure settlement.*
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Represented aerospace service provider in customer dispute. Successfully resolved matter without litigation.
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Represented an auto insurer in class-action litigation addressing the insurer’s obligation to pay title and license fees in total-loss claims; defeated motion for class certification.
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Represented an international developer and manufacturer of high-temperature industrial materials in environmental class action brought by group of residents and landowners.
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Represented apparel designer and importer in copyright litigation.