Benesch is pleased to announce that high-profile litigators Michael J. Montgomery and Michael D. Meuti have joined the Cleveland office.
“We are excited to have these two talented attorneys joining our commercial litigation practice,” said Gregg Eisenberg, Managing Partner. “As a firm, we’re committed to growth, both in terms of size, doing more work and serving more clients, and in terms of quality. As we expand our national footprint, we’re also expanding the scope and sophistication of the services we offer to our business clients. Michael Montgomery and Michael Meuti, through their presence here, reflect this commitment to building a powerhouse litigation practice at a national level. “
“Our clients will love working with Mike and Michael. They are excellent lawyers and very client focused,” said Joe Castrodale, Chair of the litigation department and Vice-Chairman of the Firm.
Montgomery and Meuti join the firm as partners. Their move to Benesch reflects continued momentum for the firm, which has been growing aggressively through lateral hires as part of a strategic plan launched by Eisenberg in 2015. Nearly 60 attorneys have joined the firm in the last 18 months, which has also seen the opening of a Chicago office and the expansion of practices including class action litigation, intellectual property litigation and labor and employment. Since making its debut on the AmLaw 200 list in 2017, the firm has advanced 15 places and is currently ranked at number 180.
Montgomery focuses his practice on a broad range of complex litigation matters, including those involving unfair competition, intellectual property, products liability, construction and environmental issues. He started his career as a law clerk to federal judges at both the trial and appellate levels, where he gained insight into the thought processes of both judges and juries. Montgomery has since used that experience to achieve success for clients in courtrooms throughout the United States.
Montgomery serves on the Board of Directors for the Federal Bar Association’s Northern District of Ohio Chapter. He is also an appointed member of the Advisory Group to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, as well as an adjunct professor of law at the Cleveland Marshall College of Law. Montgomery was named one of the Best Lawyers in America in 2018.
He graduated summa cum laude from Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law in 1999 and graduated magna cum laude from Ohio State University in 1996.
Meuti will serve as the Chair of Benesch’s Appellate Practice Group, drawing upon his experience as a Deputy Solicitor in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, where he represented state agencies and office holders in appeals before the Ohio Supreme Court, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and U.S. Supreme Court. In addition to his appellate practice, Meuti represents businesses and individuals in high-stakes litigation and government investigations across the country. His practice spans a variety of subject areas, from RICO and antitrust to consumer-protection and environmental litigation. Meuti’s clients rely on him for his sharp analytical skills honed during his two clerkships and his focused, efficient approach to achieving clients’ litigation goals. He is a member of the Ohio, District of Columbia, and California bars.
“For a few years now, Benesch has been assembling an All-Star Team. I’m honored that they invited me to join, and energized by the opportunity,” said Meuti on joining the firm.
He graduated from Stanford Law School in 2013 and graduated summa cum laude from Bowling Green State University in 2000. Meuti is a member of the American Bar Association, as well as the Ohio State Bar Association, and the John M. Manos Inn of Court. He spent two years clerking for federal judges at the trial and appellate levels, and one year serving as the Simon Karas Fellow in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.