Commercial Litigation
Litigation involves any claim that is contested in court or before some judicial or quasi-judicial body. Litigation not only involves strict rules and court procedures but also involves strategy and business decision-making. We are well experienced in complex litigation and arbitration and our clients rely on us to anticipate their needs and outperform their expectations. Obtaining the best results — whether achieved in court or across the table in settlement or mediation — requires preparation. There is no substitute for preparedness. Our focus on trial-readiness drives successful and more cost-efficient results for our clients, as critical issues are identified early and then used to maximum advantage in the litigation and/or negotiation process.
We have represented clients in trial and appellate courts at the federal and state level, before administrative tribunals, and in arbitrations and other dispute resolution proceedings in a wide variety of disputes or business segments, including: business torts, contract disputes, property disputes of all kinds, UCC actions, banking litigation, consumer fraud, partnership, membership and shareholder disputes, class actions, employment disputes, municipal litigation, insurance coverage, international arbitration, fiduciary and statutory breach, breaches of contract, fraud, embezzlement, conversion of assets, and unfair competition, product liability and personal injury, and appeals of all kinds.
Appeals
Unfortunately, litigation often involves judgment calls by courts, misunderstood facts or law, or misapplied legal authority. Our appellate practice seeks to affirm or reverse trial court decisions to get the right result for our clients. Our appeals cover basically any underlying matter the firm handles, including underlying business, municipal, probate, or employment disputes and all manner of constitutional issues. Our Appellate experience includes appeals in the federal circuits, Michigan and Illinois state appellate courts, State supreme court, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Class Actions
Success in business sometimes leads to unforeseen and unfortunate side effects like having to defend against a class action. Defending against a class action is often expensive and time-consuming but there are ways to reduce exposure. We will actively defend against class claims, including moving to dismiss it on the pleadings before it can get off the ground. Our primary focus on defeating certification of the class also is highly beneficial to class action defendants. We prepare our discovery and expert testimony with an eye toward defeating certification and thus greatly reducing or eliminating potential damages for our clients. While we always strive to win at trial, sometimes the business realities of a client dictate that the best result for a given client may include a class-wide settlement with broad releases of claims. Our trial preparation focus often leads to better settlements for our clients, including in class action matters, and may involve defeating objectors and/or winning issues on appeal.