Practice Areas
Industries
Education
Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D., 1988
University of Notre Dame, B.A., 1983, cum laude
Admissions
Illinois
Mike is a tenacious defense attorney, serving as counsel to companies across the country in general liability matters. He successfully litigates matters for manufacturers, retailers, construction companies, government entities and insurance companies in areas like product liability, construction and municipal liability.
Mike defends product liability cases involving everything from brake systems to ozone generators and destruct units to cosmetic manufacturing processes. In past instances he defended cases involving toxic poisoning, deaths and catastrophic loss due to product defects, fire and explosions. He has designed programs for manufacturers to bring their products into compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Act. He also constructed a product compliance/audit program for the world's seventh largest furniture maker and drafted warnings for consumer products of medical device companies. As chair of the Product Liability Practice Group, Mike oversees a team providing these services to clients across the country.
Mike represents general contractors, prime contractors, real estate developers, landowners, second tier contractors and insurers in all types of construction-related litigation including construction defect cases. He has successfully litigated issues of tenders of defense, hold harmless agreements, and indemnification agreements.
Additionally, Mike defends civil rights and municipal tort liability cases. He has used the Illinois Tort Immunity Act to great effect in defending diverse clients such as state agencies, numerous municipalities and various schools, forest preserves, park districts and villages.
Honors
- Selected to the Illinois Super Lawyers List: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
- Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ rated
- Selected by the Leading Lawyers Network as a "Leading Lawyer" in construction and products liability defense law
- Named to the Who’s Who in America editions in 2012, 2013, 2014
- Cambridge Who’s Who; Marquis Who’s Who, 60th, 61st, 62nd, 63rd, 64th, 65th, and 66th editions; Top 100 Illinois Lawyer in 2007; Continental Who’s Who, 2007
Memberships & Involvement
- Member: SmithAmundsen Executive Committee
News & Press Releases
- SmithAmundsen, January 13, 2017
- SmithAmundsen, January 8, 2016
- January 12, 2015
- January 3, 2013
Alerts
- November 17, 2017
- July 7, 2017
- March 31, 2017
- November 2016
- July 18, 2016
- October 23, 2015
- October 23, 2015
- June 15, 2015
Publications
- SmithAmundsen, November 15, 2017
Presentations & Events
- Introduction to Litigation: Top 40 File Handling TipsClient Presentation, March 12, 2019
- Battle Royale: 3rd Party Risk Transfer vs. Sole Remedy ProvisionsClient Presentation, February 13, 2019
- Risk Transfer – Liability and Coverage IssuesClient Presentation, February 6, 2019
- Top 40 File Handling Tips, Kotecki Protection and State Judicial ProfilesClient Presentation; Chicago, IL, May 24, 2018
- Legal Issues and Artifical IntelligenceClient Presentation, May 8, 2018
- Retailers Deemed Manufacturers in Product Liability ActionsClient Presentation; Dallas, TX, October 24, 2017
- Recalls and Government InvestigationsUSLAW Network; Carlsbad, CA, September 9, 2017
- EthicsClient Seminar; Pittsburgh, PA, September 6, 2017
- Uninsured and Underinsured MotoristsClient Seminar; Chicago, IL, July 19, 2017
- Best Practices for Handling Claims and LitigationClient Presentation; Mechanicsburg, PA, July 13, 2017
- Top Ten Strategies for Reducing Defense Fees & Defeating Class ActionsBethesda, MD; Client Presentation, May 10, 2017
- Public Entity LawClient Seminar, May 9, 2017
- Tools to Substantiate a Complex ClaimClient Seminar; Basking Ridge, NH, April 19, 2017
- Risk Transfer, Liability Claims, and Issues in Excess Liability Coverage and Emerging TrendsClient Seminar, March 16, 2017
- Tools to Substantiate a Complex ClaimClient Seminar; Wilmington, DE, March 8, 2017
- Presumptions of NegligenceClient Seminar; Chatsworth, CA, March 2, 2017
- Fall 2016 USLAW NETWORK Client Conference, Colorado Springs, CO, September 24, 2016
- Targeted Tenders and Related Issues Under Illinois LawNational Claim Services, Seminar; Atlanta, GA, August 24, 2016
- Presentation on Malicious ProsecutionClient Seminar, April 20, 2016
- Product Liability SeminarClient Seminar, December 11, 2015
- Liability Claims & Issues in Excess Liability CoverageClient Seminar, October 15, 2015
- Excess Casualty Claims: Emerging TrendsClient Webinar, September 14, 2015
- Ethics in Claims ManagementClient Seminar, Metairie, LA, August 19, 2015
- Garage Liability & Garage Keepers LiabilityClient Seminar, Lake Zurich, IL, August 14, 2015
- Dental Trauma and Facial InjuriesClient Seminar, San Antonio, TX, July 21, 2015
- Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Webinar, June 11, 2015