My legal experience

Overview

I have a strong track record in winning jury and bench trials, handling administrative proceedings, and managing complex litigation with stakes ranging from hundreds of millions to billions of dollars.

I started my legal career at Hopkins & Sutter (1995-2001), where my practice focused on regulatory litigation at the Illinois Commerce Commission and complex commercial and intellectual property litigation in state and federal courts. I then joined Ungaretti & Harris LLP as a partner (2001-2007) and chaired the firm’s Intellectual Property group. 

In 2006, I  was recognized as an Illinois Super Lawyer and one of “40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty To Watch.”

In 2007, I left my law practice to launch numerous tech-enabled ventures. Since then, I’ve tried and won numerous cases and served as these ventures’ general counsel. I am currently the COO and general counsel at Jurat, as well as the CEO and general counsel at crowdspring.

Bar admissions

  • Illinois Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Representative cases

  • FireKing v. Corporate Safe Specialists, Inc. (Northern District of Texas and Northern District of Illinois). Trial counsel for defendant Corporate Safe Specialists, Inc., one of the largest suppliers of safes to the U.S. retail and restaurant industries, in two patent infringement cases involving safe technologies. 
  • Mitchell v. First Northern Credit Union, et al. (Northern District of Illinois). Trial counsel for defendant in a case involving alleged infringement of a computerized loan management patent. 
  • Clarus v. QT, Inc. (Northern District of Illinois): I was trial counsel for corporate and individual defendants in a case involving copyright and trademark infringement claims. I obtained a favorable verdict denying the plaintiff a preliminary injunction.
  • Mettler-Toledo, Inc. v. B-Tek Scales, LLC. (Eastern District of Texas). Trial counsel for defendant B-Tek Scales, LLC, in a case involving alleged infringement of three patents covering commercial truck weight scales and load cells. 
  • Casey v. QT. (Circuit Court of Cook County). Trial counsel for corporate and individual defendants in a nationally certified class action lawsuit seeking damages of over $125 million related to the sale of an alternative medical product. Received a full defense verdict for all defendants on all causes of action after a long bench trial. 
  • Macrovision Corporation v. Sima Products Corporation. (Southern District of New York). Trial counsel for defendant Sima Products Corporation in a video and DVD technology case. Macrovision asserted patent infringement claims and claims under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”). Also, appellate counsel for defendant Sima Products Corporation in appeal of the DMCA claim in the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Obtained favorable settlement for client.
  • Corporate Safe Specialists v. Tidel. (Northern District of Texas). Trial counsel for plaintiff Corporate Safe Specialists, Inc., one of the largest suppliers of safes to the U.S. retail and restaurant industries, in a patent infringement case involving safe technologies. Obtained favorable settlement for client. 
  • Amkor v. Motorola, Inc. (Superior Court of Delaware). Trial counsel for defendant Motorola, Inc. in a case involving whether a party could assign a patent cross-license and joint-ownership agreement to a third-party purchaser. 
  • FTC v. QT, Inc. (Northern District of Illinois). Trial counsel for corporate and individual defendants in a case involving alleged Federal Trade Commission Act violations. Trial held June and July 2006. 
  • Central Court Limited Partnership v. Artesia Mortgage Capital Corporation. (Circuit Court of Cook County). Trial counsel for plaintiff in a suit against a financial institution in a case involving refinancing multi-million dollar commercial real estate. Obtained a summary judgment verdict before trial on all claims asserted against the defendant and recovered all damages. 
  • Bank One v. Jones Lang LaSalle. (Circuit Court of Cook County). Trial counsel for plaintiff Bank One in a suit against one of its primary real estate vendors related to alleged breaches of service and management agreements. The case settled favorably months before trial. 
  • Bank One v. Trammell Crow. (Northern District of Illinois). Trial counsel for plaintiff Bank One in a suit against one of its primary real estate vendors related to the sale/leaseback of a major piece of Bank real estate. The case settled favorably before trial. 
  • Harris Potteries v. Lippert Marketing, Ltd. (Circuit Court of Cook County). Trial counsel for plaintiff Harris Potteries in a lawsuit between a manufacturer’s representative and the manufacturer related to a sales representation agreement. 
  • Schumacher Electric v. Motorola, Inc. (Circuit Court of Cook County). Trial counsel for Motorola, Inc. in a lawsuit dealing with alleged failure of diodes used in electric battery chargers. The case settled favorably before trial. 
  • Katris v. Ernst & Company. (Northern District of Illinois and Circuit Court of Cook County). Trial counsel for Ernst & Company in a case involving alleged misappropriation of financial trading software. All claims were dismissed on summary judgment, and dismissal was affirmed on appeal. 
  • Niebur v. Town of Cicero, et al. (Northern District of Illinois). Trial counsel to several individual defendants in a two-week trial involving claims related to constitutional rights and municipal employment. Obtained a directed verdict for one defendant and a favorable settlement for the second defendant following trial. 
  • SunGard Data Systems v. WTD, Ltd. (Northern District of Illinois). Trial counsel to SunGuard Data Systems in a computer invasion and theft of trade secrets case against a group of departed former employees. The case settled favorably before trial after expedited discovery. 
  • Air Canada v. Department of Transportation. (DOT) Counsel for Dade County, Florida. Successfully defended Miami Dade County, Florida, in a $4.6 billion dollar administrative trial at the DOT, brought by six major airlines, challenging a major airport improvement project at Miami Airport. 
  • Emerald Casino Litigation. Trial counsel to Emerald Casino, a casino licensee in Illinois in state, bankruptcy, and administrative trials involving a casino gaming license.
  • In re: Resource Technology Corporation. (Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois). Trial counsel in bankruptcy case involving methane gas pollution technology. Successfully defended at trial efforts by creditors to avoid performance under a contract with Resource Technology Corporation (RTC) based on RTC’s bankruptcy. 
  • RWM v. KCI. (Western District of Texas). Trial counsel for plaintiff RWM in a three-week patent infringement trial involving medical devices. 
  • K&M Plastics et al. v. Commonwealth Edison Company. (Illinois Commerce Commission). Trial counsel for Commonwealth Edison Company in an administrative trial in the Illinois Commerce Commission involving electric utility rates to large commercial customers. The case was settled after a favorable trial verdict.
  • Midwest Realty v. Fine Homes (Circuit Court of Cook County). Trial counsel for Plaintiff in a breach of contract case involving unpaid commissions in selling a multi-million dollar home. Obtained a favorable trial verdict for the Plaintiff.