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Michael focuses on intellectual property litigation and appellate-level disputes, representing clients in federal courts and agencies throughout the United States and in state court in Minnesota. He is involved in all aspects of complex intellectual property cases, from investigation and preparation of the complaint through trial, post-trial, and appeal.

Michael’s practice centers on patent infringement, trademark and trade dress infringement, unfair competition claims, and trade secret misappropriation. He has a technical background in chemistry and has represented clients in a wide variety of fields, including chemical technologies, consumer products, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and software.

Outside the firm, Michael volunteers for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, providing pro bono assistance in administrative law matters. He is a former adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, where he taught intellectual property appellate advocacy.

While in law school, Michael served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Kermit E. Bye on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. He received the A. Harold Weber Award for outstanding achievement in the art of oral argument and was a member of the Notre Dame New York Bar Appellate Moot Court Team.

  • University of Notre Dame Law School, J.D., 2012,

    cum laude

  • Concordia College, B.A. Chemistry and Philosophy, 2009,

    summa cum laude

  • Minnesota State Bar, 2012
  • U.S. District Court - District of Minnesota, 2013
  • U.S Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 2013
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 2021

Federal Circuit Bar Association
Minnesota State Bar Association
The Honorable Jimmie V. Reyna Intellectual Property American Inn of Court
Founding Member
Omicron Delta Kappa

Selected as by Best Lawyers in America: One to Watch, 2021-2023
Selected for inclusion in Minnesota Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2018-2020
A. Harold Weber Moot Court Award
Dean’s Award: Social, Political, and Legal Thought of Shakespeare

Publications & Speaking Engagements

TC Heartland LLC v. Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC: Domestic Corporate Residence for Purposes of Patent Venue, Merchant & Gould white paper, May 2017

Speaker, Perspectives on Federal Trade Secret Law: Impact of the DTSA on Your Company, Merchant & Gould CLE, June 8, 2016

Supreme Court restores old induced patent infringement standard requiring a single direct infringer: the court’s decision in Limelight Neworks, Inc. v. Akamai Technologies, Inc., Lexology, June 18, 2014

Supreme Court restores old induced patent infringement standard requiring a single direct infringer: the court’s decision in Limelight Neworks, Inc. v. Akamai Technologies, Inc., M&G Edge, June 2014

Pending Cases May Change Patent Landscape, Law Week Colorado, June 2, 2014

Minnesota Settlement Stifles Patent Troll’s Licensing Attempts, Lexology, co-authored with William D. Schultz, September 17, 2013

Bowman v. Monsanto Co.: Patent Exhaustion Does Not Permit Replication of Seeds, M&G Edge, May 2013

Quoted

Lawyers Weigh In On High Court’s Induced Infringement, Law 360, June 2, 2014

Lawyers Weigh In On High Court’s Patent Indefiniteness Ruling, Law 360, June 2, 2014

Mentions

Law360’s Weekly Verdict: Legal Lions & Lambs, Law360, Feb. 4, 2016

Fed. Circ. Affirms $14M Rudolph Semiconductor Patent Award, Law360, Feb. 3, 2016

Fed. Circ. Probes Scope Of $14M Infringement Verdict Appeal, Law360, Feb. 1, 2016

Judicial Extern to the Honorable Kermit E. Bye, United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Minnesota Law School
Instructor of the Intellectual Property Moot Court Class, 2014-2016
Coach of the Giles Rich Moot Court Team, 2014-2016