Michael concentrates his practice in the areas of catastrophic auto, construction and premises injuries, medical and dental malpractice, nursing home negligence, workers compensation, civil rights 1983 actions, class actions, mass tort pharmaceutical litigation, and appellate practice. Michael has recovered millions of dollars for clients who have suffered injuries or wrongful death. He has extensive experience representing clients with post-traumatic fibromyalgia and has lectured and appeared on television to discuss this highly contested injury. He was the first attorney in Illinois to successfully recover a duty disability award for a police officer suffering from post-traumatic fibromyalgia.
He is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, American Association for Justice, Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, Northwest Suburban Bar Association and Decalogue Society of Lawyers. He is Treasurer for the NWSBA. In addition he is co-chairman for the NWSBA Civil Litigation committee, and keeps the NWSBA members up to date on the latest laws, cases, ethical issues and trial technique. He is also on the 7th Circuit E-Discovery Pilot Program which is at the forefront of rule changes throughout the country on electronic discovery. Michael is also the co-chair for Decalogue Society of Lawyers' Committee Against Anti-Semitism.
Michael performs judicial screenings for the NWSBA and Illinois State Bar and Decalogue to determine Judges’ fitness for retention or appointment. He is a Court appointed Arbitrator in Cook and Lake Counties and volunteers to judge high school and law school trial advocacy and moot court competitions.
Education:
- I.I.T. Chicago Kent, College of Law J.D. 1996
- Winner of Constitutional Law American Jurisprudence Award
- Kent College of Law Environmental and Energy Law Certificate
- Dean's List
- Winner of the H. Edsall Olson Scholarship (1995)
- Ramsey-Burke Scholarship (1996)
- Member of Environmental and International Law Societies
- Co Chair — International Law Economics minor Career Day
- State University of New York at Binghamton, New York
- BA (May 1993) Environmental Studies minor Economics
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice:
- State of Illinois, 1996;
- United States N.D. of Illinois, 1996;
- United States N.D. of Illinois Trial Bar, 2011;
- DC Court of Appeals, 1997-2013;
- Supreme Court of United States, 2001;
- Arbitrator Chair for Mandatory Arbitration Program of Cook County, 2007-present;
- Supreme Court of Illinois, 2007;
- Fred Lane Trial Technique Certificate, 6/10/03
Northwest Suburban Bar Association Positions:
- Northwest Bar Association (2000 to present)
- Executive Committee (2013-present)
- Secretary (2013-2015)
- Treasurer (2015-present)
- Board of Governors (2008 to present)
- Judicial Evaluation Committee (2002 to present)
- Chair of Investigating Online CLE Seminars (2014-present)
- Civil Litigation Committee Chairperson (2007-present)
- Dinner Meeting Chairperson (2010 to 2014)
- Advertising and Sponsorship Committee (2013-2014)
Decalogue Society Positions:
- Decalogue Society (2007 to present)
- Board of Governors (2013-present)
- Judicial Evaluation Committee (2007 to present)
- Law Student/New Attorney Mentor (2013-present)
- Co-chair Committee Against Anti-Semitism (2014-present)
Other Bar Association Positions/Affiliations:
- 7th Circuit E-Discovery Pilot Program (2011-Present)
- Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (1997 to present)
- American Association for Justice (AAJ) (1997 to present)
- Baycol Litigation Group (2006-2008)
- Darvon/Darvocet Litigation Group (2011 to 2014)
- Motor Vehicle, Highway & Premises Liability Section, (2013-Present)
- Illinois State Bar Association (1997 to present)
- Chicago Bar Association — (1997 to present)
- DC Bar (1997 to 2014)
- Workers Compensation Lawyers Association (2011 to present)
- Alliance of Bar Associations For Judicial Screening (2008 to present)
Presentations:
- The Significance of Waldorf Corp. v. Industrial Comm '77, National Fibromyalgia Day, Chicago, Ill (May 1999)
- FOX 32, Chicago "This Week" with Wanda Wells, Legal Issues facing Fibromyalgia Patients, (11/26/00)
- Proving fibromyalgia in personal injury and workers compensation cases, Chicago, Ill, (May, 2005)
- Moderator — legal seminar — Fibromyalgia in Social Security Disability, Insurance disability and civil rights matters, Matteson, Ill (May 2007)
- CLE presentation, NWSBA mega CLE, (6/14/08)
- Medicare Set Asides on Liability Cases, NWSBA, (10/11/11)
- Attorney Client Privilege & the Control Group, NWSBA (4/22/13)
- Liability Medicare Set Asides: Perspective From Plaintiff & Defense Bar, ISBA webcast, (6/13/13)
- Moderator - Know Your Rights, Decalogue (9/8/15)
- Moderator – Fraudulent Transfers in Personal Injury Cases, NWSBA (11/11/15)
Publications:
- Environmental Impact Statement for the Broome County Economic and Planning Department, Binghamton, NY (published in the 1993 NY Job Bond Act)
- "Request to Admit and Vision Point," NWSBA Civil Litigation Meeting, February 12, 2008
- "Injury Biomechanics, Proving or Refuting How Injuries Occur," summary NWSBA Newsbriefs, October 2009
- Status on e-discovery in Federal and State Court, NWSBA Newsbriefs, September, 2010
Activities and Interests:
- Binghamton Rugby Team (1990-93)
- Basketball Referee, Special Olympics (1991-1992)
- Volunteer Judge for Mediation program, John Marshall Law School, (10/26/2007)
- Founding Member and legal advisor, Fibromyalgia Association Created for Education and Self Help, Inc., a non-for profit 501(c)(3) organization (1998-2007)
- Co-Chair of Maccabee Legal Clinic for Beth Tikvah Congregation:
- Helped institute pro bono legal assistant program for those in need (2012-2014)
- Co-Chair Retention Committee, Beth Tikvah Congregation (2011-2013)
- Soccer Coach:
- Buehler YMCA (2006-2007)
- Inverness Soccer Club (2007-2008)
- Barrington Area Soccer Association (2009-present)
- Chai Lifeline Marathon Runner - Raising Funds For Children with Life Threatening Diseases (2013)
- Family: Wife: Rebecca Rothmann - partner Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker
- Children: Carolyn, Ben, Elizabeth, and Beverly
