MICHAEL S. SHAPIRO

Michael Shapiro joined Scandaglia Ryan LLP in 2011. Prior to joining the firm, he practiced at SmithAmundsen LLC, as a member of the Commercial Litigation and Aerospace practice groups, and at Foley & Lardner, as a member of the Commercial Litigation and Appellate practice groups. He also served as a law clerk for Judge Matthew F. Kennelly, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Mr. Shapiro has extensive experience representing clients in matters involving commercial litigation, the False Claims Act, complex torts, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties, restrictive covenants, employment disputes, declaratory judgments, shareholder disputes, and internal investigations.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Won reversal of a judgment exceeding $10 million in a False Claims Act case brought by the federal government. Mr. Shapiro was lead counsel in the appeal, arguing that the standard for causation of damages used by the government was contrary to the requirements of the False Claims Act. The appellate court agreed, vacating the judgment against SR's client and reversing its own twenty-five-year-old precedent. Mr. Shapiro successfully persuaded the Seventh Circuit to replace but for causation with proximate causation in False Claims Act cases. United States v. Luce, 873 F.3d 999 (7th Cir. 2017).
• Won over $17 million for clients following a federal jury trial on claims for tortious interference with contract, civil conspiracy, and unjust enrichment arising out of a security interest. The verdict was affirmed on appeal. Sirazi v. General Mediterranean Holding, SA, 826 F.3d 920 (7th Cir. 2016).
• Successfully obtained sentence of probation on behalf of an individual who pleaded guilty to tax charges related to over $100 million in an undeclared Swiss bank account. The sentence was affirmed following an appeal by the federal government. United States v. Warner, 792 F.3d 847 (7th Cir. 2015).
• Conducted a corporate internal investigation resulting in a judgment against an accounting manager who stole over $800,000. The case also resulted in a criminal investigation and conviction.
• Secured a statutory pre-judgment attachment of a bank account and won summary judgment on a $20 million breach of contract action on behalf of a bank defrauded by a commercial borrower. The case also resulted in a criminal investigation and conviction.
• Secured insurance coverage on behalf of a property owner who incurred hundreds of thousands of dollars of water damage to his home. Coverage was initially questioned by the insurance company, but the insurer ultimately decided to cover the claim without the necessity of filing a lawsuit.
• Successful declaratory judgment action regarding insurance coverage for a six-fatality airplane crash.
• Secured a reversal of order of removal by the Board of Immigration Appeals on behalf of HIV-positive individual facing deportation to Nigeria. Bosede v. Mukasey, 512 F.3d 946 (7th Cir. 2008).
• Won reversal of an operations discontinuation fine imposed by an administrative agency based on a statutory construction argument.
• Successfully defended against a motion for a temporary restraining order to enjoin a $40 million stock sale.
• Defended a petroleum company in a suit asserting claims for negligence, nuisance, trespass, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, and punitive damages arising out of alleged oil contamination in a rural town.
• Monitored ongoing litigation on behalf of commercial real estate purchaser to ensure the seller properly defended and indemnified retained liabilities.
• Secured successful settlements, both early in litigation and pre-suit, on behalf of multiple clients for violations of non-competition agreements.
• Obtained judgments in numerous breach of commercial contract cases on behalf of electricity supply company.

Selected Publications and Speaking Engagements

• "Temporary Restraining Orders and Preliminary Injunctions," Chapter 9, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Business & Commercial Litigation, 2012 & 2015 editions, Contributor.
• Instructor for the Chicago Bar Association's Trial Skills Program, 2013-present.

Admissions, Affiliations and Honors

• Federal Bars: Seventh Circuit, Northern District of Illinois (trial bar) and Central District of Illinois
• State Bars: Illinois
• Chicago Bar Association (member of the Judicial Evaluation Committee)

Education

• Chicago-Kent College of Law
  
  • Juris Doctor, high honors, 2003
  • Order of the Coif
  • Editor-in-Chief, Chicago-Kent Law Review
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  
  • Bachelor of Science, Finance, 2000