Mike is the founding member of Roche Law Group.  Mike’s practice primarily consists of restrictive covenant and trade secret counseling and litigation, representing one of the world's largest financial services firms in state and federal courts and FINRA arbitrations throughout the country.  Mike regularly advises professionals, executives and financial advisors on the “do’s and don’ts” of their transitions, and has counseled companies on how to enforce restrictive covenants and confidentiality provisions when key employees and officers transition between competitors.   

Mike is routinely involved in complex commercial litigation, serving as trial counsel for corporations in breach of contract, fraud, employment, and banking litigation matters.  Mike has represented UBS Financial Services Inc,. Navistar Inc., Navistar Financial Corporation, Recycled Paper Greetings, Inc., and Hollister Incorporated.  

Mike has also represented corporations in over 50 asset recovery lawsuits throughout the United States over the past five years.  A few years ago, a Fortune 500 company selected Mike to develop a national asset recovery program for a portfolio of loans that were in default.  As a result of this ongoing representation, Mike has developed a deep reservoir of expertise concerning asset recovery law, and has created a network of qualified local counsel.  

Finally, Mike also serves as outside general counsel for several corporations, such as Spikeball, providing employment law counseling, contract review and contract negotiation.  He has successfully negotiated contracts with Amazon, ESPN, Walmart and other major US corporations on behalf of his clients.    

In October 2014, Mike was named to the Chicago Law Bulletin’s “Forty Under 40” attorney list recognizing Illinois’ top up-and-coming lawyers.  In 2020, Super Lawyers magazine selected Mike as a Top Rated Business Litigation Attorney.  He is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago.

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RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS:

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• Lead member of trial team that represented UBS Financial Services Inc. in a four week arbitration against Wells Fargo Financial Advisors, LLC involving claims of trade secret misappropriation, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty.  The arbitration panel rendered a $1,100,000.00 award in favor of UBS.  The Panel’s decision made national headlines, including articles in the Wall Street Journal and Law 360.  It is the 4th highest FINRA award out of 99 trade secret cases in the last five years, and the 8th largest FINRA award out of 215 trade secret cases in the last ten years. UBS Financial Services Inc. v. Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, et al., FINRA Case No. 12-00554.

• Transitioned without litigation the entire Chicago leasing department of Cushman & Wakefield to its main competitor, CBRE.  The team was comprised of nine commercial real estate brokers and three assistants, and covered in Crain’s Chicago Business.

• Obtained summary judgment in federal court on behalf of Illinois’ largest community college, which was accused of misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of contract related to the development of a surgical assistant program. American Center for Excellence in Surgical Assisting, Inc. v. College of DuPage, et al., Case No. 1:15-cv-07290. 

• Secured federal court judgment in the amount of $4,300,000.00 on behalf of a bank for defaults under various promissory notes.  United Central Bank v. Saad Sindhu, Case No. 1:10-cv-02878. 

• 13-1 record in asset recovery cases that went to trial before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, representing in excess of $2,000,000.00 in damages.

• Member of the trial team that represented RPG Investment Holdings, LLC, the controlling shareholder of Recycled Paper Greetings, in a breach of contract action against American Greetings.  After a year and half of protracted litigation, the parties entered into a settlement agreement.  In an SEC filing made after the settlement, American Greetings disclosed that the parties settled the matter with American Greetings agreeing to pay $24,000.000.00 to RPG Investment Holdings, LLC. RPG Investment Holdings, LLC, et al. v. American Greetings Corp., Case No. 1:08-cv-04422 (N.D. Ill. 2010).    

• Successfully prosecuted a commercial mortgage foreclosure action on behalf of First National Bank of Naperville against 17 separate borrowers.  This action involved first litigating the validity of several million dollars in mechanics' lien claims that were recorded against 42 acres of land valued at one time at $25,000,000.00 dollars, and then foreclosing seven separate mortgages. First National Bank of Naperville v. Physician’s Owned LLC, et al. Case No. 06-CH-486 (Ill. Cir. Ct. 2009).

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 IN THE COMMUNITY:

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• Member- Economic Club of Chicago

• Coordinate and deliver meals to the homeless living on Lower Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago every Thursday night.

• Volunteer Football Coach – Evanston Catholic, Skokie, Evanston, Park Ridge and Morton Grove Park Districts 

• Volunteer Baseball Coach - Skokie Park District