Thomas G. McNeill

Tried 34 cases to verdict or award, compiling a record of 33-1.

Represented defendants in more than 30 securities and ERISA class actions, including recent cases involving Ford Motor Company, Collins & Aikman, Hayes-Lemmerz International, Lear, Visteon, Paychex, Reddy Ice, FMF Capital and Mackinac Financial.

Represented companies and individuals in SEC investigations and enforcement actions.

Represented private equity interests in litigation and arbitration stemming from the purchase or sale of portfolio companies.

Represented accounting firms for more than twenty years, including in the cases that established Michigan Supreme Court precedent for the proper statute of limitations and the limited standing of creditors to sue their debtor’s accountants.

Defended banking, lending and investment institutions and firms against a wide range of customer contract and tort claims frequently seeking seven, eight and nine figure damages.

Represented actuarial firm in defense of putative professional negligence claims.

Represented Fortune 1000, middle market and closely held companies in a wide range of business tort matters, including theft of trade secrets and violations of covenants not to compete and covenants not to solicit customers or employees.

Defended a variety of companies against consumer protection class action claims.

Represented The Coca-Cola Company and subsidiary (Energy Brands, Inc.) in termination of the exclusive distributor of VitaminWater™ in Southeast Michigan.

Represented investment group in challenge to the acquisition of a casino.

Represented a major insurance company in $100 million coverage dispute under a fidelity/employee dishonesty policy.

Spearheaded the litigation eliminating a twenty year land use restriction, clearing the way for the Star Southfield Movie Theater Complex and a Lexus car dealership.

Represented international CPA firm that certified the results of the “McMillions” TV promotional game.

Represented the National Hockey League in cases involving defecting Russian hockey players.

Represented Major League Baseball with respect to litigation avoidance and legal compliance matters associated with the All Star Game hosted in Detroit.

Represented Motown Music and Berry Gordy against royalty claims asserted by the famed song writing trio of Holland, Dozier & Holland.

Prevailed at arbitration for FTD Association against the acquirer of its wholesale operations in a “bet the company” case concerning ownership and control of all FTD trademarks. 

REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS

• Alix Partners
• BDO Seidman LLC
• The Coca-Cola Company
• Crowe Horwath LLP
• Ernst & Young
• Heartland Industrial Partners, LP
• JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA
• McDonald's Corp.
• Michigan State University Foundation
• Northern Trust Corp.
• Towers Watson
• The Scott's Miracle Grow Company

REPRESENTATIVE MIDDLE MARKET CLIENTS

• E&E Manufacturing
• Premio Foods
• MAG Industrial Automation Systems
• Peninsula Capital Partners
• Wind Point Partners
• Wolverine Energy

• Federal Bar Association, Eastern District of Michigan Chapter, President-elect and Board Member, 2011-2012
• Federal Bar Association (the national organization), Federal Litigation Section, Board Member
• State Bar of Michigan Foundation, Fellow (Top 5% of the profession in the State)
• Merit Selection Panel for Eastern District of Michigan Magistrate Judge Position (2011), Chairman
• Appellate Defender Commission, Member, 2011-2015, Nominated by Michigan Supreme Court, Appointed by Governor Rick Snyder

• Michigan Business Torts, Pappas, Quick and McNeill (ICLE 2003, 2007 and 2009), the State’s seminal text in the field
• "Cross Examining Financial Experts in Bankruptcy Court" (October, 2011), sponsored by the Federal Bar Association (E.D. Mich.)
• “The Definitive Non-Compete Agreement” (January, 2011), sponsored by ICLE
• “Pre-filing Pitfalls, Initial Disclosure and Discovery” (December, 2009, 2010 and 2011), sponsored by the Federal Bar Association (E.D. Mich.)
• “Financial Litigation in Federal Court” (February, 2008), sponsored by the Federal Bar Association (E.D. Mich.)
  “Electronic Discovery: Legal and Technical Issues for Today’s Trial Lawyer” (February, 2006), sponsored by the Federal bar Association (W.D. Mich.)
• “Litigating Non-Competition Agreements” (August, 2003), ICLE’s Masters of Litigation Series
• “Managing Pretrial Discovery of Electronic Data” (July, 2001), ICLE’s Masters of Litigation Series

• Bracewell & Giuliani
• Cahill Gordon & Reindel
• Davis, Polk & Wardell
• DLA Piper
• Groom Law Group
• Hunton & Williams
• Kaye Scholer
• Latham & Watkins
• Mayer Brown
• Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp
• Proskauer Rose
• Shearman & Sterling
• Skadden, Arps, Meagher & Flom
• Steptoe & Johnson
• Willkie, Farr & Gallagher
• Winston & Strawn