Appellate Litigation
Benesch’s Appellate Litigation Team buttresses the firm’s strong litigation practice and extensive subject-matter expertise.
The team serves as a resource for litigators at the trial court-level by making sure that key issues are preserved for appeal and by helping to tailor the litigators’ arguments to the broader legal themes that resonate with appellate tribunals. On appeal, the Appellate Litigation Team protects our litigators’ hard-fought victories and helps our clients correct bad decisions by trial courts, often taking over for other firms.
Benesch’s appellate litigators offer a new set of eyes and a fresh perspective on any given case, but with the same client focus and commitment to excellence that our clients know to expect from Benesch lawyers. Led by Michael Meuti, a former Sixth Circuit clerk and Ohio Deputy Solicitor, the Appellate Litigation Team is staffed with litigators from top colleges and law schools whose analytical skills match their credentials.
Experience
- Represented electric public utility in a non-time critical removal action at a 46 acre commercial site in downtown Milwaukee, WI, with legacy 19th and 20th century industrial activities, including negotiation of related administrative agreements under Section 106 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA).*
- Represented employer in successful mediation of wage and hour class action of 900+ current and former bargaining unit employees with regards to federal and state compensation claims for pre-shift and wash-up time at power plant.*
- Represented natural gas public utility in state action filed by Illinois Attorney General, Environmental Division, and related civil actions filed by private parties, with regards to unintentional release from an underground natural gas storage facility that impacted freshwater aquifer serving over 800,000 residents, including the negotiation of several Interim Orders and Final Settlement Order with administrative environmental remediation consent decree.*
- Represented natural gas utility before the Illinois Supreme Court affirming an Illinois Commerce Commission order allowing a four-year pilot program to become permanent for a volume balancing adjustment rider imposing revenue decoupling on natural gas utility customers.*
- Represented natural gas utility in breach of contract claim made by local government entity arising from the expiration of a 99 year lease and extent of environmental remediation with negotiation of new 50 year lease for natural gas pipeline.*
- Represented public utility in CERCLA contribution claims against generators and legacy property owners resulting in favorable multi-million dollar settlements.*
- Represented public utility in Qui Tam claim with regards to allegations of misleading state regulators during rate case proceedings from successful motions to dismiss through Illinois Supreme Court order affirming circuit court dismissal of the matter with prejudice.*
- Represented renewable energy developer in acquisition of 12 renewable energy projects and action for breach of MIPA by seller. Obtained favorable settlement in favor of developer.*
- Represented through successful mediation and settlement agreement a natural gas public utility in claim made by local government entity for damages related to alleged hazardous release of contaminants onto plaintiff’s property.*
