Sam enjoys the intensity of competition and the opportunity to advise clients during challenging times.
Overview
Sam's clients value his commercial litigation and white-collar defense experience. He has advised and represented clients in matters involving corporate governance and breaches of fiduciary duties, fraudulent transfers and ongoing unlawful conduct, contract disputes, restrictive covenants, terminations of business relationships, theft of trade secrets and IP infringement, and mass torts and products liability.
In addition to his experience nationwide in state and federal courts and with domestic and international arbitrations, he has represented creditors in bankruptcy and non-bankruptcy collection efforts. Prior to entering private practice, Sam worked as a tax consultant for Ernst & Young.
Experience
Sam has taken the lead on numerous complex commercial disputes, serving as lead counsel in several trials.
He served as lead trial counsel for Iowa Plains Farms and its principals to defeat claims that they bribed a cooperative employee to receive millions of dollars of improper discounts. The five-week jury trial resulted in a complete defense verdict and award of $576,189 on counterclaims. He then represented Iowa Plains Farm in litigation as plaintiffs against the same cooperative, fifteen of its officers and directors, and outside auditors for claims of breaches of fiduciary duties, fraud, civil RICO and related claims, resulting in confidential settlements.
He successfully represented a judgment creditor in an action for fraudulent transfers and civil RICO against a borrower and his accomplices in an international scheme to hide and conceal assets from creditors.
He successfully obtained an injunction on behalf of A Place For Mom Inc. to enforce a non-compete agreement against a former employee and her competing business.
News & Insights
News
Publications
"The Best Defense is a Good Offense: Using RICO to Fight Toxic Tort Abuse," IADC Committee Newsletter, October 2016
"Breaking Up Is Hard(er) to Do: Priority for Payment of Break-up Fees Post CXM," American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, September 2004
"Down, But Not Out: The Status of Critical-vendor Payments Post-Kmart," American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, June 2004
Recognitions
Recognitions
Excel Award, Illinois CPA Society, 1998
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
- Kansas
- Missouri
- Iowa
- Illinois
- New York
Education
University of Chicago Law School, J.D., with honors, 2002
Georgetown University, B.S., magna cum laude, 1998
