Samuel L. Blatnick

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 judgement on his clients' counterclaims. He then preserved that verdict on appeal, and represented his clients 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 served as lead counsel and successfully defended shareholders and a sister corporation in claims seeking to pierce the corporate veil to hold them liable for judgments obtained against an insolvent company, and he also successfully defended the sister corporation in parallel litigation seeking to hold it liable for mechanics liens against the insolvent company.

He served as lead counsel and successfully obtained a confidential settlement for an equipment supplier in an action for unlawful termination against its principal supplier.

He served as lead counsel and 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.

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

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