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 delved into issues of corporate governance and breaches of fiduciary duties, contract disputes, restrictive covenants, terminations of business relationships, product liability, mass torts, theft of trade secrets and IP infringement.

In addition to his experience in state and federal court 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

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.

Sam has taken the lead on numerous complex commercial disputes, often settling them to his client's satisfaction.

He successfully obtained an injunction on behalf of A Place For Mom Inc. to enforce a noncompete agreement against a former employee and her competing business.

He helped a client bring an action for fraudulent transfers and ongoing criminal activity against a borrower and his accomplices in an international scheme to hide and conceal assets from creditors.

News & Insights

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

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

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