MITCH is co-chair of the firm’s Litigation group and heads the Securities Litigation practice. He litigates and tries complex disputes, with special emphasis on securities and derivative litigation and enforcement, and corporate investigations.
Particularly successful in defending clients before juries, Mitch has won cases in federal and state courts on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants involving business disputes, including class and derivative action defense, financial market litigation and SEC enforcement actions. Also a member of our White Collar Defense and Investigations practice, Mitch has a track record of successfully representing corporations and individuals in high-stakes litigation. Mitch represented one of the nation’s largest utilities in a multimillion-dollar breach of contract dispute, achieving a settlement worth $200 million to the client. Recently, Mitch led a trial team that obtained a multimillion-dollar judgment for an international tire company. Mitch has extensive experience representing directors in shareholder derivative litigation.
Mitch is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is repeatedly included in editions of The Best Lawyers in America. He is annually recognized as one of America’s Leading Lawyers in Chambers USA, and is regularly listed in Ohio Super Lawyers. According to clients polled in Chambers, “he’s a bright and tough guy who gets straight to the point,” is known for his “incredible analytical skills” and his “thoroughly prepared and unflappable” approach in the courtroom. According to one interviewee “he has outstanding trial skills but also excels in his early assessment of cases,” which gives clients a realistic perspective of their prospects in pending litigation. Comments from clients polled in Best Lawyers include: “Mitch is a seasoned and skilled litigator, someone you wouldn’t hesitate to use on an important case. Mitch is particularly adept at explaining complex litigation to senior management.”
And “He is one of the best as far as using associates cost-effectively while still maintaining a thorough knowledge of the details of any case.” In Benchmark Litigation 2011, one client stated, “I would put Mitch against any litigator in the country.”
Active outside of the courtroom, Mitch has addressed the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Securities Law Institute, Glasser Legal Works SEC Hot Topics Institute, the Annual SEC Issues Update Seminar on enforcement topics and has spoken before numerous groups on jury trial techniques. He also has presented to the Association of Corporate Counsel and the PricewaterhouseCoopers Leadership Forum on defending class actions, corporate governance and compliance. He is a member of the Ohio Supreme Court Commission on Continuing Legal Education as well as the Federal Court ADR panel, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Mitch is president of the board of trustees of the Great Lakes Theater Festival, chair of the Governance Committee and on the Executive Committee of the executive board of the Greater Cleveland Council, Boy Scouts of America, is on the Wigs for Kids and Julie Billiart School boards of trustees, and is a member of Leadership Cleveland and Bluecoats, Inc.
Mitch joined Calfee in 1982, becoming a partner in 1990, a member of the Executive Committee in 2003, and a member of the Management Committee in 2009.