Practice Areas:

Michael A. Rollin

Associate

I represent companies, usually as plaintiffs, in complex commercial litigation.  My clients include some of the most sophisticated business people and in-house lawyers in the world, who rightfully see litigation as a means to advance their business goals.  This is especially true when competitors cross the line that separates fair and unfair competition or when one-time business partners fail to uphold their end of the bargains they strike.  In both contexts, I’ve been asked to prosecute broad litigation offensives; that is, serial litigation on behalf of one client against multiple industry participants.  In one such case, I represent a Wall Street investment bank over issues at the heart of the crisis in the mortgage industry, namely, counterparties’ sale of defective mortgage loans on the secondary market; in another, one of the world’s largest financial institutions in unfair competition litigation, usually involving the theft of intellectual property.  As a result of these industry-wide offensives, I practice in state and federal courts around the country and work out of offices in both Denver and Los Angeles.

In the course of fending off unfair competition, especially from our clients’ former employees who misappropriate proprietary business information and pass it on to competitors, I have developed a significant injunction practice.  I think this is an area that lawyers tend to shy away from—the pre-filing ramp-up is rigorous and the burdens are high. But injunctions present clients with valuable and often overlooked opportunities to strike quickly and keep their opponents on their heels.  Forcing a defendant to take a position early in the case, before they’ve had months and months to think up a defense, can reap real rewards later. 

I also work hard to maintain an active and eclectic pro bono practice.  I took on a Colorado school district that refused to extend equal speech and association rights to a Gay/Straight Alliance student club.  The suit resulted in a consent decree ensuring the GSA’s right to exist and fully participate in student life.  I’ve also done some privacy rights-related work, and most recently represented an Eritrean torture victim in a bid for asylum in the United States.

Before and during law school I was a cop and have worked patrol, traffic, and the crime scene investigations unit.  I earned my bachelor’s degree at the University of Colorado-Denver where I majored in Political Science and graduated summa cum laude.  My law degree is from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.  In law school, I was an editor of the Denver Journal of International Law and Policy and a member of the federal appellate clinic, which provided me the unique opportunity to argue before the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.  I graduated first in my class and earned a number of academic awards.  I began my law practice with Arnold & Porter LLP, a very fine international firm.  I found my home, however, here at Reilly Pozner.

 

Education

  • J.D., University of Denver College of Law, 2003
  • B.A., University of Colorado at Denver, 2000

Admitted to the Following State and Federal Bars:

State

  • Colorado
  • California

Federal District Courts

  • Colorado
  • California (all districts)
  • Florida (Northern District)

Federal Appellate Courts

  • Third Circuit
  • Ninth Circuit
  • Eleventh Circuit

Practiced Pro Hac Vice in State and Federal Courts in the Following States:

  • Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Texas