Michael J. Lotus
Mike is a member of the Illinois bar, and is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Mike received his bachelor's degree in Economics from The University of Chicago in 1985. Before attending law school, Mike held various jobs including short-order cook, and paralegal in construction litigation. He received his law degree from Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington, in 1993. Mike was on Law Journal at IU Law. He was founder and president of the Federalist Society chapter at the law school. After law school, in 1993-1994, Mike clerked for the Honorable Michael S. Kanne, of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Prior to joining F&W, Mike practiced at Chicago-based defense firms, including Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon, where Mike focused on complex commercial litigation, tort defense and medical malpractice defense. Mike subsequently became partner at Winston & Strawn, with his focus on tobacco litigation, including the largest civil trial in history, the U.S. Government's $230 billion claim against Philip Morris and other tobacco companies. Mike also worked on various commercial and health care matters while at Winston & Strawn. Mike next worked at Schiff Hardin, LLC, in the Construction Law Group, on multi-million dollar arbitrations.
Mike is active in alumni affairs of his college fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. Mike’s personal interests are reading history, particularly economic and military history. Mike is married, with five children.
mike@freedweiss.com
t: 312 220 0000
f: 312 220 7777