Jenner & Block has announced that litigator Michael J. Nelson has joined the firm as a partner in its Chicago office. His practice focuses on complex commercial and complex tort litigation, with an emphasis on sports, energy and environmental disputes. Nelson will be a member of the firm’s Complex Commercial Litigation Practice.
“Michael’s experience is a strong fit with our clients’ complex commercial litigation needs, and he will immediately add value to our practice,” said Craig C. Martin, chair of Jenner & Block’s Litigation Department. “We’re especially pleased that Michael will be able to add depth of experience to our strong and growing practices in environmental, sports and energy law.”
An experienced litigator, Nelson has successfully litigated high-stakes and enterprise-threatening matters across the United States. For example, in the sports arena, he has represented sports clients at the professional, collegiate and high school levels in concussion, contract, name-image-likeness, licensing, antitrust, TV rights fees and apparel disputes. His diverse experience includes the high-profile Reggie White and American Needle football cases. Notably, he helped his client win the landmark dismissal of the first putative concussion class action in the nation against a statewide high school athletic association, according to the firm.
“Jenner & Block’s reputation as a premier trial firm and a leader in complex commercial litigation, along with its values of professional excellence and public service, make it the right firm for me to further develop my practice,” said Nelson. “I look forward to working with the firm’s highly regarded lawyers across practices and helping clients with their most complex and highest risk disputes.”
Nelson previously practiced in the Chicago and Houston offices of Latham & Watkins. Before joining Latham, he served as a law clerk to the Hon. Daniel Manion of the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the Hon. Paul Gadola of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Among other activities, he serves on Law360’s Sports Editorial Advisory Board and on the board of Trinity High School in River Forest, IL. He has represented a variety of pro bono clients in nonprofit, criminal, civil rights and immigration matters.
