Mike is the chair of the firm’s Employee Benefits Practice Group and works closely with the Business and Labor & Employment Practice Groups. Prior to private practice, Mike spent over 20 years as in-house counsel with two nationally recognized trustees and plan recordkeepers. This experience has given him a keen understanding of where business goals and legal objectives intersect — helping him provide his clients with efficient and cost-effective solutions to even the most challenging legal matters.
Mike advises a variety of clients, including HR Professionals, business managers, trustees, custodians, third-party administrators, plan sponsors, investment advisors, and record keepers. Mike’s services include guiding business owners through their transition to ESOPs, designing and implementing executive and equity compensation programs, advising clients on the Affordable Care Act, COBRA, and HIPAA planning and compliance, navigating clients through fiduciary investment rules, and assisting businesses with the design, implementation, administration, and termination, of their employer plans.
Education
- J.D., with honors, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, 1994
- B.B.A., with highest honors, Accountancy, University of Notre Dame, 1991
Admitted to Practice
- Wisconsin State Courts (1994)
- Eastern District of Wisconsin
- Florida State Courts (1994)
Michael’s Latest Writing & Presentations
Federal Court Strikes Down 2024 Salary Level Rules
School Law FYI | 11.18.24
In April 2024, the Department of Labor issued rules (“2024 Rules”) that increased the salary level that had to be paid to executive, administrative, or professional employees so that the employees were not entitled to overtime pay under the FLSA. The 2024 Rules did not change the primary duties tests, nor did they change the salary basis test. On Friday, November 15, 2024, a federal court in Texas struck down the entirety of the 2024 Rules and ruled his decision applied nationwide.