Services
Industries
Education
University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1982
Richard Stockton State College, B.A. 1974
Bar Admissions
- Michigan
Michael Coakley represents and counsels businesses in complex domestic and international litigation, including data breach prevention, response and class action defense, business torts, intellectual property, financial services in both banking and securities, and constitutional law, focusing on the First Amendment and defamation. His business litigation also includes contracts, insurance, unfair competition, non-competes and trade secrets.
He has maintained a trademark litigation practice, primarily in the enforcement/protection of trademark owners' rights, including anti-counterfeit actions. His trademark/brand clients have included major brand luxury goods, a Big Three auto manufacturer, a famous brand food manufacturer, a Major League Baseball team and a related licensing agency, and professional regional and national league organizations, a National Hockey League team, a National Basketball Association team, a famous brand cleaning products companies, an international retail company, national banks, and a major brand grooming products company.
Mike has extensive arbitration experience in commercial matters, including complex commercial arbitration. He has developed a deep understanding of the financial services industry, its laws, regulations and standards of practice. He has served as an arbitrator for FINRA, the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the International Center for Dispute Resolution. He is also qualified to serve as an injunction arbitrator — a special designation — for FINRA (then NASD) to handle emergency relief hearings in broker departure cases. He has trained arbitrators for these organizations and served on the AAA Council for Complex Commercial Cases, an advisory board of the AAA for the establishment of the rules and procedures to be used in complex commercial arbitrations.
He is the immediate past leader of Miller Canfield's nationally recognized Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice group and is president and a master of the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Inns of Court.
Representative Matters
One of Mike’s clients faced a rash of limited partnership investment cases filed in a Michigan court. Although his team developed factual and legal defenses to the claims, the client initially sought to settle the few cases it had because the cost to litigate would outweigh the benefit of winning on the merits. The early settlements only fueled the fire though, resulting in many new cases being filed. So Mike and his team sat down with the client and developed a strategy to vigorously defend the claims that started pouring in. This strategy yielded 15 summary judgments, several of which were upheld on appeal, including a seminal opinion of the Michigan Court of Appeals. Today, that opinion is still relied on by lawyers, courts and arbitrators for the efficacy of disclosure documents in securities cases. Mike was the principal architect of the strategy and lead lawyer carrying it out.
Defended data processing subsidiary of Fortune 500 technology company in a data breach matter which we resolved out of court pre-litigation. Currently defending proposed class action in federal court against data service provider arising out of a data breach event.
Successfully defended law school in a consumer protection and fraud class action filed in federal court alleging the school misrepresented job placement and salary data to prospective students. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan dismissed the lawsuit for failure to state a claim. The Sixth Circuit agreed and affirmed.
Honors
Best Lawyers in America, Arbitration, 2022-present; Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation; Regulatory Enforcement Litigation (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Securities Litigation, 2011-present; Detroit Intellectual Property Litigation Lawyer of the Year, 2022; Detroit Securities Litigation Lawyer of the Year, 2013
Michigan Super Lawyers, Securities Litigation, 2007-present
City of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Recognized for many years of volunteer service on Zoning Board of Appeals
DBusiness, Top Lawyers, Securities Law, 2011-present
Leading Lawyers, Commercial Litigation, ADR Law: Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property Law, 2014-present
Professional Activities
American Bar Association
State Bar of Michigan
ADR Section Council Member; Chairman, 1998; Chairman-elect, 1997-98; Secretary, 1996-97; Treasurer, 1995-96
Commercial Litigation Committee
Chairman, Commercial Litigation Subcommittee on programs
Uniform Commercial Code Committee
Master Lawyers Section
Federal Bar Association
Bicentennial Constitutional Celebration Committee, 1988-90
Contributor, Eastern District of Michigan Practice Manual, 1991
Programs Committee, 1991
Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, Circuit Court Committee, 1990
Oakland County Bar Association
Young Lawyers' Committee, 1983-87, Chairman, 1986-87
Federal Court Committee, 1987-89
Speaker Committee, 1987-89
Membership Committee, 1987-89; Vice-chairman, 1988-89
Oakland County Circuit and District Courts, Case Evaluator
Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association
Arbitrator, New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (now FINRA)
Arbitrator, National Association of Securities Dealers (now FINRA)
American Arbitration Association, Member, AAA Securities Advisory Counsel, 1996; Member, Large Complex Case Program Council
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., Arbitrator Training Instructor
Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
Wayne County Circuit Court, Case Evaluator
New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Arbitrator Training Instructor
International Trademark Association, Member
International Bar Association, Member
Civic, Cultural & Social Activities
City of Bloomfield Hills, Commissioner 2013-present; Mayor Pro Tem, 2015-2016 term; Chairman, Zoning Board of Appeals, May 2007-present; Member, Zoning Board of Appeals
Detroit Athletic Club, Member
Detroit Economic Club, Member
Old Newsboys' Goodfellows Fund of Detroit, Member since 1987
Purchasing Committee, 1989-present
Board of Directors, 1991-present
Second Vice-President, 2009
President, 2011
Rudgate Associates, Inc. (Homeowners' Association of Bloomfield Hills)
President, 1995-96
Former Member, Board of Directors
Teaching
American Arbitration Association
American Inns of Court — Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, 2013-present Master; President, 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 terms
A Full View of the Securities Industry
Commercial-Construction Arbitrators' Training Program
Arbitration Day-Securities Presentation
Securities Conference Orientation-Seminar
Large Complex Case Arbitrator Training
Securities Arbitrator Development Program
University of Michigan Law School, Moot Court Judge
Wayne State Law School
Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association
Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Ninth Annual Midwest Securities Law Institute
The Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Faculty Member
Trial Advocacy Workshop, Faculty Member, 1999
Speeches
Volunteer Presenter, "Professionalism in Action Program," State Bar of Michigan and University of Michigan Law School, Jan. 27, 2017
"Plain English requirements for Form ADV Part 2," Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation, Investment Adviser Seminar on Dodd-Frank and the new Form ADV, Lansing, Michigan, Nov. 9, 2010
Publications
"Business Torts, A Fifty State Guide — 2016 Edition," (Editor-Michigan), Wolters Kluwer, 2016
"Business Torts, A Fifty State Guide — 2015 Edition," (Editor-Michigan), Wolters Kluwer, 2015
"Business Torts, A Fifty State Guide — 2014 Edition," (Editor-Michigan), Wolters Kluwer, 2014
"The New Form ADV Part 2 and the 'Plain English' Movement of the SEC, FINRA, and Michigan's OFIR," (Co-Author), Michigan Business Law Journal, State Bar of Michigan, Spring 2011
"There are 'Answers' to be Found via Foreign Anti-Suit Injunctions," Michigan Lawyers Weekly, October 17, 2011
"Trend for trademark disputes is to go through ADR," (Co-author), Michigan Lawyers Weekly, February 8, 2011
"De-mystifying Securities ADR: Reform and Resurgence after McMahon," (Co-author Mary A. Bedikian), Michigan Bar Journal, February 1994, Vol. 76, No. 2
Michigan Pleading and Practice--ADR, Vol. 8A (Lawyers Cooperative Publishing, 2d Ed., 1994
Events
- Understanding Your Options for Raising Capital in Michigan -
