Mike Martinez is a litigator and trial attorney whose practice is concentrated in the defense of product liability, premises liability and occupational injury disease claims, with an emphasis on asbestos litigation. He is licensed to practice law in the state courts of Illinois, Indiana and Missouri, and has over a decade of experience in all phases of asbestos trial practice, including devising legal strategy and pursuing innovative legal defenses in various jurisdictions nationwide; uncovering undisclosed alternate exposure history; preparing corporate witnesses for deposition; arguing dispositive and pretrial motions; serving as national coordinating counsel; and defending his clients' interests at trial.

Mike also has extensive appellate experience, having served as lead appellate counsel for asbestos defendants in the Indiana Supreme Court and Illinois’ Fourth District Court of Appeals, and prevailing before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in defense of a national telemarketing firm accused of violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. He has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Illinois Super Lawyers magazine for 2017 -2023 and was a featured speaker at the 2017 and 2019 Annual Conference of the National Forum for Environmental & Toxic Tort Issues (FETTI) on topics relating to premises and employer liability for occupational disease injury claims.

Before concentrating his practice in asbestos litigation, Mike defended contractors, engineers, premises owners, manufacturers, distributors and insurance companies in construction defect, premises and product liability claims. Mike has also represented victims of employment harassment and discrimination, including prevailing in federal court on a contested claim of racially discriminatory pay disparity on behalf of an indigent client who had initially filed pro se against a major university represented by an Amlaw 200 law firm.

A local of the Chicago area, Mike is passionate about giving back to his community.  He is a member of the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois and participates in its JD Mentors program, maintaining long-term mentorship relationships with newer attorneys of diverse backgrounds.   He previously served as a court appointed special advocate for children in the child welfare system and regularly donates to various youth-based community groups in Chicago.  When he is not practicing law, Mike enjoys spending time with his family, riding bikes, playing pickup basketball and listening to live music.

Education

J.D., Northern Illinois University College of Law

B.A., University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign)

Licensed to Practice

Illinois

Indiana

Missouri

Professional Associations

Chicago Bar Association

Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois

Courts

Illinois State Court

Indiana State Court

Missouri State Court

United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

Professional Honors

Super Lawyers – Illinois Rising Star: 2017-2023

Representative Cases/Trials

Spiegel v. Associated Community Services, Inc., 733 Fed. Appx. 311 (7th Cir. 2018)

Myers v. Crouse-Hinds Div. of Cooper Indus., Inc., 53 N.E.3d 1160 (Ind. 2016)

Surita v. AM General, LLC, et al., No. 15 CV 7164, 2015 WL 12826471 (N.D. Ill. Nov. 4, 2015)

Holloway v. Sprinkmann Sons Corp. of Illinois, 2014 IL App (4th) 131118

Goodwin v. Sprinkmann Sons Corp. of Illinois, 2008 L 12 (McLean County, IL) (June 2014)

Haddad v. City Colleges of Chicago, No. 10 CV 6528, 2012 WL 5363413 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 30, 2012)

Aguilera v. Matty’s West Family Restaurant, No. 11 CV 2948, 2011 WL 4442826 (N.D. Ill. Sep. 30, 2011)

Taylor v. Avid Holdings, LLC, No. 09 C 5293, 2010 WL 3307374 (N.D. Ill. Aug. 19, 2010)

Publications/Presentations

Using Historical Resources to Develop Alternate Exposure and Other Defenses for Trial, Defense Asbestos Litigation Seminar: 2022 Eaton Corporation National Counsel Meeting.

Relatively Exclusive: A National Overview of Employer Liability for Toxic Torts, The National Forum for Environmental and Toxic Tort Issues (FETTI), 26th Annual Conference, September 26, 2019.

Recent Developments and Emerging Trends in Asbestos Premises Liability, The National Forum for Environmental and Toxic Tort Issues (FETTI), 24th Annual Conference, October 5, 2017.

Illinois Asbestos Litigation Likely to Feel the Effects of Indiana’s Expansion of Premises Liability in Asbestos Cases, FETTI Spring 2017 Case Law Update Newsletter.

Illinois Appellate Court Issues Opinion Clarifying Scope of Sole Proximate Cause Defense, LinkedIn.com (July 2018).

Where There’s a “Will,” There Should Be a Way: Why In re Salvino Unjustifiably Restricts the Application of Sec. 523(a)(6) to Exclude Willful & Malicious Breaches of Contract, 29 N. Ill. U. L. Rev. 441 (2009).