Michael Martinez

Practice Areas

Michael E. Martínez concentrates his practice on multi-district class actions and arbitrations involving a wide spectrum of antitrust and complex commercial litigation issues. Michael has represented numerous global and domestic corporations in a wide variety of federal and state court cases involving antitrust claims under Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act and the Robinson-Patman Act as well as unfair competition and deceptive trade practice claims under numerous state statutes. Michael regularly counsels clients on competition, mergers and acquisitions, distribution, and sales and marketing practices.

Michael has substantial experience seeking and defending emergency injunction matters involving false advertising, trade secrets, covenants not to compete and unfair competition. He has successfully argued before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and obtained immediate injunctive relief for clients in antitrust, franchising and intellectual property cases.

Michael has represented successfully numerous national and international franchisors and manufacturers in a myriad of franchising and distribution issues. He has substantial experience counseling both domestic and international clients regarding distribution and licensing arrangements.

Michael has been recognized as America's Top 100 Bet the Company Litigators in antitrust and class action defense and selected to the Illinois Super Lawyers list for Antitrust Litigation. He was recently also recognized by Chambers USA in their 2022 guide. The K&L Gates antitrust and competition group has been recognized by US News-Best Lawyers: First- Tier Antitrust Litigation (2011-2021) and Antitrust Law (2016-2021) and as the “Cartel & Trade Regulation Law Firm of the Year in Illinois” by the international review and assessment programs of both Corporate INTL Magazine and Global Law Experts (2016).

Michael is also the Managing Partner of the Chicago office of K&L Gates and a member of the firm’s Management Committee. He is also the Chair of the Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms, one of the largest and oldest organizations focused on the advancement of diverse lawyers in Chicago.

Publications

“U.S. Courts Annual Review, Ninth Circuit,” Global Competition Review, 6 July 2020 (co-author)

Education