Musical Chairs: Quinn Emanuel Snags Two Weil Gotshal Partners — and Weil Is Not Happy About It

MICHAEL LYLE

Michael Lyle is the Managing Partner of the Washington, DC office and a member of the firm’s Management Committee. Mr. Lyle is an accomplished trial lawyer who has achieved victories for his clients at trial and on appeal in a wide range of complex cases in federal and state courts across the United States. He was recognized for his trial expertise by being appointed to the faculty of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) and was a recipient of The National Law Journal’s Legal Times Champions & Visionaries Award for 2012.

Drawing on his experience in the Clinton White House, he also represents clients in sensitive congressional and governmental investigations relating to the False Claims Act (FCA), product recalls and other civil matters, including State Attorneys General investigations. Mr. Lyle also has extensive expertise in the product liability area and is co-head of the firm’s Product Liability and Mass Tort practice.

Mr. Lyle has considerable experience in representing clients in a broad range of high stakes cases, including class actions, business disputes, consumer fraud claims, trade secrets, securities, shareholder disputes, trademark claims, managed health care and insurance coverage. In the products liability and mass tort areas, Mr. Lyle has represented clients in a number of industries, such as pharmaceuticals, genetic research, industrial chemicals, automotive products, high performance fiber, tires, electrical equipment, and food products. He has tried to judgment or jury verdict a number of significant matters, including a multi-million-dollar trade secrets case and a multi-million-dollar trademark case. He has obtained injunctive relief in a number of business disputes including a preliminary injunction on behalf of UnitedHealthcare in a deceptive trade practices case involving the pharmaceutical industry that was upheld by the Eighth Circuit.

Mr. Lyle is a member of Weil’s Financial Regulatory Reform Working Group, advising corporations and financial institutions concerning the litigation risks associated with new and evolving financial reform legislation.

Mr. Lyle was the Director of the White House Office of Administration in the Clinton Administration. He was responsible for the overall management of administrative services for the White House complex and testified before Congress in connection with the White House appropriation. He also served as the General Counsel for the White House Office of Administration where he provided legal advice and counsel in areas such as congressional investigations, crisis management, constitutional law, federal procurement and contracts, appropriations law and ethics.

Mr. Lyle was named one of Chicago’s “Next Generation of Killer Litigators,” by the Illinois Legal Times.

Mr. Lyle received his J.D., cum laude, from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where he was awarded the Paul J. Hergenroeder Award for Top Student in Trial Tactics and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award for Most Outstanding Student in Trial Advocacy. He received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Rochester.

Bar Admissions

US Court of Appeals 4th Cir.; US Court of Appeals 5th Cir.; US Court of Appeals 7th Cir.; US Court of Appeals 8th Cir.; District of Columbia; US Court of Appeals DC Cir.; US Dist Court for DC; Eastern District Michigan; Illinois State; Supreme Court of Illinois; US Dist Court Central Illinois; US Dist Court No. Illinois; US Supreme Court; Western District Michigan

Education

University of Rochester (B.S., 1985); Case Western Reserve Univ Law (J.D., cum laude, 1988)

ERIC C. LYTTLE

Eric Lyttle is a partner in the Litigation Department. Mr. Lyttle’s practice focuses on the defense of products liability actions, mass tort matters, class actions and other complex litigation. Mr. Lyttle has been involved in defending major U.S. and foreign corporations in actions brought in federal and state courts throughout the United States at both the trial and appellate levels. These actions include a wide variety of subjects, such as high-performance fibers, electrical equipment, ballistic vests, construction equipment, asbestos, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center. Mr. Lyttle also has handled complex cases involving a number of substantive areas beyond products liability and mass torts, including antitrust price fixing, the False Claims Act, deceptive trade practices, managed health care, insurance coverage and breach of contract.

Mr. Lyttle has counseled companies in managing crises and avoiding potential crises. Additionally, he has conducted product liability due diligence in connection with corporate transactions. He also is a member of the firm’s E-Discovery Task Force and has counseled clients on a variety of electronic discovery-related issues.

Mr. Lyttle received his juris doctorate from the University of Chicago Law School in 2002 where he served as Articles Editor for the University of Chicago Law School Roundtable and was awarded the Joseph Henry Beale Prize for excellence in legal writing. He earned his bachelor of arts degree, summa cum laude, from Vanderbilt University in 1999. Mr. Lyttle is admitted to the District of Columbia and Virginia bars.

Mr. Lyttle regularly contributes to the Product Liability Monitor, Weil Gotshal’s Product Liability blog.

Bar Admissions

US Court of Appeals 4th Cir.; District of Columbia; Virginia State; Western District Michigan

Education

Vanderbilt University (B.A., 1999); Univ of Chicago Law School (J.D., 2002)