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dfeeney@millershakman.com
Mr. Feeney has experience in a variety of commercial litigation matters, with substantial experience representing lawyers and law firms in legal malpractice and related cases. He also advises law firms and lawyers regarding their professional and ethical obligations. In his general litigation practice, he has represented an array of business ventures in contract, business tort, trade secret, restrictive covenant, copyright, trademark and right of publicity matters and has represented individual clients in corporate, LLC and partnership disputes and fiduciary claims. His practice encompasses cases in both state and federal courts at the trial and appellate level. In 2008, the Chicago Law Bulletin selected Mr. Feeney as one of 40 Illinois Lawyers Under Forty to Watch.
Education
- B.A., DePaul University, Political Science, 1991.
Graduated magna cum laude
- J.D., University of Michigan Law School, 1994.
Graduated with honors
Experience
- Practiced as associate in the Chicago office of Skadden, Arps, 1994-1996.
- Served as law clerk to the Hon. Barbara B. Crabb, U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin, 1996-1998.
- Practiced as an associate with this firm, 1998-2002, elevated to partner in 2003
- Admitted to the bars of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the Federal District Courts for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois and the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Selected Engagements
- Defended large law firms and attorneys in connection with multiple malpractice and fiduciary duty claims arising from litigation, corporate transactions, secured lending and estate and trustee responsibilities.
- Represented employers, employees and competitors in disputes regarding restrictive covenants, trade secrets and fiduciary breaches, including federal litigation involving an international consulting practice that relocated to a competitor.
- Defended law firm against allegations of negligent drafting of an opinion letter in connection with publicly financed transaction, obtaining dismissal of claims after district court and appellate court ruled in client’s favor on question of first impression regarding statutory interpretation.
- Brought federal action on behalf of a satellite television provider against a competitor, asserting violations of cable piracy statute. Obtained injunctive relief in the District Court and successfully defended that ruling before the Seventh Circuit.
- Defended environmental engineering firm in claim of professional negligence and breach of contract arising from allegedly faulty environmental remediation effort.
- Defended corporate executive against claims brought by a large investment bank alleging inducement of a fiduciary breach.
- Served as lead counsel representing bank in defense of lender liability claims regarding large commercial loan asserted by unsecured creditors in bankruptcy adversary proceeding.
- Defended international consumer products company against state and federal claims that it had used a model’s image on packaging without authorization, handling matter through appeal.
- Represented LLC’s and LLC members in disputes regarding LLC governance, separation of members, fiduciary breaches and dissolution.
- Represented general partner in an injunctive and accounting action regarding the sale of partnership assets and dissolution of the partnership, serving as lead counsel during injunction trial and final trial on accounting.
- Negotiated and litigated trademark matters and trade secret issues for software developer.
- Appointed by District Court to represent expelled union member pursuing claim against union for retaliation under the ADEA and LMRA. Obtained verdict after federal jury trial and defended verdict before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Selected Publications and Presentations
- “Termination of the Attorney-Client Relationship and Obligations to Former Clients,” presented at Chicago Bar Association Professional Responsibility Committee Annual Seminar.
- “Waivable and Unwaivable Conflicts of Interest,” presented with Jennifer E. Smiley at the 2007 Illinois State Bar Association annual Small Firm and Solo Practitioner Conference.
- “You Wrote it But Who Owns It? An Overview of Copyright Law,” American College of Emergency Physicians ACEP News, Volume 23,
No. 8 September 2004. Written with Bradley L. Cohn
Memberships
- American Bar Association
- Chicago Bar Association
- Chicago Council of Lawyers
- Marketplace Handwork of India, Board of Directors (Chair 2010-present)
- Chicago Youth Centers, Board of Directors
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