Michael McConnell

Michael J. McConnell defends officers, directors, and corporations in high-stakes securities and fiduciary duty litigation. The matters litigated include securities fraud class actions, SEC investigations and inquiries, derivative cases, proxy fraud litigation, and other matters that are often ancillary to shareholder litigation, including shareholder inspection actions, disputes under shareholder voting agreements, internal corporate investigations, and other special committee matters.

Mike’s recent representations include defending comScore, Inc. and certain of its officers and directors in securities litigation; defending Flowers Foods and certain of its officers and directors in securities litigation; defending Rayonier Inc. in securities litigation; defending Gray Television in litigation seeking to enjoin it from operating an Augusta television station or offering it in the National Incentive Spectrum Auction; defending WL Ross & Co. and certain current and former officers and directors of International Textile Group (ITG) in class and derivative shareholder litigation arising from the merger of ITG and Safety Components International; defending Attachmate Corporation in connection with shareholder litigation filed in Delaware and Massachusetts challenging its acquisition of Novell Corporation; defending former officers and directors of various banks that failed in the wake of the credit crisis; defending The Southern Company in securities litigation arising from the spin-off of Mirant Corporation; and defending SunOpta Inc. in securities litigation.

Mike is a former member of the board of directors of the March of Dimes (Georgia Chapter; chairman, 2012), the Midtown Atlanta Rotary Club (president, 2013-2014), and the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2007.

EDUCATION:

• Emory University (J.D. 1986; Jessup International Moot Court Competition; Director-in-Chief, Moot Court Society; Order of the Barristers);
• Drew University (B.A. in Economics cum laude 1983)

BAR ADMISSIONS : Georgia

EXPERIENCE:

• Back Yard Burgers pursues insurance recovery action under general liability policy
• Eastman Chemical Company defends shareholder suits alleging breach of fiduciary duty
• Georgia Gulf pursues action seeking declaration that it was not in default of debt incurrence covenants contained in $100 million bond indenture
• National media company corporate executive defends SEC investigation
• Lewis Dickey-led investor group attempts acquisition of Cumulus Media
• The Southern Company defends securities fraud action