Miguel is a seasoned and trusted business partner, trial lawyer, and compliance professional with nearly 30 years of experience. He uses his significant in-house experience, including as head of U.S. Litigation for Mercedes-Benz USA, to assist clients in taking calculated risks to advance their business objectives. Additionally, having served as a chief compliance officer in the health care industry, he brings a unique lens through which he views and helps clients mitigate enterprise-wide risk. Miguel has represented Fortune 500 corporations, nonprofits, and companies of all sizes in the health care, biopharmaceutical, automotive, and consumer/retail goods industries, to name a few.
Naturally curious, Miguel uses his background to ask the right questions so clients can find the most appropriate business solutions. And, when absolutely necessary, Miguel is adept at resolving business disputes through trial or arbitration. He has litigated cases across the country in matters involving breach of contract, unfair competition, tortious interference, and theft of trade secrets, among others. He also counsels clients on trademark and brand protection issues, conducts internal investigations, and provides strategic, management-side advice on all aspects of the employer-employee relationship.
Specifically, Miguel regularly advises clients on workforce issues and has represented management in labor and employment litigation in both state and federal courts and before administrative agencies. He has significant experience defending cases involving wrongful termination, discrimination, executive compensation matters, including severance and related agreements, and reductions in force. He has served as an editor and co-author for three editions of the “Minnesota Human Resources Manual” published by the American Chamber of Commerce Resources, LLC. Miguel also routinely conducts complex internal investigations in matters involving workplace, ethics and compliance violations, fraud, corporate mismanagement, and executive misconduct.
Additionally, Miguel understands the importance of a company's “brand” to its success and ability to maintain its competitive edge. He works to enhance and protect some of the world's most iconic brands. His strategic approach has helped clients expand within existing markets or extend their operations into new markets. And when all other options fail, Miguel uses litigation to help his clients protect their critical intellectual property rights from infringement from competitors, counterfeiters, and other bad actors. Over the years, his clients have included LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, TAG Heuer, Thomas Pink, Mercedes-Benz USA, and Target Corporation, to name a few.
Passionate about helping children from underserved communities, he has been a champion for educational access, health care equity, and social justice reform by serving on various boards including the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. He is also a longtime board member of the St. Paul, Minnesota based Sanneh Foundation (TSF), which empowers diverse low-income urban and immigrant youth populations in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area through a range of in- and after- school programs.
Beyond his community and civic engagement, Miguel has held a number of high-profile leadership roles within the legal profession, including as the 36th national president of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA), 30th president of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey (HBA-NJ), and as the northern vice chair for the Judicial and Prosecutorial Committee (JPAC) of the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA).
He is also a frequent speaker on topics such as ethical pitfalls for in-house counsel, how to conduct effective internal investigations, and preserving the attorney-client privilege.
Miguel’s work has garnered numerous awards and accolades including "Professional Lawyer of the Year," two "Top Lawyer Under Forty" awards, two "Lifetime Achievement" awards, and a "Top Latino Lawyer" in the United States. Miguel earned his undergraduate degree from Hofstra University and his law degree from Rutgers School of Law - Newark, where he was the managing editor of the Rutgers Race and the Law Review. He is admitted to practice in Washington, D.C., Georgia, Minnesota, and New Jersey.