Michael R. Allweiss
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Michael R. Allweiss has a diverse litigation practice. His experience includes several multi
week trials and arbitrations involving a wide range of complex factual
and legal issues requiring multilayered analyses and thinking. Mr. Allweiss
began his practice in 1976 and since 1980 has been AV peer review rated,
Martindale Hubbell’s highest peer recognition for ethical standards
and legal ability.
Mr. Allweiss has served as lead or co-lead trial counsel in a wide variety
of lawsuits and arbitration proceedings, including disputes which have
at their core concerns centered on securities fraud, insurance coverage,
constitutional and civil rights, professional liability of accountants,
attorneys and physicians, employment disputes and complex commercial cases
involving cutting edge technologies in areas such as refrigerated transport
and voice over internet protocol. Many of Mr. Allweiss’ cases require
a highly imaginative and detailed approach to achieve successful resolution
of the controversy.
For almost 20 years, Mr. Allweiss has devoted significant energies to representation
of students, faculty, and staff who find themselves in conflict with the
educational institution at which they are enrolled or by which they are
employed. Through litigation or negotiation, he has had many significant
successes including in the areas of accused student rights, unlawful discrimination,
and resistance to tenure termination.
A number of the cases which Mr. Allweiss has tried in state or federal
court or through arbitration involved multi-national and Fortune 500 corporations,
national law firms and financial institutions. He has represented such
entities, as well as interests adverse to such entities. He has also represented
and been adverse to corporate directors, officers, and law enforcement,
and other public officials. He has been engaged by a public body to investigate
misuse of public funds, and has represented a former Louisiana State Governor.
At the same time as Mr. Allweiss has carried on his practice, he has been
active in community and professional events. Mr. Allweiss has spoken at
the annual Louisiana State Bar Association Convention and to groups of
CPA’s and valuation analysts on questions surrounding complex damage
calculations in various commercial contexts. He has presented as a speaker
for the Louisiana Masters of the Courtroom Series. Mr. Allweiss was an
instructor of trial advocacy at Tulane University for approximately twenty
(20) years.
Mr. Allweiss has been honored by the Louisiana State Bar Association with
the Crystal Gavel Award for his work promoting adult literacy and his
engagement as the Chair of the Board NOLA 180° which operates the
Langston Hughes Academy, a New Orleans based Charter School formed after
Hurricane Katrina. He is also a co-founder of the Tour de Lis, a growing
bicycling based fund raiser focused on the ongoing fight against cancer
and honoring its survivors. Mr. Allweiss is listed in the Best Lawyers
in America and Super Lawyers.
Selected Cases
- Co-lead trial counsel in a ten (10) week arbitration in New York City which
resulted in a substantial financial award in favor of the inventor of
a unique device used in refrigerated trucking. In addition to the significant
financial award, the entrepreneur/inventor was awarded a return of national
and international patents.
- Lead trial counsel on behalf of a Creditors Committee against a major communications
company in connection with the inappropriate promotion and sale of complex
voice over internet protocol telephony equipment. The case resulted in
a confidential settlement.
- Co-Class counsel in a thirteen (13) year certified national class action
lawsuit arising from the asserted failure to honor committed benefits
to a class of some 33,000 people who accepted early retirement. The case
resulted in a settlement of the nationwide class.
- Co-trial counsel in several week trial arising out of an improper plugging
and abandoning of an oil well in Western Louisiana.
- Co-trial counsel in successful claim against a major oil company arising
out of misrepresentations in connection with the sale of oil and gas properties.
- Successful defense of major national law firm against allegations of securities fraud.
- Successful defense of claims against international products manufacturer
of hoist and material handling equipment.
- Lead counsel in a significant civil rights case arising out of inappropriate
strip search of a non-violent traffic law violator. Mr. Allweiss has since
successfully represented several other individuals who suffered similar
violations of their constitutional rights.
- Successful representation of a class of employees terminated in violation
of WARN Act requirements.
- Counsel to class representatives in connection with certified national
class action concerning anti-trust violations arising out of advertising
practices by the music industry. The case resulted in a settlement in
excess of $140,000,000.
- Representation of nationally known performer in connection with successfully
pursued claims of mismanagement and related breaches of contract.
- Defense of law and accounting firms in connection with several lawsuits
filed by or on behalf of federal entities stemming from failures of financial
institutions, including banks and savings and loan institutions.
- Prosecution and defense of claims against numerous and varied product manufacturers
including drug manufacturers, automobile and motorcycle manufacturers,
and manufacturers of various industrial equipment.
- Co-lead counsel and successfully argued for plaintiffs in a series of cases
involving questions of federal jurisdiction and preemption arising out
of breach of warranty claims relating to cellular telephones. Pinney v.
Nokia, 402 F.3d 430 (4th Cir. 2005).
Personal Information
- Education: Tulane University School of Law, J.D. 1976 - Tulane Moot Court
Board of Judges
- Washington University, St. Louis, B.A. 1973
- Admissions: Illinois 1976-2008
- Louisiana 1977 - Current
- Courts: United States Supreme Court
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third, Fourth and Fifth Circuits
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana
- United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana