Christopher W. Carmichael

Christopher W. Carmichael is a business trial and appellate lawyer who has briefed and argued more than 75 appeals and secured eight-figure recoveries for corporate clients.

Mr. Carmichael’s clients include major corporations, such as Ascension Healthcare, Northwestern Memorial Healthcare and Walgreens; privately owned businesses in the cannabis, retailing, manufacturing, technology and services industries; and wealthy individuals, including professional basketball and football players.

The results Mr. Carmichael achieved for clients have been featured in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and Chicago Lawyer.  Mr. Carmichael has secured eight-figure recoveries for business clients, including a massive $27,858,248 verdict, as well as injunctions that brought major relief for clients, including an injunction that set new precedent and prohibited the summary dismissal of the Cook County Public Defender.   

Mr. Carmichael has been recognized by his peers and selected in Super Lawyers for business litigation for over nine years, including the past six years straight, and was selected as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, The Trial Lawyer Honorary Society. 

Appellate Advocacy

Mr. Carmichael is an experienced appellate advocate, having briefed and argued more than 75 civil and criminal appeals in state and federal appellate courts, including the Eighth Circuit, Seventh Circuit, Illinois Appellate Court, Tennessee Supreme Court, Illinois Supreme Court, and United States Supreme Court.  Appellate advocacy requires a unique skill set that Mr. Carmichael has honed over years of practice, after starting as an appellate clerk with the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Commercial Litigation 

Mr. Carmichael’s litigation practice covers antitrust, breach of contract, consumer fraud and deceptive trade practices, false and deceptive marketing, fraud, trade secrets, trademarks and copyrights, and mass and class actions.  Mediation and ADR are used when appropriate to resolve matters quickly and efficiently for clients.  Where a negotiated solution is not possible, Mr. Carmichael uses his extensive trial and arbitration experience to deliver results for clients.

Contracts & Agreements Litigation

Mr. Carmichael has counseled clients on structuring and enforcing agreements, and has also negotiated and documented joint ventures, partnerships, non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, licenses, leases, warranties, indemnities, and vendor agreements.  He uses his drafting and negotiation experience to advise clients on interpreting and enforcing agreements, such as non-competes/non-solicitations, indemnity provisions, and limitations of liability and exclusions.

Prior Experience

Mr. Carmichael began his career as a law clerk to Judge William J. Bauer of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. After clerking for the Seventh Circuit, Mr. Carmichael became an associate and later a partner at the international law firm of Holland & Knight.  Mr. Carmichael has also taught courses on injunctions and non-monetary relief as an Adjunct Professor of Law.