Summit Law Group

Environmental Attorneys
Lynn M. Engel
David M. Heineck
William D. Maer
Philip S. McCune
Polly L. McNeill
J. Chad Mitchell
Maureen L. Mitchell
Ralph H. Palumbo
Michael R. Thorp

Corporate/Securities/Tax
Environmental
Labor/Employment
Litigation
Real Estate

J. CHAD MITCHELL

Litigation/International/Environmental Attorney
(206) 676-7000

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Practice: Chad Mitchell has extensive experience handling complex commercial disputes and advises on environmental matters both foreign and domestic.

Experience: Chad has tried cases in state and federal courts, and before international tribunals. Chad joined us from Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago.

Representative international engagements:

Defending Taiwanese company in $80 million toxic tort class action lawsuit, the first of its kind in Taiwan.
Defended Greek company in $85 million International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration in London regarding privatization of satellite imaging.
Represented one of the world’s leading manufacturers of household products in a post-closing purchase price adjustment before a German arbitral tribunal (ICC.)
Represented auto-industry OEM in post-closing purchase price adjustment dispute against French company in ICC arbitration seated in Toronto.
Represented client in challenges and response to cleanup orders from Taiwan’s regulators and oversight of cleanup of former manufacturing facility in Taiwan.
Drafting and negotiating arbitration provisions in commercial agreements.
Advising on the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments.

Representative domestic engagements:

Numbers Licensing, LLC v. bVisual USA, Inc. (E.D. Wa.): Defeated motion for preliminary injunction (reported at 643 F. Supp. 2d 1245) and successfully settled matter for defendants.
Winthrop Construction Inc. v. Terra Blanca Vintners, Inc. (Wa.): Using streamlined arbitration proceeding, obtained favorable award for plaintiff, including nearly $250,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs.
International Game Technology v. Casino Data Systems, Inc. (D. Nev.): Counsel for plaintiff electronic gaming manufacturer in lawsuit for patent infringement claims and defended against anti-trust counterclaims.
Shapo v. Engle (N.D. Ill.): Defended client against $200 million RICO claims in connection with liquidation of Illinois insurance company. Successfully had complaint against client dismissed.
Independent Trust Corp. v. Capriotti (Ill.): Represented plaintiff, as receiver for Illinois trust company. Obtained $68 million summary judgment rulings for fraud, breach-of-contract and breach-of fiduciary-duty claims.
In re Exide Technologies, Inc. (Bank. D. Del.): Represented debtor at Bankruptcy Confirmation Hearing for public company with over $2.5 billion in revenues.
Miller v. Material Sciences Corporation (N.D. Ill.): Defended public company in securities fraud class action.
Represented multiple clients in connection with post-closing purchase price adjustment disputes.

Environmental matters:

Advised client on response to cleanup orders from Taiwan’s regulators (EPA and EPB) and remediation of former manufacturing facility in Taiwan.
W.R Grace & Co. v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. (W.D. Mich.): Successfully obtained summary judgment for plaintiff seeking contribution for responding to an EPA emergency administrative order under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Represented client in federal (C.D Ill.) and state (Ill.) cost recovery lawsuits and federal grand jury investigation (C.D. Ill.) in connection with environmental incident resulting in a fish kill.
Represented multiple clients in connection with CERCLA actions and environmental regulatory matters.

Education: Eastern Oregon University (B.S., College Honors Graduate, 1995); J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University (J.D., magna cum laude, 1998); BYU Law Review, Executive Editor

Memberships and Service: International Litigation Committee of the Litigation Section of the ABA; IBA’s North American Regional Forum; United States Council for International Business, Arbitration Committee; City of Richland’s Housing and Community Development Advisory Committee; Richland School District’s School Safety Committee; Volunteer Leader, Boy Scouts of America; President of the Natural Resources Law Forum; J. Reuben Clark Law School Board of Visitors

Recognition and Awards:

Named a Rising Star (under 40) by Illinois’ Super Lawyers Magazine (Feb. 2008)
Order of the Coif
Brigham Young University Faculty of Law Award for Meritorious Achievements and Distinguished Service 1998
J. Reuben Clark Law School Scholarly Writing Award 1998 for Amortization and the Takings Clause: A Search for Fairness
Trial Advocacy Team, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Winner Winter Trial Advocacy Competition, 1996
EOU Defensive Player of the Game vs. Whitworth College
First Team All-State High School Football, Seattle P-I and Tacoma Tribune, 1990

Publications and Presentations:

Comment, An Alternative Approach to the Fourth Amendment in Public Schools: Balancing Students' Rights with School Safety, 1998 BYU L. REV. 1277
Robert H. Freilich, Planning Blight: The Anglo American Experience, URB. LAW., Spring 1997, at vii
“Arbitration Options for Cross-Border Transactions and the Two-Minute Drill” Center for International Legal Studies, February 2006
“The Balancing Act: Work and Family” J. Reuben Clark Law Society, University of Illinois Student Chapter, November 2005
“A Personal Jurisdiction Dilemma: Collateral Attacks on Foreign Judgments in U.S. Enforcement Actions” Center for International Legal Studies, December 2007
J. Chad Mitchell, A Personal Jurisdiction Dilemma: Collateral Attacks on Foreign Judgments in U.S. Recognition Proceedings, Brigham Young University International Law & Management Review, Volume 4, Spring 2008, 123

Admissions:

Illinois 1998
Washington 2007
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois 1998
United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan 1999
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit 1999
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin 2002
United States District Court for the District of Colorado 2004
Unites States District Court for the Central District of Illinois 2007
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington 2008