Michelle Hartmann

Michelle's practice covers all aspects of commercial litigation and disputes in state and federal courts, with a particular emphasis on class action litigation of all types and internal investigations, including workplace investigations and crisis management. She specializes in serving as lead or indemnity counsel in multidistrict, multiparty, or multi-related matters. Michelle has defended businesses in high-stakes securities class actions, shareholder derivative litigation, data-breach class actions, airline-related class actions, coupon and gift card class actions, and all types of energy and oil & gas-related matters and investigations.

Michelle has advised in multiple industries, including, among others, the retail, energy, transportation, and insurance industries. A sampling of some of her matters are as follows:

• Representing a publicly-traded drilling company as indemnity counsel and lead coordinating counsel in multiple investigations and ongoing litigation arising from same.

• Representing a private energy company in multiple workplace employment investigations.

• Representing a publicly-traded telecommunications company in confidential workplace employment investigation

• The Michaels Companies, Inc. (Texas) -- DOJ v. The Michaels Companies, Inc. - Lead counsel in Consumer Product Safety Act matter in federal court. Favorable settlement following dismissal of multiple claims.

• The Michaels Companies, Inc. (New Jersey) -- JEM v. The Michaels Companies, Inc. - Lead counsel in breach of contract and warranty dispute in federal court. Favorable settlement following grant of client’s summary judgment motion.

• American Airlines, Inc. (Illinois) - Wippman v. American Airlines, Inc. - Lead counsel in putative class action related to EU 261 claim. Successful dismissal of class action, with prejudice.

• Sally Beauty, Inc. (California) - Kidd v. Sally Beauty, Inc. - Lead counsel in putative class action related to gift cards. Successful dismissal.

• Bloom Energy (Texas) - Unicat Services, Inc. v. Bloom Energy - Lead trial counsel in federal litigation related to fuel cell canister servicing dispute.

• Seawind, Inc. and AMResorts, L.P. (Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Jamaica) - Copia Communications v. Seawind, Inc. and AMResorts, L.P. - Lead trial counsel in federal litigation related to Internet servicing and trade secret dispute. Successful summary judgment in federal court and affirmed at the First Circuit.

• Intel (Texas) - Intel v. Christopher Bray - Lead trial counsel in Rule 202 proceeding and follow-on non-compete litigation.

Judicial Clerkships

• Judge Carolyn Dineen King, then-Chief Judge of the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (2002-2003)
• Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn, current Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas (2001-2002)

• Recognized as leading Commercial Litigation attorney, Best Lawyers in Dallas, 2022
• Recognized as leading Litigation attorney in the area of Trade Secrets, The Best Lawyers in America, 2017-2019
• Recognized as leading Litigation attorney, Best Lawyers in Dallas, 2016-2019
• Leading Lawyer for Litigation: Trade Secrets in the US, The Legal 500 USA, 2011, 2013 and 2015-2019
• 40 Under 40 Award, Dallas Business Journal, 2011
• Texas Rising Star for Litigation/Regulatory, Texas Super Lawyers/Texas Monthly, 2008-2011
• Texas Super Lawyer, Texas Super Lawyers/Texas Monthly, 2012-2019
• Recipient of Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing

• Judge Patrick E. Higginbotham American Inn of Court - Associate
• Judge Mac Taylor American Inn of Court - Barrister
• Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program - Member
• Dallas Women Lawyer's Association - Former President and Board Member
• Attorneys Serving the Community - Sustaining Member
• State Bar of Texas - Member

• Lifetime Corps Member of Teach for America (an organization in which she formerly taught high school biology as a Teach for America Corps teacher).
• Current board member of All Stars Program of Dallas and The Dallas Children’s Theatre.
• Past board member of Vogel Alcove, the Dance Guild at Booker T. Washington School of the Arts, and the Dallas Metropolitan Ballet Guild.
• Previously served as a child advocate for foster children through the Dallas Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).