Attorney Michael A. Pollack
I have been an attorney in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Chicago, Illinois, for more than 30 years. My practice consisted primarily of civil litigation. I have also been licensed to practice law in Florida, which is a leader in the use of alternative dispute resolution and one of only a few states that certify mediators. In 2009, I decided that there is a more civil way to resolve civil disputes. Since Wisconsin does not license or certify mediators, I completed the Circuit Civil Mediation Training Program, a 40-hour course conducted by Mediation Training Group, Inc., in Boca Raton, Florida. After participating in and observing the required number of mediations with experienced certified mediators, I am now a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator providing mediation services through Michael Pollack Mediation Services, LLC in Milwaukee and southeast Wisconsin as well as in Florida.
After graduating from the University of Wisconsin—Madison with a BA in economics, I earned a JD at Tulane University Law School in New Orleans. I have been admitted to practice in the state courts in Wisconsin, Illinois and Florida, as well as the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin, the Northern District of Illinois, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
During the 1990s, I managed the Wisconsin branch office for Chicago-based Cascino Vaughan Law Offices, Ltd., in Milwaukee. The firm concentrates its practice in toxic tort litigation. In addition to handling the firm’s asbestos screening program and litigation in Wisconsin, I was in charge of the class action that arose out of the Cryptosporidium contamination of Milwaukee’s water supply in 1993. That case settled in 2000 when the Circuit Court of Milwaukee County appointed me to serve as plaintiffs’ class counsel and I supervised the distribution of more than $1.75 million to victims. Since that time, I have been of counsel to the Cascino Vaughan firm and I consult with them periodically concerning Wisconsin clients and cases.
At various points in my career, I have
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served as an arbitrator for the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau’s Autoline program, resolving Lemon Law claims
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served as an arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
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assisted local prosecutors in the investigation, detection and prosecution of white collar (or economic) crimes
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represented Milwaukee County in defense of personal injury and civil rights cases
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prosecuted child support and paternity cases
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handled all sorts of civil litigation in private practice, including personal injury, real estate, construction, insurance coverage, franchise and dealership, and consumer and commercial collection claims
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taught business law to adult students in Cardinal Stritch University’s Program in Management for Adults
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served as a judge for the High School Mock Trial Tournament in Wisconsin and at the National level
Several of my cases have resulted in precedent-setting published decisions by state and federal appellate courts in Wisconsin and Illinois. I have authored two articles published by the State Bar of Wisconsin in the Wisconsin Lawyer magazine: Insurance for the Leaky Basement (Sept. 1989) and Fighting City Hall (Dec. 2000). I have also demonstrated my legal research and writing talents as an editor, quality auditor, training specialist, and legal analyst for LexisNexis, one of the largest publishers of legal research material (hardcopy and online) in the world.
Independent, impartial and innovative
I have seen litigation and disputes throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Florida and other parts of the country. Thorough preparation and diligent research enable me to frame the issues in ways that open new perspectives and opportunities for the disputing parties. For more information about me, contact me through this website, call me at 414-841-3058, or see my profile on LinkedIn.