Connelly, Michael G.

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mikeconnelly.jpgMichael G. Connelly
Counsel
Chair, Pittsburgh Litigation Group


Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
412.325.3306
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Mr. Connelly has a broad range of experience in complex commercial litigation, including consumer finance litigation, energy matters, oil and gas law, media law, trade secret litigation, white collar criminal defense, construction and product liability matters.

Representative Experience

Consumer Finance Litigation

  • Coordinating counsel for large financial services institution related to consumer finance litigation in Pennsylvania
  • Recently won summary judgment in Pennsylvania state court for lender based on recoupment and setoff arguments in action brought under the state Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. Detwiler v. CitiFinancial, No. 10735 GD 2009, Court of Common Pleas of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (February 2010) 
  • Defended national bank with significant credit card operation in investigation by State Attorney General and successfully enjoined the Attorney General from issuing or pursuing subpoenas as an improper attempt to exercise visitorial powers. Capital One Bank (USA), N.A. v. McGraw, 563 F. Supp. 2d 613 (S. D. W. Va. 2008) 
  • Defended numerous banks and other financial services institutions in actions brought in state, federal and bankruptcy courts and before arbitration panels involving allegations of predatory lending, violations of TILA, RESPA, HOEPA, fraud and other statutory and common law claims 
  • Defended financial institutions in class actions in state and federal court involving a variety of claims

Energy

  • Represent and advise companies involved in exploration and development in the Marcellus Shale, including providing advice regarding lease documents and on issues such as the exercise of lease options and rights-of-way for pipelines  
  • Represent Marcellus Shale exploration and development companies in litigation in state and federal courts in Pennsylvania, including defending companies against claims for bonus and anniversary payments under oil and gas leases 
  • Coordinating counsel for multi-state utility company with respect to matters including litigation, labor and employment, environmental, real estate, and power plant issues 
  • Represented consortium of energy companies that owned an independent power producer in litigation related to the failure of a generator and the subsequent outage at the facility 
  • Provided advice to an independent power producer on a wide variety of issues including litigation, insurance coverage and outage planning

Media

  • Advise newspaper with respect to Right To Know Act claims under the 2009 amendments to the Pennsylvania Act
  • Successfully petitioned court on behalf of a Pittsburgh newspaper to unseal the search warrant of a Pennsylvania State Senator's home related to the Commonwealth's highly publicized investigation into the death of the State Senator's teenage next-door neighbor who died as a result of a gunshot wound from a gun owned by the State Senator. (In Re: Sealed Search Warrants Executed in the Investigation into the Death of Louis A.J. Farrell, No. 521 Misc. 2006, Court of Common Pleas of Westmoreland County, PA - Criminal Division) 
  • Defended nationally known radio personality Paul Harvey and ABC Radio in a defamation matter in Pennsylvania state court. The Trial Court granted summary judgment in favor of Mr. Harvey and ABC after concluding that the plaintiff was a limited purpose public figure. The Pennsylvania Superior Court affirmed the trial court's decision (Larkin v. Harvey, 869 A.2d 21 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2003)), and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied the plaintiff's petition for allowance of appeal (Larkin v. Harvey, 876 A.2d 396 (Pa. 2005)).

Other Litigation Matters

  • Acted as trial counsel in state and federal courts in Pennsylvania and before arbitration panels
  • Represented employers and former employees in trade secret litigation, including all aspects of preliminary and permanent injunction matters in state and federal court 
  • Defended companies and individuals in investigations by state agencies and in criminal matters brought by the state and federal government
  • Defended companies in qui tam suits brought by the federal government

Work History

  • Reed Smith LLP, 1999 - 2007
  • Titus & McConomy LLP, 1997 - 1999

Education

  • University of Notre Dame, B.A., magna cum laude, 1994, double major in Government/International Relations and History
  • University of Pittsburgh School of Law, J.D., 1997, Staff Member and Lead Articles Editor of the University of Pittsburgh Journal of Law and Commerce

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania State Courts
  • West Virginia State Courts
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
  • United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia

Community Involvement

  • Volunteer mentor, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh, 1998 - 2003
  • Director, Mt. Lebanon Montessori School, 2005 - present
  • Organizing Committee, Pittsburgh Chapter of Coaches vs. Cancer