Michelle Schmit is a partner in Quinn Emanuel’s Chicago office. Her practice focuses on high stakes complex commercial litigation. Michelle has significant experience representing clients in antitrust, class action, contract, energy, environmental, product liability, patent, trade secret and securities disputes, among others. She has successfully represented both plaintiffs and defendants in a variety of industries, including energy, pharmaceutical, and technology companies. Michelle has represented clients in a number of multi-billion dollar cases, and has substantial trial experience.
- Defend clients in climate change litigation brought by states and municipalities.
- Obtained spoliation sanctions in federal court in New Jersey, on behalf of client IQVIA, in a trade secret and antitrust case against Veeva.
- Represented Qualcomm in multi-billion dollar antitrust, contract, and patent litigation adverse to Apple, in federal court in California.
- Obtained a bench verdict in federal court on behalf of a client challenging the City of Oakland’s coal ban.
- Defeated product liability claims brought by a class against a large consumer products company in federal court in Michigan, at the motion to dismiss stage.
- Obtained a defense-side jury verdict rejecting patent infringement claims on behalf of a client in federal court in Texas.
- Defeated claims brought by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency against a client before the Illinois Pollution Control Board, following a five-day trial.
- Antitrust & Competition
- Class Action Litigation
- Data Privacy & Security
- Energy Sector Disputes
- Environmental Litigation
- Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") Practice
- Government & Regulatory Litigation
- Life Sciences Litigation
- Litigation Representing Plaintiffs
- Product Liability & Mass Torts Litigation
- Securities Litigation
- Northwestern University School of Law
(J.D., cum laude, 2013)- Julius H. Miner Moot Court Competition:
- Finalist
- Julius H. Miner Moot Court Competition:
- University of Notre Dame
(B.B.A., magna cum laude, Business Administration in Accounting and B.A., Political Science, 2010)
- The State Bar of Illinois
- Ranked by Lawdragon 500 “Next Generation” in Commercial Litigation, 2023 and 2024
- Ranked as one of The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch for Commercial Litigation, 2021-2025
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, “Women in the Law," 2022
- Firm Memorandum: Energy Producers Score Big Win in New York Climate Change Case (2021).
- In Potential Blow to Climate Suits, Supreme Court Broadens Scope Of Appellate Review Of Orders Remanding Cases To State Court (2021).