Mike Margolis

Biography

ASIA PRACTICE CHAIR

SHANGHAI OFFICE CHAIR

Mike Margolis has been a trial lawyer and appellate lawyer for over 30 years. Chambers Global reported in 2015 that Mike “draws acclaim for his broad litigation expertise.” His major cases have included:

  • M&A break-ups, failed deals, and corporate governance disputes
  • Intellectual property, trade secret, and non-compete litigation
  • Financial institution and real estate litigation
  • Employment, fiduciary and fraud litigation
  • Class actions
  • Cross-border and multi-jurisdiction litigation

Mike also “heads the Blank Rome LLP group dedicated to representing Chinese companies and individuals working in the USA.” (Chambers Global) He is conversational in Mandarin Chinese. For about 20 years, Mike has traveled regularly in Greater China. He has advised many Chinese companies and business owners about how to use law and strategy to succeed in the United States. Representative clients include CTBC, Esong, Gemdale, Great Wall Motor, ICBC, JD.com, OnePlus, Skyworth, Tsinghua Tongfang, Yutong Bus, and ZTE.

Mike’s opinions about cross-border issues have been featured on National Public Radio and in the Wall Street Journal, London Financial Times’ FDI Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, China Daily, and the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)

In 2017, in the category of International Attorneys, Mike was one of four Finalists in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Leaders in Law” awards. He is repeatedly rated a “Super Lawyer” and, by AVVO.com, “10.0 Superb.” In 2014, Los Angeles Magazine called Mike one of its “Top 100 Super Lawyers in Southern California.”

In 2018, Mike was appointed as an Arbitrator for the Shanghai International Economic and Trade Commission. In 2020, he was appointed as a Distinguished Professor at the Lawyers Institute of the East China University of Political Science and Law in Shanghai, one of China's top ten law schools.

Experience

  • Obtained dismissal of a U.S. federal court lawsuit against a Taiwanese bank based on a contractual provision choosing Hong Kong as a forum for disputes.
  • Prevented dismissal of a manufacturer’s lawsuit in California and defeated the distributor’s attempt to enforce a contractual provision choosing China as the forum for disputes.
  • Obtained a jury verdict against commercial real estate brokers for fraud and punitive damages.
  • Obtained a jury verdict defeating multiple employment law claims, finding the worker was an independent contractor.
  • Obtained a jury verdict in favor of a large law firm, defeating massive malpractice claims and recovering all of the unpaid fees.

News & Views

See all News and Views

Recognitions

  • 2014, “Top 100 Super Lawyers in Southern California,” listed by Los Angeles Magazine
  • 2015, Chambers Global
  • 2017–2018, Finalist, “Leaders in Law,” listed by Los Angeles Business Journal – International Lawyers
  • 2023 (and prior years), “Super Lawyer,” listed by Super Lawyers
  • 2020 (and prior years), “10.0 - Superb,” listed by AVVO.com

Affiliations

Memberships

  • Asia Society Southern California
  • Cornell Law Association
  • Hong Kong Association of Southern California
  • World Trade Center LA
Professional Activities
  • World Trade Center LA, Advisory Board
  • Asia Society of Southern California, Executive Committee
  • Hong Kong Association of Southern California, Board
  • Cornell Law Association, Executive Board (formerly)

Credentials

Admissions

  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • California
  • U.S. District Court - Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court - Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court - Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court - Southern District of California

Education

  • Hampshire College, BA
  • Cornell Law School, JD