John J. Michels Jr.

Overview

John Michels has built a multi-decade-long practice centered around solving workforce problems for companies at every level, from hiring decisions to the most involved layoffs of senior corporate officials. His experience spans multiple industries, with particular focus on high technology startups and their follow-on businesses. He is also skilled in counseling athletes, their agents, and the programs in which they participate. John has extensive litigation experience before administrative agencies, such as the NLRB, as well as appearing in federal courts across the country.

John brings the technical understanding and tactical precision needed to resolve contentious workplace disputes. Of particular note, John won a high-profile stock option vesting case for AOL, defeating a $40M claim against the company. He defends healthcare, technology, sports, and commercial business in litigation involving departing employees, management disputes, discrimination and wage claims, and the enforcement of restrictive covenants. He also conducts sensitive internal investigations when boards or executives face allegations of fraud, harassment, or fiduciary breaches. John’s broader employment litigation experience—spanning three decades before federal courts, state tribunals, and agencies such as the NLRB and OSHA—provides the foundation for handling these specialized matters.

John’s personal background adds both depth and dimension to his practice. After graduating with distinction from the Air Force Academy, he logged 2,800 flight hours with Strategic Air Command before attending Duke Law School and serving nearly twenty years as a military attorney. For over two decades, he also represented professional and collegiate athletes as an NFLPA-registered agent, advising on collective bargaining rights and contract negotiations.

John also has extensive foreign business experience, having worked on defense conversion projects in Russia and the EU. This work has made him highly effective when operating in high-pressure environments where reputations and careers hang in the balance—experience that translates directly to corporate crisis management and executive-level disputes.

Honors

• Super Lawyer, Employment & Labor, Illinois Super Lawyer, 2008-2019

Professional

• Member, Tennessee Bar Association, 1985 to Present
• Member, Illinois Bar Association, 2003 to Present
• Member, Washington, D.C. Bar Association, 1998 to Present
• Member, Association of Graduates (US Air Force Academy), 1977 to Present

Community

John believes in giving back to the communities in which he lives and works. By way of example, John halted and permanently enjoined the Department of Defense from using an experimental and unlicensed anthrax vaccine on service members in 2004. This case was covered extensively in the New York Times, Washington Post, and by NPR, among other media outlets. The result caused a rewrite of federal law regarding vaccines and their use outside of licensed roles. Moreover, John represented injured veterans before the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals, as well as serves as a volunteer coach in swimming, football, and lacrosse.