Overview
With his extensive trial and appellate experience including as a former federal prosecutor, Mitchell Hendy counsels clients on a wide array of complex and contentious issues. Clients rely on Mitch’s experience in litigating high-stakes disputes and class actions, particularly in the areas of labor and employment, insurance, fraud, and unfair competition & deceptive trade practices. Mitch helps clients develop creative litigation strategies by drawing on knowledge he has gained from winning dozens of appeals and being a part of five trial teams—all of which resulting in favorable jury verdicts.
Before joining Mayer Brown, Mitch was an Assistant United States Attorney in the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, where he served as lead appellate counsel in numerous appeals and argued six cases before the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Mitch began his legal career as a clerk to Judge Amalya L. Kearse of the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Mitch is also passionate about advocating on behalf of his pro bono clients. He has authored several appellate briefs in the US Supreme Court and US Courts of Appeals on behalf of LGBT organizations and clients on issues such as marriage equality and non-discrimination. In 2023, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit appointed Mitch to its pro bono appellate panel.
Areas of Focus
Experience
Trial Wins
- Served as trial counsel in three-day False Claims Act jury trial winning $26 million judgment.
- Helped win complete defense verdict in first-of-its-kind ERISA jury trial on behalf of Yale University.
- Represented former executive in winning a $54 million jury verdict for defamation and negligent interference with prospective economic advantage against his former employer.
- Helped win jury verdict including $12 million in punitive damages following three-week fraud and deceptive business practices trial in New York federal court on behalf of prominent wine collector.
- Represented patent holder in patent-infringement litigation against LG Electronics relating to smartphone user interface inventions, resulting in favorable jury verdict.
Appellate Wins
- Won appeal concerning California trial court’s denial of multiple anti-SLAPP motions in wide-ranging contractual real-estate investment dispute.
- Represented travel insurance company in multidistrict litigation alleging improper denial of benefits related to COVID-19 government travel restrictions, including winning motion to compel arbitration and securing affirmance of district court’s order granting motion to dismiss remaining claims.
- Secured affirmance on appeal of $2.9 million jury verdict following 16-day jury trial on breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty claims against insurance brokers.
- Won reversal of district court’s evidentiary ruling excluding evidence of prior hate crime conviction in subsequent federal prosecution for interference with federal fair housing rights.
- Defended jury verdict and $1.15 million award against a prominent wine collector over sale of counterfeit wine.
Education
Columbia Law School, JD
Managing Editor, Columbia Law Review; Paul R. Hays prize for excellence in civil procedure; James Kent Scholar; Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
The Ohio State University, BS, summa cum laude
The Ohio State University, BA, summa cum laude
Admissions
- California
Court
- US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- US District Court for the Northern District of California
- US District Court for the Central District of California
- US District Court for the Southern District of California
- US District Court for the Eastern District of California
- US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
Activities
- Pro bono representation
- Author of several appellate briefs in the US Supreme Court and US Courts of Appeals on behalf of LGBT organizations, on issues such as marriage equality and non-discrimination.