John D. Finerty, Jr.

John’s clients achieve business objectives in litigation. When the situation calls for it, he takes cases to a decision or trial and wins. In that capacity, he has been lead counsel or co-counsel on a number of groundbreaking cases, many of which resulted in published decisions:

• In Re the Rehabilitation of the Segregated Account of Ambac Assurance Corp., Case No. 10-cv-1576 (Dane Co. Cir. Ct.)(Jan. 22, 2018). Won court approval of a $5 Billion debt exchange transaction to facilitate a successful exit of the Segregated Account of Ambac Assurance Corp. from an insurance rehabilitation, the largest in Wisconsin history.*
• Marks v. Houston Casualty Co., 2016 WI App. 53. Successfully represented a non-admitted insurance carrier in a duty to defend case that was the first to interpret a surplus-lines policy.
• Principle Solutions, LLC v. Feed.Ing BV, No. 13-C-223, 2014 WL 4954465 (E.D. Wis. Sept. 30, 2014). Summary judgment granted in a U.C.C. sale of goods case on a counter-claim for more than $12 million.
• Joy Global, Inc. v. Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, 739 F. Supp. 2d 711 (D. Del. 2010). Co-chair of the trial team that successfully defended a $20 million employee benefit claim by the State of Wisconsin that arose out of the Chapter 11 reorganization of Harnischfeger Industries.
• H.A. Friends v. Friends Professional Stationary, 2006 WI App.141 (Ct. App. 2006). Prosecuted the former president of a franchise under Wisconsin’s civil theft statute for converting corporate funds to personal use.
• Tesmer v. Charter Films, 396 F. Supp.2d 969 (W.D. Wis. 2005). Successfully compelled performance of a minority shareholder’s buy-sell agreement.
• C.L. v. Menomonee Falls, et al. 221 Wis. 2d 692 (Ct. App. 1998). The first Wisconsin appellate case to analyze the scope of an employment practices liability policy and then exclude coverage for intentional, criminal acts.

In addition, John has litigated more than 50 private arbitration hearings and administrative cases before state, federal and local governmental agencies. 

*Disclaimer: OCI retained Michael Best in this case pursuant to its procurement protocols after issuance of a Request for Qualifications; selection of the firm as counsel is not an endorsement by the state of Wisconsin or any state agency.