Overview
Michael Baratz focuses on all aspects of commercial litigation, arbitration, and mediation, as well as judgment enforcement, including many matters with a cross-border emphasis.
Complex Litigation and Arbitration
Michael regularly litigates all phases of commercial disputes in federal and state courts around the country through trial and appeal. He also frequently represents clients in proceedings before a variety of arbitral bodies, including the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID); the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC); the Zurich Chamber of Commerce (ZCC); the American Arbitration Association (AAA); and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
Judgment Enforcement
Michael represents clients in connection with their efforts to obtain recognition and enforcement of judgments and arbitral awards in courts around the world, and in seeking pre-judgment remedies in these matters.
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- Supreme Court of the United States
- US Court of Federal Claims
- US District Court, District of Columbia
- US District Court, District of Maryland
- US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, District of Columbia
- US Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit
- J.D., The George Washington University Law School, 2002, with high honors; Order of the Coif; Associate, The George Washington Law Review; Imogen Williford Constitutional Law Award
- B.A., The George Washington University, 1999, magna cum laude; Phi Beta Kappa; Joshua Evans III Prize in Political and Social Science
Areas of Work
Representative Matters
- Michael was a member of a Steptoe team that represented ExxonMobil in connection with its worldwide effort to obtain compensation from PDVSA, the state-owned oil company of Venezuela, and its subsidiaries following Venezuela’s expropriation without compensation of an ExxonMobil subsidiary’s rights and interests in joint venture. The Steptoe team obtained a series of pre-award, attachment and freezing orders world-wide, including attaching over $300 million in cash in a proceeding in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
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Michael and a team of Steptoe lawyers helped US Airways, Inc. secure a $30 million award from a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel following 64 days of evidentiary hearings in New York City. US Airways filed the FINRA arbitration against Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. and one of its former managing directors for inappropriately investing the airline's funds in unsuitable auction rate securities (ARS) in 2006 and 2007.
Speaking Engagements
- "Asset Recovery And Judgment Enforcement: A Focus On The US And New Trends With An Assist From The UK," Webinar, March 1, 2023
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"CUBA New Compliance Risks for Companies After Full Implementation of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act," 10th Annual New York Forum on Economic Sanctions, December 11, 2019
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"Practical Steps if You Suspect Corruption or Fraud During a Case," 8th Annual GAR Live London, May 10, 2018
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"International Dispute Resolution," Duke Energy, Charlotte, NC, March 3, 2015
News & Publications
Client Alerts
2020 PDVSA Bonds – Expect the Unexpected
March 5, 2024
By: Steven K. Davidson, Michael J. Baratz, Molly Bruder Fox, Emma Marshak
Client Alerts
“Should I Stay or Should I Go?” Supreme Court to Address Circuit Clash Over Arbitration Procedures
February 6, 2024
By: Steven K. Davidson, Michael J. Baratz, Molly Bruder Fox, Mark Murphy
Client Alerts
December 5, 2023
By: Steven K. Davidson, Michael J. Baratz, Molly Bruder Fox, Cannon Jurrens
First Tuesday Update
Private Rights of Action in Federal Statutes
October 3, 2023
By: Steven K. Davidson, Shannen W. Coffin, Michael J. Baratz, Molly Bruder Fox, Mark Murphy, Cannon Jurrens
First Tuesday Update
Is ICSID a Governmental Entity for Section 1782 Discovery?
September 5, 2023
By: Steven K. Davidson, Michael J. Baratz, Molly Bruder Fox, Emma Marshak
First Tuesday Update
August 1, 2023
By: Steven K. Davidson, Michael J. Baratz, Molly Bruder Fox, Emma Marshak
First Tuesday Update
Important Decisions Regarding Arbitration, Judgment Enforcement and Sovereign Immunity
July 5, 2023
By: Steven K. Davidson, Michael J. Baratz, Molly Bruder Fox, Michael G. Scavelli, Lauren Goldschmidt
First Tuesday Update
Three Part Series: UK Freezing Orders Against a Foreign State, Part Three
June 6, 2023
By: Thomas Innes, Steven K. Davidson, Michael J. Baratz, Molly Bruder Fox, Alex Green
Noteworthy
- Legal 500 US, Dispute Resolution: International litigation (2017-2020)
- Legal 500 US, Dispute Resolution: General commercial disputes (2018-2020)
- Law360, Rising Star in International Arbitration (2016)