Curriculum Vitae
MICHAEL OVCA is an associate at Edelson PC where his practice focuses on consumer and privacy-related class actions, in addition to environmental and government actions.
Michael’s recent consumer class action work involves bringing claims on behalf of students suing for-profit colleges that used allegedly-fraudulent advertising to lead them to enroll. Michael’s environmental practice involves representing individuals who were exposed to ethylene oxide (“EtO”) emitted by medical equipment sterilization and chemical manufacturing plants, as well as those exposed to dangerous “forever” chemicals through tainted groundwater that accumulate in the body, ultimately causing cancer. Michael is also litigating a half-dozen Telephone Consumer Protection Act cases brought by recipients of text messages sent by entertainment venues from around the country. In terms of governmental representation, Michael has worked on cases brought by the City of Chicago against Uber; by various cities and towns in Illinois against opiate manufacturers, distributors, and prescribers; and a village seeking to prevent the closure of its hospital.
Before law school, Michael worked at the University of Illinois in technology services, overseeing a team providing support to students and faculty using University e-learning and technical resources. At Northwestern, Michael was an associate editor on the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology.
Representative Actions:
- Brown v. Adtalem Global Education, Inc., 421 F. Supp. 3d 825 (W.D. Mo. 2019). Assisted in briefing successful opposition to motion to dismiss claims of students allegedly defrauded by for-profit college.
- Illinois Pub. Risk Fund v. Purdue Pharma L.P., 2019 WL 3080929, at *3 (N.D. Ill. July 15, 2019). Obtained remand of insurance fund’s case against opiate manufacturers, distributors, and prescribers, preventing case from being consolidated with stalled multi-district litigation.
- RBB2, LLC v. CSC ServiceWorks, Inc., 2019 WL 1170484 (E.D. Cal. Mar. 13, 2019). Briefed successful opposition to motion to dismiss claims that landlords were being paid less than they were owed by laundry services provided in breach of the parties’ contracts. RBB2, LLC v. CSC ServiceWorks, Inc., 2019 WL 3892342 (E.D. Cal. Aug. 19, 2019). Obtained dismissal of Defendant’s counterclaims in same suit.
- Hand v. Beach Entm’t KC, LCC, 425 F. Supp. 3d 1096 (W.D. Mo. 2019). Successfully argued and briefed opposition to motion to dismiss claims stemming from bar and entertainment venue’s text messaging campaigns, one of seven similar cases.
Awards and Honors:
- Bartlett Center Trial Team, 2nd Place at 2017 American Bar Association Law Student Trial Advocacy Competition National Finals
- Moot Court Society, 2nd Place at 2015 Appellate Lawyer’s Association Chicago Regional
Miscellaneous:
- Associate Editor, Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology