Lisa Rycus Mikalonis

Shareholder
lmikalonis@sommerspc.com
toll free: 1-800-967-1234
phone: (248) 746-4048
fax: (248) 936-2153

Ms. Mikalonis is a media attorney and commercial litigator, focusing on intellectual property litigation. In addition to litigation, her practice includes advising clients in the protection of intellectual property rights, drafting licenses, service, support and confidentiality agreements and counseling clients on e-commerce and other internet legal issues. Ms. Mikalonis started her career in law 20 years ago and concentrated her practice in the areas of First Amendment and media law because she saw an opportunity to combine her interests in law with journalism, literature and other media. Before joining Sommers Schwartz, Ms. Mikalonis was Assistant General Counsel to MotorCity Casino. Prior to that, she was the Assistant Dean for Career Services at the Wayne State University Law School, where she has also taught Legal Research and Writing and Media Law.  She has worked for firms in Washington, D.C. and in the metropolitan Detroit area, where she counseled and represented print and broadcast media, internet business providers, software manufacturers, publishers, authors, inventors, entertainment concerns and various commercial entities. She has participated in numerous panel discussions in the areas of media law and the status of women in the legal profession. 

Education:
- University of Oregon School of Law, JD
- University of California, Berkeley, BA

Areas of Practice:
- Business and Commercial Litigation
- Intellectual Property
- Media and Entertainment Law
- E-commerce & Internet Law

Litigation Percentage:
80% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
 
Bar Admissions:
- State of Michigan
- State of Maryland
- US District Court Eastern District of Michigan
- US District Court Western District of Michigan
- Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
 
Classes/Seminars Taught:
- Legal Research and Writing, Wayne State University Law School
- Media Law, Wayne State University Law School
- Media Law, University of Michigan Dearborn, Journalism Department

Significant Cases:
- MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. v. Mitsubishi Materials Silicon Corp., 420 F.3d 1369 (Fed. Cir. 2005) - Successful in obtaining and sustaining on appeal summary judgement of no direct infringement for defendant in patent infringement case based on lack of evidence that defendant sold or offered to sell accused product in the United States.
- Grand Rapids Press v. Michigan Tax Tribunal (12/00) - Successful prosecution of Open Meetings Act case against the Michigan Tax Tribunal challenging closed Tax Tribunal proceedings involving the property tax assessment of the Amway Grand Hotel.
- The Oakland Press v. City of Pontiac (11/00) - Successfully prosecuted Freedom of Information Act case against the City of Pontiac to obtain the police department's investigatory documents regarding an incident of alleged police brutality.  Successfully defended against the appeals of the City and the police union.
- C & G Publishing v. City of Troy (3/99) - Successfully appealed Freedom of Information Act case against the City of Troy for the performance evaluation of the City Manager on grounds that the newspaper was the prevailing party entitled to attorney fees despite the fact that requested personnel documents did not exist.
- Vestrand v. Thomas, In re Non-Party Petitioner The Oakland Press (8/98) - Successful in having protective order dissolved in sexual harassment case against former Attorney Grievance Commission Administrator to permit public access to discovery material.  Successfully defended against Administrator's appeal.
- Grebner v. Towne Courier (4/98) - Successfully appealed $40,000 jury verdict against newspaper in libel case on actual malice grounds. - Bradley v. Board of Education, 455 Mich 285, 565 NW2d 650 (1997) - Represented amicus curiae Michigan Press Association in appeal of Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") case resulting in Michigan Supreme Court decision holding that personnel records of public employees are not exempt under FOIA's personal privacy exemption. - People v. Schmitz, In re The Oakland Press (10/96) - Successful emergency appeal of trial court's order restricting media access to "Jenny Jones" murder trial.

Professional Associations and Memberships:
- Women's Bar Association (Oakland County Region of Women Lawyers Association of Michigan), Past President and Advisory Council Member

Publications:
- Federated Publications: Closing the Door on Public Access, Admin. L. Q. (Admin. Law Sec., State Bar of Mich.), Spring 2000, at 1.
 - Copyright, Preliminary Injunctions and The First Amendment:  Does the Presumption of Irreparable Harm Infringe the Speech Interests of Copyright Defendants?  65 Or. L. Rev. 765 (1986)
- "The New Michigan Law on Libel," Editor & Publisher, March 11, 1989, p. 24 (with Henry W. Saad)
- "Establishing a Libel Policy for Your Station," RadioActive, March/April 1988, p. 16 (with Ann K. Ford)
- "Service Mark Protection and Your Station," RadioActive, December 1987, p. 12 (with Ann K. Ford)

Speaking Engagements:
- Panel Member, Wayne State University School of Law, Women's Law Caucus, Career Networking:  A Female Perspective, Mach 2006
- Panel Member, University of Michigan Law School, Women Law Student Association, Women's Week Panel on Challenges Facing Women in the Business and Legal Professions, March 2006
- Moderator, Oakland County Women's Bar Association Work/Life Balance Symposium, Wayne State University Law School, April 2004
- Faculty Moderator, Panel Discussion on Personal and Career Choices for Women sponsored by the Women's Law Caucus, Wayne State University Law School, April 2002
- Panel Member, Student Roundtable, Opening Doors with the Michigan Sunshine Laws, Michigan Press Association Winter Convention, February 2002
- Panel Discussion on Michigan Open Meetings Act, Annual Michigan State Bar Meeting, Administrative Law Section, September 2000
- Panel Discussion on Prosecutorial Subpoenas Directed at Media Personnel, Central Michigan University, Journalism Career Day, October 1999