Michael J. Pendell

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Michael J. Pendell: Attorney with Motley Rice LLC

Biography

Michael Pendell is a trial lawyer who represents people affected by corporate wrongdoing, including whistleblowers, people harmed by tobacco, prescription medications, dangerous medical devices, and victims of international terrorism. He also represents pension fund trustees and other institutional investors in securities, consumer fraud, and other complex class actions.

Michael served as trial counsel in a number of prescription opioid lawsuits representing dozens of governmental entities, including states, cities, and counties in litigation against several pharmaceutical drug manufacturers and distributors for the alleged deceptive marketing and distribution of highly addictive prescription opioids.

A former Naval Reservist who served in a security unit, Michael litigates on behalf of victims of foreign terrorism and international human rights abuses. Michael, along with other Motley Rice attorneys, is pursuing a civil action against the financiers and supporters of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Michael represents personal injury clients, including people allegedly harmed by tobacco products and thousands alleging harm by dangerous medical devices. He served as trial counsel in the Engle-progeny litigation in Florida for smokers and families of deceased smokers against tobacco manufacturers. In transvaginal mesh litigation, he represented women implanted with Ethicon Gynecare Prolift transvaginal mesh devices claiming serious injuries and complications from the devices.

Michael represents institutional and individual investors in claims involving securities fraud. He played a central role on the litigation team that obtained a seven-figure arbitration award in a case involving secondary liability for an investment advisor’s conduct under the Uniform Securities Act. Michael also represents clients in complex commercial cases regarding claims of fraud, breach of contract, and tortuous interference, as well as representing whistleblowers in multiple cases involving the False Claims Act, including litigation filed against Afognak Native Corp., alleging Small Business Administration regulatory violations.

Prior to joining Motley Rice. Michael was an associate with a Connecticut-based law firm, where he litigated in both federal and state courts in commercial and construction law, media and administrative law, personal injury defense and labor and employment matters. He previously taught business law to B.A. and MBA candidates as an adjunct professor at Albertus Magnus College.

Michael served as a legal intern for the Honorable Randolph F. Treece of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York and as a law clerk for the Major Felony Unit of the Albany County District Attorney’s Office. He served as the executive editor for the New York State Bar Association Government Law & Policy Journal and senior editor for the Albany Law Review, which published his 2008 article entitled, “How Far is Too Far? The Spending Clause, the Tenth Amendment, and the Education State’s Battle Against Unfunded Mandates.”

As of January 2023, Michael serves on the Board of Directors for the Special Olympics of Connecticut.

* Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Awards, Accolades & Recognitions

Lawdragon

2024-2025 Lawdragon 500 Global Plaintiff Lawyers list: Anti-Terrorism, Product Liability, Whistleblower

2019-2025 Lawdragon 500 Plaintiff Financial Lawyers
Consumer Fraud, Securities & Whistleblower Litigation

Connecticut Super Lawyers

Rising Stars list
2013-2018 Securities litigation; Business litigation; Personal injury - products: plaintiff

Blog Posts

March 18, 2019

Appropriate time limit to bring a qui tam case? U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in Causes, Not Just Cases

by: Michael J. Pendell

News

April 28, 2025

The history and legacy of Workers’ Memorial Day

by:
M. Nolan Webb

June 19, 2023

Widow files lawsuit against cyber-intelligence firm, NSO Group, seeking justice for slain husband Jamal Khashoggi

by: Motley Rice

he won both of Albany Law School's major moot court competitions, the Gabrielli Moot Court Appellate Advocacy Competition and the Karen C. McGovern Senior Prize Trials. He is also a New York State Bar Association Trial Academy graduate and a member of The Order of the Barristers and the Gold Key Honor Society.

Awards and Accolades:

2013Connecticut Super Lawyers Rising Starslist

News

Walgreens Shareholder Lawsuit: Motley Rice appointed co-lead counsel in litigation following historic DEA settlement

September 18, 2013

Remembering a Legend: Statement from Motley Rice Co-Founder Joe Rice

August 22, 2013

7th Circuit Revival: Rules FCA case against ITT should proceed to trial

July 17, 2013

Amgen Case Ruling: Supreme Court's ruling in Amgen case backs securities fraud suits

March 04, 2013 Member:

Associations:

American Association for Justice
Connecticut Bar Association,
New York State Bar Association

See more ›

Areas of Practice (7)

  • Anti-Terrorism Lawsuit
  • Consumer Fraud Protection
  • Human Rights Lawsuits
  • Public Client
  • Securities Class Actions
  • Toxic Exposure
  • Whistleblower Claims

Education & Credentials

University Attended:
Emerson College, B.A., cum laude, 2000
Law School Attended:
Albany Law School, J.D., summa cum laude, 2007
Year of First Admission:
2007
Admission:
Connecticut; New York; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth and Eleventh Circuits; U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut and the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Mohegan Tribal Court
Memberships:

Associations

•American Association for Justice
•Connecticut Bar Association
•New York State Bar Association

Reported Cases:
Casework: Bard Hernia Mesh Lawsuit: Bard hernia mesh has been linked to thousands of injuries. Those injured may file Bard hernia mesh lawsuits.; Medical Device Lawsuits; Active Case; Dexcom Lawsuit: People with diabetes have filed suits over Dexcom G6 safety concerns.; Medical Device Lawsuits Diabetes Lawsuit; Active Case; Roundup Lawsuit: Roundup has been named in thousands of lawsuits against manufacturer Monsanto (now owned by Bayer). These lawsuits argue that exposure to glyphosate increases the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.; Toxic Exposure; Active Case; Paraquat Lawsuit: Paraquat lawsuits against manufacturers allege that exposure to the herbicide paraquat may lead to an increased risk of Parkinson's disease.; Toxic Exposure; Active Case; Opioid Litigation: Public Client; The growing opioid epidemic crosses virtually all demographics, and with more than half a million related deaths recorded in the U.S. since 2015, the crisis has officially been declared a public health emergency.;; Shareholder Value: In Re Barrick Gold Securities Litigation: Securities Class Actions; When corporations allegedly misrepresent their compliance with mandated environmental regulations, the consequences may come at a cost to shareholders. As is the case in the events that followed Barrick Gold purchasing the Pascua-Lama...;; Post-Acquisition Complications: Sprint Nextel: Securities Class Actions; Sprint Nextel agreed to a $131 million settlement to resolve shareholder allegations that complications following Sprint's acquisition of Nextel resulted in a significant drop in stock value.;; IRS, CFTC and Other Whistleblowers: Whistleblower Claims; Whistleblower protection programs exist for an ever-growing range of industries and we work to ensure that those wishing to come forward with valuable information are protected to the full extent of the law.;; Qui Tam Whistleblower Lawyer: Whistleblower Claims; By suing on behalf of the United States government for acts of fraud, a qui tam whistleblower may potentially share in a significant portion of the funds recovered by the government.;; Shareholder Derivative Lawsuit: Securities Class Actions Antitrust; Through shareholder derivative actions, we work with company investors to restore value lost to the company due to willful mismanagement, insider self-dealing or other acts of malfeasance.;; Securities Fraud: Securities Class Actions Antitrust; Representing domestic and foreign institutional investors-including union, pension, and hedge funds-in recovering shareholder losses incurred due to corporate fraud.;; Transvaginal Mesh (TVM): Medical Device Lawsuits Women's Health Lawsuits; Transvaginal mesh (TVM), also known as pelvic mesh or bladder sling, is used to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Complications include severe pain, permanent damage and revision surgery.
ISLN:
919719833

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860-882-1682  Fax

www.motleyrice.com/attorneys/michael-j-pendell

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