Michael A. Zuckerman, Esq. is a seasoned dispute resolution professional. Passionate about his work, Mr. Zuckerman has handled hundreds of matters as a neutral. He has a depth of skill in commercial, consumer, and employment matters. His practice additionally extends to banking, business/commercial disputes, class action/mass tort, cyber law, and real estate matters. Mr. Zuckerman is a leader in the ADR community and a law professor teaching mediation and arbitration. 

In private practice, Mr. Zuckerman was a trial and appellate litigator at Jones Day. He represented clients in various complex cases in federal and state court. He quickly became known for his skill in negotiating settlements, briefing complicated issues, and developing legal strategies. He represented both plaintiffs and defendants. 

Mr. Zuckerman previously clerked for federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Representative Matters

• Appellate
• Mediated appeal of trial court order requiring expert testimony in property damage matter
• As an appellate advocate, represented clients in complex matters, including appeals relating to allegations of misrepresentations in law school marketing materials; and reporting practices under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) 
• Banking
• Mediated and arbitrated cases involving banks as data furnishers under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) relating to accuracy of account balance and payment history, third-party fraud, dispute letters and investigations, and policies and procedures
• Mediated cases relating to retail banking practices and mortgage loan modifications
• Arbitrated claim of discrimination against bank under the Equal Access to Credit Act
• Arbitrated case involving wire fraud and suspicious transactions relating to personal and business banking accounts
• Mediated claim for breach of cardmember agreement relating to past due balance and involving affirmative defenses and attorneys’ fees
• As an advocate, represented client in dispute about enforceability of loan guarantees
• Business Commercial
• Mediated business divorce involving celebrity chef and assets/debt of LLC, valuation of present and future equity, and inter-personal issues
• Mediated claims against multiple defendants under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) relating to accuracy of reporting, third-party fraud and damages for emotional distress
• Arbitrated several cases under the FCRA relating to inaccurate information, identity theft, dispute letters and internal policies and procedures
• Mediated business divorce involving several LLCs in the transportation industry, including claims for breach of fiduciary duty, misappropriation, conversion, and access to books and records under state corporations act  
• Mediated breach of contract matter arising out of a referral agreement in the telecommunications industry
• Arbitrated case involving enforceability and interpretation of third-party payment guarantee by family member for resident of nursing home relating to unpaid balance
• Mediated dispute between consumer and multinational online payment platform involving claim for return of frozen funds and counterclaim for breach of terms of service
• Mediated breach of contract matter relating to applicability of indemnity clause for intellectual property claims
• Mediated breach of contract claim by public adjuster against insured for failure to pay after insurance company settled claim
• Mediated contract disputes involving equipment rentals, catering companies, event and wedding planning companies, law firms, health insurers, dental practices, funeral homes, auto body shops, electronics repair companies, construction contractors, software startups, and tax preparation firms
• Arbitrated breach of contract claim between manufacturer and component supplier involving issues of contract interpretation, assignment and damage calculations
• Arbitrated dispute between operator of online marketplace and third-party seller regarding product quality and breach of marketplace agreement
• Mediated dispute between family members involving oral loan agreements
• Mediated dispute between members of faith-based organization for breach of contract related to oral agreement about revenue sharing from programming activity
• Mediated claim by consumer against national retailer related to third-party gift card scam
• Arbitrated dozens of cases for breach of warranty and violation of lemon laws relating to new automobiles, including luxury vehicles
• Mediated consumer fraud and breach of contract claims relating online purchases of automobiles, antiques, and diamond jewelry
• Class Action & Mass Tort
• Arbitrated dozens of individual claims under nationwide settlement related to defective engine parts
• As an advocate, represented clients in class actions involving data privacy and credit reporting practices
• As an advocate, represented client in nationwide class action relating to alleged contamination of food items
• As an advocate, represented client in class action relating to automobile parts
• As an advocate, represented client in class action relating to unpaid wage claims by current and former warehouse employees
• Cybersecurity & Privacy
• Mediated and arbitrated cases involving identity theft, email phishing and telephone scams, third-party impersonation and online account hacking
• Arbitrated negligence claim against financial institution for loss of cryptocurrency relating to cyber intrusion
• Mediated claim of unauthorized access to consumer credit information under the FCRA relating to online theft of personally identifiable information
• Arbitrated consumer claim of breach of service agreement against national corporation related to large-scale data breach
• Employment Law
• Mediated federal and state claims involving pregnancy and race-based discrimination relating to termination and conditions of employment; theft of company property; unpaid wages, including sales commissions; employee misclassification; and disparate treatment by managers regarding shift assignments
• Arbitrated whistleblower and wrongful termination claims by former employee of financial institution relating to retail bank sales practices
• Mediated dispute between recruiting firm and technology startup for breach of contracting relating to performance and payment
• Mediated dispute involving interpretation of executive compensation agreement
• Mediated claims of defamation and tortious interference by former employee relating to former employer’s response to employment verification
• As an advocate, represented both plaintiffs and defendants in discrimination and unpaid wage cases
• Real Property
• Mediated condominium association disputes relating to assessments, property management firms, and repairs
• Mediated cases involving security deposits for commercial and residential properties
• Mediated fraud and breach of contract claims involving disclosure of defects in connection with real estate transaction
• Mediated attorneys’ fee petition relating to commercial lease of national sports venue
• As appointed commissioner on local zoning board, considered and voted on requests for variations from zoning code and made recommendations on proposed changes to code

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

• Member, Electronic Public Access User Group, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, 2025
• Commissioner, Village of Glencoe, Zoning Commission & Zoning Board of Appeals, 2023–2025
• Diversity Fellow and Law Clerk, JAMS, 2022–2024
• Member, Advisory Board, Parkinson’s Foundation of Greater Illinois, 2020–2022
• Member, Dean’s Advisory Council, Cornell Law School, 2015–2019
• Honoree, Excellence in Pro Bono Service, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 2016
• Honoree, Outstanding Young Lawyer, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Inc., 2014
• Recipient, Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing, Library of Congress & Burton Foundation, 2009

ADR Associations

• Vice President and Member, Board of Directors, Dispute Resolution Institute, Inc. (DRI), 2022–2025
• American Bar Association (ABA)
  • Co-Chair, Employment Committee, Section on Dispute Resolution, 2024-2025
  • Member, Publications Board, Center on Professional Responsibility, 2022–2025
• Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA)
  • ADR Section Council, 2022–2024
  • Standing Committee on Delivery of Legal Services, 2024–2024
• Treasurer, Illinois Chapter, Association of Attorney-Mediators, 2022–2025
• Arbitrator, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
• Member, Roster of Neutrals (Employment), Cornell ILR School
• Member, Pre/Post-Enforcement Mediation Roster, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Other Memberships and Affiliations

• Member, Federal Bar Association (FBA)
  • Vice Chair and Board Member, Committee on Federal Rules and Trial Practice, Federal Litigation Section, 2013–2017
  • Member, Editorial Board, The Federal Lawyer, 2012–2015
• Member, Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA)
• Member, National LGBTQ+ Bar Association
• Member, Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago (LAGBAC)
• Member, Chicago Chapter, Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR)
• Member, Chicago Bar Association (CBA)

Selected Publications and Speaking Engagements

• Moderator, Appellate Mediation: Discussion with the Bench and Bar, American Bar Association, 2025
• Speaker, The Ethics and Practicalities of Mediation With Pro Se Litigants, Association and Attorney-Mediators, Illinois Chapter, 2025
• Presenter, Pre-Mediation Planning, Illinois State Bar Association, 2024
• Speaker, Dispute Resolution Contract Clause Building Workshop, LGBT Chamber of Commerce of Illinois and American Arbitration Association, 2024
• Coach, Mediation Skills Training, Northwestern School of Professional Studies, 2024
• Speaker, Sharpening Skills & Doing Good: Volunteer Mediation, Association for Conflict Resolution, 2023
• Moderator, Judicial Panel: Best Practices for Settlement Conferences, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois / Settlement Assistance Program, 2023
• Speaker, Top Insights from Analyzing AI Tools in Legal Writing, ABA TechShow, 2022
• Speaker, Best Practices for Expert Reports, Scientific Association of Forensic Examiners, 2021
• Panelist, Federal Practice and Discovery Disputes, Chicago Bar Association, 2018
• Contributing Editor, Federal Employment Litigation, The Rutter Group Practice Guide, 2017–2018
• Co-Author, “More from the #Jury Box: The Latest on Juries and Social Media,” 12 Duke L. & Tech. Rev. 64, 2014
• Co-Author, “The Forgotten Pleading,” 7 Fed. Cts. L. Rev. 152, 2013
• Co-Author, “Ensuring an Impartial Jury in the Age of Social Media,” 11 Duke L. & Tech. Rev. 1, 2012

Admissions

• State Bar of Illinois
• Supreme Court of the United States
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri

Background and Education

• Adjunct Professor & Visiting Practitioner in Residence, Northern Illinois University College of Law, 2024-2025
• Mediator and Arbitrator, Zuckerman Dispute Resolution, LLC, 2021–2024
• Clinical Assistant Professor of Law, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, 2019–2021
• Judicial Law Clerk, Hon. Amy J. St. Eve, U.S. Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 2018–2019
• Associate, Issues & Appeals Group, Jones Day, Chicago, IL, 2012–2017
• Judicial Law Clerk, Hon. Amy J. St. Eve, U.S. District Judge, U.S. District Court for the N.D. Ill., 2011–2012
• Judicial Law Clerk, Hon. Eric L. Clay, U.S. Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 2010–2011
• Judicial Law Clerk, Hon. Cheryl L. Pollak, U.S. Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court for the E.D.N.Y., 2009–2010
• J.D., cum laude, Cornell Law School, 2009
  • Cornell Law Review
• B.S., Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR), Cornell University, 2006