Michael Sweet heads the Firm's litigation group. He has practiced law for over 13 years and represents clients in state and federal courts in a wide range of matters. Mr. Sweet specializes in general civil litigation, including complex commercial litigation, restructuring and insolvency, and election law. He has brought multiple jury and bench trials to verdict. Prior to joining McNutt Law Group, Mr. Sweet worked at Winston & Strawn, LLP where he primarily represented creditors' committees in major bankruptcies and defended large institutional clients in complex commercial litigation, product defect matters and antitrust cases. During law school Mr. Sweet was a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Lisa Hill Fenning of the United States Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California.

In bankruptcy matters, Mr. Sweet has litigated preferences, fraudulent conveyances, claims objections and plan confirmation, among other issues. He currently represents debtors, creditors and creditors' committees in bankruptcy cases throughout California. He also advises clients experiencing financial distress on strategies for avoiding bankruptcy. In 2004 Mr. Sweet was a member of the team that assisted the City of Richmond, California, in restructuring its finances to avoid a bankruptcy filing. He was responsible for major claims and preference litigation on behalf of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy estates of Metricom, Inc. and Washington Group, International, working to successfully reduce claims against the estates by tens of millions of dollars.

Mr. Sweet's litigation practice includes representation of plaintiffs and defendants in contract and employment matters as well as actions under California's Unfair Competition Law (Business & Professions Code §17200). His clients in unfair competition cases have included electronics companies and financial institutions, as well as a gourmet food producer. Mr. Sweet participated in the representation of the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation in complex probate litigation in Saipan. He was also involved in the successful representation of a major diversified financial institution in a complex fraudulent transfer case brought against eight individuals and 43 related companies. Mr. Sweet worked on Bunker v. County of Orange, 103 Cal.App. 4th 542 (2002), which upheld taxpayers' rights to bring a class action lawsuit over the county's handling of the real property assessment appeals process.

Mr. Sweet's election law work includes representation of candidates, campaign committees and officeholders. He has counseled clients involved in recall campaigns. He has also represented individuals in law enforcement matters. In addition, he successfully pursued litigation before the California Supreme Court on behalf of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former California Senate President Pro Tem John Burton. The case, Bramberg v. Jones, 20 Cal. 4th 1045 (1999), invalidated a statewide ballot initiative on constitutional grounds.

Practice Areas

Bankruptcy/Insolvency
Civil Litigation
Real Estate
Election Law

Education

• Brandeis University (B.A., 1991)
• University of California Los Angeles School of Law (J.D., 1996)

Bar Admission

• 1996, California

Professional Affiliations

• State Bar of California
• Bar Association of San Francisco
• Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations
• California Political Attorneys Association

Publications & Speaking Engagements

• "City Survival in the Post-Stimulus World: The Bankruptcy Option," Speaker, League of California Cities City Managers Department Meeting, February 2010
• "Municipal Bankruptcy: Strategies, Options and Realities," presented to Municipal Attorneys Group, August 2009
• "Will California's Crisis Lead to a Bankruptcy Wave?", The Bond Buyer, August 17, 2009
• "More Cities Facing Bankruptcy? : While Often Avoidable, Sometimes Going to Court is the Best Option.", Guest Column, The Orange County Register, July 26, 2009
• "Cities Generally Have Alternatives to Bankruptcy", Viewpoints, The Sacramento Bee, July 24, 2009
• "Protecting Your Business from Accessibility Lawsuits," presented to the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, June 2007
• "How to Stop Your Competitors from Stealing Your Trade Secrets and Employees; Also, What You May Lawfully Poach in California," presented to the Labor and Employment Law Section of the Santa Clara County Bar Association, November 2006 (with Hon. James Kleinberg and John Fox)
• "UCL Remedies, The Scope of Restitution and Injunctive Relief," presented at the Bridgeport Continuing Education 2006 UCL and Class Action Litigation Conference, May 2006 (with Kim Kralowec)
• "Be Careful What You Wish For: The UCL After Prop. 64," presented at the Santa Clara County Bar Association MCLE program, December 2005 (with Hon. James Kleinberg and Kim Kralowec)
• "Is There Any Bite Left in B & P Section 17200? Unfair Competition Lawsuits After Proposition 64," presented at the Barristers Litigation Section meeting of The Bar Association of San Francisco, March 2005
• "Same Horse, New Rider, Better Ammo: Unfair Competition and Consumer Protection Lawsuits After Proposition 64," presented at Winston & Strawn's Technology Law Seminar, February 2005 (with Mark Olson)

Mr. Sweet's media appearances include a profile in The Recorder "Firms Bank on Cities' Distress"; a news segment on new residential development in San Francisco's SOMA neighborhood, KRON news, January 2004; and "The Cruise Industry and the Proposal to Build a New Cruise Terminal in San Francisco," KQED Forum with Michael Krasny, January 2003.

Other Activities

Mr. Sweet is the vice chair of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. He serves as a vice president of the San Francisco Metropolitan Jewish Community Relations Council. He has been an elected member of the California State Democratic Central Committee since 2004 and also serves on the Party's Resolutions Committee. Mr. Sweet is the acting-chair of the Rincon-Point/South Beach Citizen's Advisory Committee to the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency. He is the immediate past-president of the Raoul Wallenberg Jewish Democratic Club of San Francisco and was a candidate for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 2002. In 2006 he was named an Outstanding Volunteer by the Bar Association of San Francisco.