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In March of 2018, Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of porn actress [[Stormy Daniels]] against President Donald Trump seeking to invalidate the alleged "hush" agreement Trump and Daniels negotiated in the final days of the [[2016 U.S. Presidential campaign]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2018/03/06/business/06reuters-usa-trump-daniels.html|title=Stormy Daniels Sues Trump Over 'Hush Agreement'|first=|last=Reuters|date=6 March 2018|publisher=|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/porn-star-stormy-daniels-sues-president-trump/2018/03/06/1ad8e60a-21a7-11e8-a589-763893265565_story.html|title=Porn actress Stormy Daniels sues Trump, says hush agreement is null because he didn’t sign it|first1=Beth|last1=Reinhard|first2=Frances Stead|last2=Sellers|first3=Emma|last3=Brown|date=6 March 2018|publisher=|via=www.washingtonpost.com}}</ref>
In March of 2018, Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of porn actress [[Stormy Daniels]] against President Donald Trump seeking to invalidate the alleged "hush" agreement Trump and Daniels negotiated in the final days of the [[2016 U.S. Presidential campaign]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2018/03/06/business/06reuters-usa-trump-daniels.html|title=Stormy Daniels Sues Trump Over 'Hush Agreement'|first=|last=Reuters|date=6 March 2018|publisher=|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/porn-star-stormy-daniels-sues-president-trump/2018/03/06/1ad8e60a-21a7-11e8-a589-763893265565_story.html|title=Porn actress Stormy Daniels sues Trump, says hush agreement is null because he didn’t sign it|first1=Beth|last1=Reinhard|first2=Frances Stead|last2=Sellers|first3=Emma|last3=Brown|date=6 March 2018|publisher=|via=www.washingtonpost.com}}</ref>

=== Failed Coffee Company and Federal Tax Liens Against Avenatti ===

In 2013 Avenatti formed a company to buy an approximately 40 store coffee chain named "Tully's" out of bankruptcy.<ref>https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2018-03-09/report-tullys-coffee-closing-stores-due-to-lack-of-coffee</ref> The venture did not start off well as Avenatti first formed a partnership with Patrick Dempsey, of Grey's Anatomy fame. Dempsey almost immediately sued Avenatti for breach of fiduciary duty and by August 2013 had fully back away from the venture.<ref>https://www.seattletimes.com/business/dempsey-walks-away-from-tullyrsquos-after-suing-partner/</ref> During the next five years, Tully's and Avenatti were involved in a dozen lawsuits from suppliers, landlords, contractors and others.<ref>https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2018/02/06/tullys-coffee-global-baristas-lawsuit-nickerson.html</ref> The number of stores dwindled to 15 until on March 9, 2018 all of the stores were closed because they had run out of coffee.<ref>https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2018/02/06/tullys-coffee-global-baristas-lawsuit-nickerson.html</ref> By August of 2017 there was a Federal Tax Lien filed against Michael Avenatti personally, and the company, in the amount of $4,998,227.45.<ref>https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2017/11/29/tullys-closes-more-stores-after-evictions-owes-at.html</ref> These taxes were Section 941 taxes which are the monies that employees had taken out of their paychecks, but were not turned over the the government.<ref>https://bizfluent.com/info-8180259-941-taxes.html</ref> By March 2018 the State of Washington was owed over $850,000 in unpaid employee taxes for which tax warrants were filed in King County, Washington.


===Racing career===
===Racing career===

Revision as of 01:40, 14 March 2018

Michael J. Avenatti
Born
Michael J. Avenatti

(1971-02-16) February 16, 1971 (age 53)
Sacramento, California
OccupationAttorney
Years active2000–present
Websiteavenatti.com

Michael Avenatti (born February 16, 1971) is an American attorney and entrepreneur. He routinely appears on broadcast[1][2][3] and print media[4] as a commentator on a range of legal issues and has represented parties in a number of lawsuits that have gained international media attention, including cases brought against the National Football League,[5] various celebrity defendants,[6][7] high-ranking business executives[8] and Fortune 100 companies.[9] He is also a professional race car driver, having participated in races across the United States and Europe.[10][11][12][13][14][15]

Biography

Early years

Avenatti graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a major in Political Science in 1996. He subsequently attended law school at George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. where he worked with Professor Jonathan Turley on constitutional issues relating to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). He later graduated Order of the Coif, first in his class.[7]

In 2003, George Washington University Law School established the Michael J. Avenatti Award for Excellence in Pre-Trial and Trial Advocacy, an annual award given to the member of the graduating Juris Doctor class who demonstrates excellence in pre-trial and trial advocacy. Avenatti also received George Washington University’s prestigious Alumni Recognition Award in 2010.[16]

While in college and later in law school, Avenatti worked at a political opposition and media firm, The Research Group, run by Rahm Emanuel (later White House Chief of Staff for President Barack Obama, and mayor of Chicago).[17] Avenatti worked on over 150 campaigns in 42 states, including multiple gubernatorial and congressional campaigns and Joe Biden’s U.S. Senate campaign.[7]

After law school, Avenatti worked at O’Melveny & Myers in Los Angeles, California, alongside Daniel M. Petrocelli, who previously represented the Ron Goldman family in its case against O.J. Simpson.[18] He assisted Petrocelli on multiple legal matters, including the representation of singer Christina Aguilera[19] and litigation surrounding the movie K-19: The Widowmaker,[20] and worked extensively for Don Henley and Glenn Frey of the musical group The Eagles, including in a suit brought by former bandmate Don Felder against the group and Irving Azoff.[21][7]

Avenatti later joined Greene Broillet & Wheeler, a Los Angeles boutique litigation firm. While there, he handled a number of high-profile cases, including a $10 million defamation case against Paris Hilton,[22] a successful idea-theft lawsuit relating to the show The Apprentice and against producers Mark Burnett and Donald Trump,[23] and a $40 million embezzlement lawsuit involving KPMG.[7][24]

In 2007, Avenatti formed the law firm Eagan Avenatti, LLP (formerly known as Eagan O’Malley & Avenatti, LLP) with offices in Newport Beach, California, Los Angeles and San Francisco, California. He has since appeared on 60 Minutes twice in connection with cases he has handled.[1][25] Avenatti has also served as lead counsel on a number of historically-large cases, including an April 2017 $454 million verdict after a jury trial in Federal Court in Los Angeles in a fraud case against Kimberly-Clark and Halyard Health,[26] a $80.5 Million class-action settlement against Service Corporation International,[27] a $41 million jury verdict against KPMG, [28] and a $39 Million malicious prosecution settlement. [29] In 2015, Avenatti prevailed against the National Football League following a two-week jury trial in Federal District Court in Dallas, Texas after cross-examining Jerry Jones at trial.[30][31]

In March of 2018, Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of porn actress Stormy Daniels against President Donald Trump seeking to invalidate the alleged "hush" agreement Trump and Daniels negotiated in the final days of the 2016 U.S. Presidential campaign.[32][33]

Failed Coffee Company and Federal Tax Liens Against Avenatti

In 2013 Avenatti formed a company to buy an approximately 40 store coffee chain named "Tully's" out of bankruptcy.[34] The venture did not start off well as Avenatti first formed a partnership with Patrick Dempsey, of Grey's Anatomy fame. Dempsey almost immediately sued Avenatti for breach of fiduciary duty and by August 2013 had fully back away from the venture.[35] During the next five years, Tully's and Avenatti were involved in a dozen lawsuits from suppliers, landlords, contractors and others.[36] The number of stores dwindled to 15 until on March 9, 2018 all of the stores were closed because they had run out of coffee.[37] By August of 2017 there was a Federal Tax Lien filed against Michael Avenatti personally, and the company, in the amount of $4,998,227.45.[38] These taxes were Section 941 taxes which are the monies that employees had taken out of their paychecks, but were not turned over the the government.[39] By March 2018 the State of Washington was owed over $850,000 in unpaid employee taxes for which tax warrants were filed in King County, Washington.

Racing career

Since 2010, Avenatti has raced as a driver in approximately 33 professional sports car races, including various American Le Mans Series, FIA World Endurance Championship, Porsche Supercup and United SportsCar Championship races in the United States and in Europe. These races have included the 24 Hours of LeMans, 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, and Long Beach Grand Prix.[10][11][12][13][14][15] In 2015, Avenatti teamed at the 24 Hours of LeMans with Saudi Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud and Jakub Giermaziak of Poland in the No. 66 JMW Motorsport Ferrari 458 Italia, where the team placed 7th.[10]

Racing appearances

References

  1. ^ a b "60 Minutes investigates medical gear sold during Ebola crisis".
  2. ^ Michael Avenatti (3 October 2014). "Michael Avenatti on CNN MJA Live" – via YouTube.
  3. ^ "Cemeteries draw complaints".
  4. ^ Browning, Lynnley (27 April 2006). "KPMG Reports Some Progress On Shelters" – via query.nytimes.com.
  5. ^ "Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones testifies in Super Bowl lawsuit". 10 March 2015.
  6. ^ "Jim Carrey's Ex-Girlfriend Claimed He Introduced Her to 'Cocaine, Prostitutes, Mental Abuse and Disease'".
  7. ^ a b c d e "Michael J.Avenatti - California Lawyers - The Scourge of KPMG".
  8. ^ "Judge finds 11th largest U.S. accounting firm in contempt over audit documents".
  9. ^ "Kimberly-Clark faces $500 million suit over Ebola protection gown". 30 October 2014 – via Reuters.
  10. ^ a b c "Michael Avenatti - Racing career profile - Driver Database". www.driverdb.com.
  11. ^ a b "Avenatti: "This is Our First Entree into the FIA WEC" – Sportscar365".
  12. ^ a b "VIDEO: GB Autosport Le Mans Wednesday Update – Sportscar365".
  13. ^ a b "Sebring Wednesday Notebook – Sportscar365".
  14. ^ a b "Giermaziak, Butcher Complete GB Autosport's Rolex 24 Lineup – Sportscar365".
  15. ^ a b "GB Autosport Confirms NAEC Effort, Signs Skeen – Sportscar365".
  16. ^ "GW Magazine". www2.gwu.edu.
  17. ^ "A Rahm for the Money".
  18. ^ "Man behind Simpson guilty verdict". 14 June 2004.
  19. ^ "Christina's Court Fight".
  20. ^ "Harrison Ford Sub Drama Draws Fire".
  21. ^ Leeds, Jeff (8 December 2002). "Reborn Eagles Lose Peaceful, Easy Feeling" – via LA Times.
  22. ^ "Paris Hilton Settles $10 Million Defamation Suit". 23 August 2007.
  23. ^ "Mark Bethea Idea Theft Case against Mark Burnett Productions Will Begin Trial on Wednesday, May 31, 2006; Bethea Claims Burnett Stole Concept That Became ``The Apprentice". www.businesswire.com.
  24. ^ Reilly, David (29 March 2006). "KPMG Settles Targus Audit Case" – via www.wsj.com.
  25. ^ "Final resting place: Cemeteries lack oversight".
  26. ^ "Hospital gowns didn't protect as promised, jury says in $454-million fraud verdict". 10 April 2017 – via LA Times.
  27. ^ Sichel, Jared (27 February 2014). "Eden Memorial Park settles lawsuit in $80.5 million deal — Jewish Journal".
  28. ^ "KPMG Assessed $41 Million for Failing to Divulge Fraud Revealed in Audit - New Jersey Law Journal". New Jersey Law Journal.
  29. ^ https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2011/05/20/flir-to-pay-39m-to-settle-lawsuit.html
  30. ^ "Dallas jury awards $76,000 to Super Bowl seat plaintiffs, finds no fraud by NFL". 12 March 2015.
  31. ^ "Combative Jones acknowledges regret over Super Bowl seating". 10 March 2015.
  32. ^ Reuters (6 March 2018). "Stormy Daniels Sues Trump Over 'Hush Agreement'" – via NYTimes.com. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  33. ^ Reinhard, Beth; Sellers, Frances Stead; Brown, Emma (6 March 2018). "Porn actress Stormy Daniels sues Trump, says hush agreement is null because he didn't sign it" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  34. ^ https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2018-03-09/report-tullys-coffee-closing-stores-due-to-lack-of-coffee
  35. ^ https://www.seattletimes.com/business/dempsey-walks-away-from-tullyrsquos-after-suing-partner/
  36. ^ https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2018/02/06/tullys-coffee-global-baristas-lawsuit-nickerson.html
  37. ^ https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2018/02/06/tullys-coffee-global-baristas-lawsuit-nickerson.html
  38. ^ https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2017/11/29/tullys-closes-more-stores-after-evictions-owes-at.html
  39. ^ https://bizfluent.com/info-8180259-941-taxes.html
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