Michael E. Mumford

Partner

Cleveland
T +1.216.861.7578
F +1.216.696.0740

Overview

Mike Mumford concentrates his practice on antitrust counseling and litigation, as well as other complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on defending class actions against the insurance and financial services industries. Mike has specific experience defending domestic and foreign firms against claims of international price fixing and other cartel activities. He also regularly advises insurers on a range of issues, including extra-contractual liability, coverage questions and claims practices. 

He has defended some of the largest companies, as well as midsize firms, and has developed and implemented effective, cogent strategies of defense specifically suited to respective defendants.

Select Experience

  • Represents major auto insurer against antitrust claims brought in multidistrict litigation by more than 100 auto body repair shops challenging auto body repair reimbursement rates.
  • Defended and oversaw the national defense of numerous class actions against major auto insurers relating to claims adjustment practices, including the use of nonoriginal equipment parts, depreciation deductions, the use of estimating software, and the determination of prevailing repair rates.
  • Represents casualty insurer in putative class action challenging underinsured motorist coverage claims and sales practices in New Mexico.
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Experience

  • Represents major auto insurer against antitrust claims brought in multidistrict litigation by more than 100 auto body repair shops challenging auto body repair reimbursement rates.
  • Defended and oversaw the national defense of numerous class actions against major auto insurers relating to claims adjustment practices, including the use of nonoriginal equipment parts, depreciation deductions, the use of estimating software, and the determination of prevailing repair rates.
  • Represents casualty insurer in putative class action challenging underinsured motorist coverage claims and sales practices in New Mexico.
  • Defended various insurers in high-exposure bad faith litigation.
  • Defended national casualty insurer in putative class action challenging medical payment reimbursement calculations under California law.
  • Defended one of the largest publicly traded companies in Japan and its foreign subsidiaries against antitrust and consumer protection claims brought in multidistrict litigation by classes of direct and indirect purchasers and by original equipment manufacturers, retailers and distributors alleging that prices of LCD panels were fixed.
  • Represented major auto insurer in putative class action challenging installment fee calculations and practices.
  • Defended national casualty insurer in putative class action alleging discriminatory practices related to the selection of network auto body repair shops. Obtained dismissal of all claims against the client, which was affirmed by the Fifth Circuit.
  • Defended one of several manufacturers in multijurisdictional class actions and suits by attorneys general alleging price fixing in the vitamin industry. Settled with the class plaintiffs and attorneys general on favorable terms.
  • Defended regional bank against fraud, conversion and Uniform Commercial Code claims in several class actions arising out of an alleged Ponzi scheme perpetrated by third parties. Obtained dismissal of all claims on statute of limitations grounds. Successfully argued cases before the Sixth Circuit, which unanimously affirmed each of the district court's decisions.
  • Defended a major bank against civil anti-racketeering law claims in a putative class action challenging the client's referral of title insurance work to its subsidiary title company. Settled the case on favorable terms while a motion to dismiss was pending. 
  • Defended certain of the largest domestic title insurers in consumer class actions challenging rate discounts in residential mortgage refinancing transactions. Persuaded the district court to decertify the class. The decertification ruling was affirmed on appeal by the Sixth Circuit.
  • Represented the nation's largest product certification and testing organization in a putative class action challenging the client's testing protocols. Successfully defeated the class certification, leading the named plaintiffs to dismiss their claims.
  • Defended national mortgage lender in a consumer class action asserting Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Truth in Lending Act and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act violations. Successfully defeated the class certification.

Recognitions and Memberships

Recognitions

  • Ohio Super Lawyers “Rising Star” (2009, 2013 to 2016)
  • Martindale-Hubbell: AV Preeminent

Memberships

  • Judge John M. Manos American Inn of Court
  • American Bar Association
  • Ohio State Bar Association
  • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association

Prior Positions

  • Judicial extern for the Honorable Solomon Oliver on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio

Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
  • Ohio

Education

  • J.D., Case Western Reserve University School of Law, 2001, cum laude
  • M.A., Case Western Reserve University, 1998
  • B.A., Political Science, Case Western Reserve University, 1998, cum laude, with honors

Blog

In The Blogs

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Class Action Lawsuit Defense
BakerHostetler's 2023 Q1 Insurance Class Action Quarterly Report Released
By Mathew G. Drocton, Mark A. Johnson
May 9, 2023
BakerHostetler released its 2023 Q1 Insurance Class Action Quarterly Report, which summarizes a variety of insurance class action themes. Total loss class actions kept going around the country, and labor depreciation class actions...
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Class Action Lawsuit Defense
The Advisory Committee on Civil Rules Proposes a New Rule to Address Early Case Management in Multidistrict Litigation
By Kyle T. Cutts
March 30, 2023
On March 28, 2023, the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules (Committee) convened in West Palm Beach, Florida, to discuss a variety of proposed amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, including a new rule that would provide...
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Class Action Lawsuit Defense
New Challenges to Incentive Awards for Class Representatives Invite Supreme Court Review
By Nicholas A. Cordova, Julie Singer Brady
March 28, 2023
Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued a decision that highlights a growing disagreement among federal appellate courts as to whether class action settlements may include a cash incentive award to named...
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Class Action Lawsuit Defense
BakerHostetler Releases Insurance Class Action Quarterly Report – 2022 Q4
March 8, 2023
BakerHostetler released its Insurance Class Action Quarterly Report for 2022 Quarter 4, devolving trends in the insurance class action space from the past quarter. We witnessed further development of total loss, uninsured/underinsured...
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Class Action Lawsuit Defense
BakerHostetler Files Amicus Brief on Behalf of Ohio Chamber of Commerce
January 19, 2023
As predicted back in March 2022, class litigation related to Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of man-made chemicals that have been widely used in various industrial and consumer products, have skyrocketed over the last...
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