Eric Esshaki

Managing Partner
Attorney

Founder and managing partner, Eric Esshaki has experience representing clients on a broad variety of complex commercial litigation matters, including shareholder disputes, employment and labor law, banking and finance, constitutional litigation, real estate, and white-collar investigations and defense.  

 

Eric began his legal career in New York City at Paul Weiss, where he represented several Fortune 100 companies in often high-profile matters.  Eric paused his legal practice to run for U.S. Congress in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District and he has since returned to practicing law in Michigan full-time. Eric started Esshaki Legal to bring the innovative and rigorous style of practicing law that he learned in New York City to his clients in the Detroit area.

Eric enjoys teaching Philosophy at his undergraduate alma mater, Oakland University, and sits on the Board of Directors at the New York City Montessori Charter School. In addition to holding law licenses in both Michigan and New York, Eric is also licensed as a Registered Nurse.

EDUCATION

  • J.D. University of Michigan Law School
  • B.I.S. Oakland University   summa cum laude
  • Associate’s in Applied Science/Nursing, Oakland Community College   summa cum laude

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • Michigan
  • New York

COURT ADMISSIONS

  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Representative Matters

  • A former congressional candidate against Governor Whitmer and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in obtaining a preliminary injunction to prevent the defendants from enforcing an unconstitutional state law related to the 2020 election.
  • The National Football League in the defense and settlement of lawsuits by former players seeking to hold the league liable for allegedly concealing the risks associated with concussions.
  • A private equity firm with over 6 billion under management in defense of a suit seeking 200 million dollars for wrongful redemption of preferred equity.
  • A venture capital firm in connection with a partnership dispute involving multiple down-round financings.
  • A Fortune 100 company in an internal investigation relating to accounting procedures and allegations of fraud.
  • A California-based technology company in obtaining a favorable settlement in the enforcement of an anti-compete agreement.
  • A fortune 100 tech company in enforcing anti-compete and non-disclosure agreements.
  • A large non-profit firm in creating employee policies and related employee handbooks.
  • A local municipality in connection with a class-action suit brought alleging the unlawful assessment of fees for property owners and successfully securing dismissal of the lawsuit.
  • Municipal police officers in obtaining dismissals against frivolous allegations prior to discovery.
  • Members of the board of directors of one of the largest meat packing companies in the country in connection with allegations of self-dealing.
  • Several major US banks in defending against various charges brought by the DOJ, SEC, and FINRA, involving violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and Dodd-Frank Act. 
  • The CEO of a public company against an SEC inquiry relating to the violation of various securities and accounting laws.