Todd E. Pentecost

• Securities Litigation. Defended several Fortune 500 and private companies and individual officers and directors in litigation involving claims under the federal securities laws.°
• SEC Enforcement Actions. Represented the former controller of a large international shipping company in an SEC investigation into the company’s accounting practices. The SEC investigation generated Wells Notices to several targets including the former controller. GT successfully obtained a termination letter from the SEC with respect to the controller, while all the remaining targets were named as defendants in an SEC enforcement action.
• Investment Company Litigation. Represented numerous mutual funds and independent trustees of mutual funds in putative class and derivative actions filed in various state and federal courts across the country in cases asserting claims under Section 36(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940.°
• Merger and Acquisition Litigation. Represented a plaintiff corporation seeking damages resulting from the breach of a stock purchase agreement under which the defendant was to purchase certain subsidiaries of the plaintiff for $68 million. The matter was settled on terms highly beneficial to the client one week before trial.°
• Commercial Litigation. Represented a Big Ten University in a lawsuit pertaining to the administration of the University’s 403(b) retirement plans.
• Fiduciary Litigation. Represented corporation in an action seeking to enjoin a proposed acquisition of the company on the ground that the consideration to be received by public shareholders was inadequate and the sale process was deficient.°
• Consumer Class Actions. Defended several consumer class action cases seeking statutory damages under state and federal consumer protection laws.°
• Product Liability/Commercial Tort Litigation. Represented a large manufacturer and distributor of automobile tires in numerous cases filed throughout the Midwest alleging tread defects causing roll-over accidents.°
• Real Estate Litigation. Represented a major real estate developer in several lawsuits involving temporary injunctive relief. In one case, the plaintiff’s request to enjoin the client’s construction project in a premiere building in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood was denied by the court. In another, the court entered a temporary restraining order preventing the seller of a valuable, high-profile commercial property from conveying the property to another buyer. The property was subsequently conveyed to the client in accordance with the original sale contract.°
• Minority Shareholder Oppression. Represented a minority shareholder in a graphics arts company in a shareholder oppression case that resulted in a multimillion-dollar judgment.°
• Breach of Warranty Litigation. Represented a defendant manufacturer of heavy industrial equipment installed in a facility in Mexico in a breach of warranty case. The case was settled for approximately five percent of the amount sought by the plaintiff.°
• Municipal Representation. Represented an Illinois municipality in several litigation matters relating to its redevelopment of a blighted shopping mall in a tax increment financing district, including a condemnation case to terminate a long-term lease of a tenant of the blighted mall which was settled on terms favorable to the client and a case asserting a legal challenge to the municipality’s approval of planned unit development permit for the property which was dismissed by the court.°
• Restrictive Covenant Litigation. Defended numerous individuals and companies in restrictive covenant (non-competition and non-solicitation) litigation, including a case where the client prevailed and was awarded 100% of its defense costs by the Court after a preliminary injunction hearing.°
• Mechanics Lien Claims. Represented property owners, and in one case an Illinois municipality, in cases asserting mechanics lien claims.°
• Insurance Coverage Litigation. Prosecution and defense of significant coverage claims under commercial general liability and professional errors and omissions insurance policies.°
• Interlocutory Injunction Cases. Prosecution and defense of cases seeking emergency temporary and preliminary injunctive relief in cases involving corporate acquisitions, trade secret misappropriation, restrictive employment covenants, athletic eligibility and other types of claims.°
• Sports Law. Represented several student-athletes securing injunctive relief providing for the eligibility of the student-athletes to compete in the sport of high school basketball.°

°The above representations were handled by Mr. Pentecost prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

• Army National Guard, 1996-2007
  • Veteran, Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003-2004
  • Officer, U.S. Army and Army National Guard, 1994-2007

• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Illinois State Bar Association
• Life Member, Veterans of Foreign Wars