Morgan Hirst is a trial lawyer who represents clients in commercial litigation matters across a variety of industries, including real estate, transportation, private equity, and financial institutions. Morgan has served as litigation and trial counsel in a number of high-profile bankruptcy matters, including Caesars Entertainment Operating Company, iHeart Media, Bon-Ton Department Stores, Peabody Energy, Pacific Gas and Electric, and Aldrich Pump and Murray Boiler. Morgan has also served as lead counsel and trial counsel in a variety of real estate litigation matters, including development, construction, and lease disputes. Morgan also regularly represents clients in post-acquisition disputes, including representation and warranty (R&W) claims, net working capital, and earn-out disputes.
Morgan's jury trial experience includes months of stand up work as first and second chair in state and federal courts around the Midwest. In addition to his trial work, Morgan has argued appeals before the Sixth and Seventh Circuits, the Illinois Appellate Court, and the Missouri Supreme Court.
Morgan is active in legal and civic organizations around Chicago. He is past president of the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, a member of the Advisory Committee for the Northern District of Illinois' Model Initial Discovery Pilot Project, and a long-time member of the Chairmen's Advisory Council for the Big Shoulders Fund, serving Chicago's inner city Catholic schools. He created and oversees the Chicago Office's attorney mentoring program for student-interns from Cristo Rey Jesuit High School's Corporate Work Study Program.
Experience
Additional Speaking Engagements
- August 22, 2019
Federal Bar Association Chicago- Honorary James B Moran Membership Event - June 13, 2018
Updates and Evaluations of the Mandatory Initial Discovery Pilot Program - November 3, 2015
FBA Chicago Chapter, Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Perspectives from the Bench - November 19, 2014
Preservation: The Ethical Challenges Counsel Continue To Face, WeslLaw/Celesq Legal Ed) - April 9-10, 2013
Jones Day 2013 Chicago Health Care Conference - November 15, 2012
Latest Trends With The Corporate Whistleblower: What In-House Counsel and Corporate Compliance Officers Should Be Prepared For, North Shore Wine Tasting and CLE - May 2, 2011
Expert Witness Expertise: Amended Rule 26 and its Impact on Being a Good Expert, Alvarez & Marsal University
- University of Illinois (J.D. magna cum laude 2001; Rickert Award for Oral Advocacy); Indiana University (B.A. 1998)
- State of Illinois; U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Trial Bar; U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Circuits
- Co-appointed counsel on a team that received a U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Service in 2010