Michael P. McMahan

Client Work

Mike helped win an appeal before the New York Court of Appeals on behalf of a New York-based dealership group, which resulted in a precedent setting decision with national implications. The Second Circuit asked the New York Court of Appeals to interpret two provisions of New York’s Franchised Motor Vehicle Dealer Act involving sales performance standards and franchise modifications. Beck Chevrolet Co., Inc. v General Motors LLC.

Mike has represented and continues to represent dealers of almost every major brand of vehicle sold in the United States, helping dealers and their principals navigate lawsuits from the filing of a complaint, discovery and depositions, and all the way through appeals.  Mike has personally handled court hearings, argued before appellate courts, and settled cases all on behalf of dealers.

Previous Work

Before joining ArentFox Schiff, Mike was an associate at the New York office of a large, international firm, and handled a variety of matters ranging from insurance coverage to securities fraud.  Mike was also the lead associate on a trial in New York Supreme Court on a dispute related to a $1 billion transaction.

Professional Activities

• New York Inn of Court
• New York County Lawyer’s Association

Publications, Presentations & Recognitions

Recognitions

• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Best Lawyers (2024)
• The Legal 500 - Transport: Rail and Road

Publications

• “Advertising In The Age Of COVID: 10 Things You Need To Know”, New Jersey Auto Retailer, Pub. 19 2020-2021 Issue 4
• “Dissatisfied with CSI: How to Protect Your Dealership from Manufacturer Abuses,” New Jersey Auto Retailer, Issue No. 1, 2019
• “Stop the Bleeding: Challenging The Manufacturers’ Control of Dealers Through Incentives”, DEFENDER, National Association of Dealer Counsel, September 2017
• Dewey Trial Gets Second Run In Morality Play, For CLE Credit, Law360, June 2016
• BNA: Real Estate Law & Industry [4 REAL 288, 4/19/2011], Worth the Paper They’re Written on? Completion Guaranties Tough to Enforce, by Joshua S. Sohn, Jason R. Goldstein, and Mike McMahan

Life Beyond the Law

Mike creates and performs educational musical parodies with fellow lawyers for the New York Inn of Court, such as the critically-acclaimed “Dewey: An Ethical Musical,” and helped write NYCLA’s The Book of Betty, a musical tribute to Hon. Betty Weinberg Ellerin.