T. Joseph "Joe" Wendt

Joe's practice focuses on commercial disputes, with experience representing heavy equipment manufacturers, real estate development and construction companies, utilities and entities involved in energy trading.

Joe has authored briefs to the United States Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and has argued before the Indiana Supreme Court and Indiana Court of Appeals.Joe is admitted to practice law in the United States Supreme Court; the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit; U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, the Eastern District of Michigan, and the Central District of Illinois; and the Indiana Supreme Court.

Representative cases include:

• Obtained judgment in favor of a global manufacturer on claims that it violated the False Claims Act through purchases from an allegedly sham, minority-owned entity.

• Obtained judgment in favor of a global manufacturer on claims that it violated Puerto Rico's distributor protection laws.Obtained judgment in favor of public utility on negligence claims, through enforcement of the liability limitation in the utility's filed and approved tariff.

• Obtained summary judgment for corporate defendant on alleged minority shareholder's claims that the corporation was vicarious liable for the CEO's alleged breach of fiduciary duties.

• Obtained judgment in favor of a subsidiary of the world's largest water company on two separate consumer class actions due the exclusive jurisdiction of the relevant regulatory agency.

• Obtained summary judgment on claim that retail lessee violated covenants of good faith, continuous operation and to generate percentage rent when it vacated leased facility.

• Obtained judgment, defeating claims that an oral contract conferred partial ownership in a large development company.