Jeffrey K. Lamb

Jeff Lamb is a partner in the Litigation department who focuses on representing automotive manufacturers and private equity firms in commercial disputes. He has served as trial counsel in bench and jury trials and arbitral proceedings that have gone to verdict and has won multimillion-dollar judgments and achieved favorable settlements at all stages of litigation.

Jeff leads Honigman’s Business Litigation Practice Group and is a key member of the automotive and manufacturing and private equity litigation groups.  Prior to joining Honigman, Jeff worked at a prominent national law firm where he represented global chemical and energy companies in litigation stemming from refinery fires and well failures, as well as commercial disputes arising from joint ventures and mergers gone awry. He is a former Marine Corps officer.

Jeff represents automotive manufacturing firms in commercial disputes with their suppliers, distributors, customers, and competitors. He also represents private equity firms and their portfolio companies in litigation typically involving allegations of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract. In addition, he defends companies in multiple industries in product warranty and privacy-based class action litigation. Jeff also represents closely held corporations in shareholder disputes and actions involving corporate officer misconduct.

Practice Areas

Industries

Representative Matters

Automotive Industry Litigation

• Lead counsel for plaintiff Tier 2 supplier in action for breach of component supply agreement and wrongful termination of supply relationship
• Lead counsel for OEM in nationwide product warranty class action litigation alleging defective steering components
• Lead counsel for Tier 1 supplier in M&A earnout dispute with software company founders
• Lead counsel for OEM in multi-site dealer termination litigation
• Counsel for OEM in fraud and unfair competition litigation against competitor stemming from multi-year union bribery scheme
• Lead counsel for plaintiff OEM in $75 million product warranty dispute with its primary battery manufacturer for the North American market: secured favorable settlement for OEM
• Counsel for OEM in trade secret and breach of contract litigation with former supplier related to prototype vehicle: secured favorable settlement at mediation.
• Lead counsel for Tier 1 supplier in litigation with metal stamper stemming from demands for price increases and contract termination: secured recovery of critical tooling, achieved favorable settlement below estimated litigation expenses and enabled client to efficiently resource business
• Lead counsel for Tier 1 supplier in M&A earnout dispute with former owners of acquired competitor: achieved settlement for less than defense costs
• Lead litigation counsel for OEM in bankruptcy litigation in D. Mass. against former supplier: hotly contested adversary proceeding involved cross claims of fraud and breach of contract and settled favorably following successful depositions of supplier’s financial consultants
• Won $5.8 million judgment, plus attorney’s fees, in E.D. Va. as lead counsel for plaintiff diesel engine manufacturer in breach of contract with its customer
• Served as lead counsel for diesel engine manufacturer in a breach of contract dispute with its former fastener supplier and resolved claims at mediation for far less than projected defense costs
• Represented Tier 1 automotive supplier in post-bankruptcy dispute in E.D. Mich. regarding pension benefits. Won motion to transfer dispute to bankruptcy court which led to favorable settlement
• Led all e-discovery efforts in an enterprise valuation dispute arising out of the bankruptcy of a Tier 1 automotive supplier; supervised 50 attorneys during a three-month document collection and review effort regarding complex financial and production planning issues

Private Equity Litigation

• Lead counsel for company founders in fraud and breach of contract action brought by strategic buyer in New York state court: won motion to dismiss fraud claims; currently on appeal
• Served as lead counsel for private equity portfolio company in $15 million indemnification action related to settlement of nationwide class action alleging statutory violations: won motion to dismiss third party complaint in C.D. Cal. and then successfully resolved claims
• Obtained dismissal of breach of fiduciary duty, gross negligence and federal securities fraud claims via successive dispositive motions while representing defendant private equity firm and its principals in a $10 million lawsuit in S.D. Tex.
• Served as lead counsel for private equity portfolio company in unfair competition litigation with competitor: took over defense from another firm and then won modification of preliminary injunction and achieved favorable settlement via aggressive prosecution of affirmative defenses and counterclaim
• Conducted internal investigation for private equity firm following the discovery of a multi-year accounting fraud by its portfolio company’s CFO; negotiated settlement with national accounting firm on related accounting malpractice and gross negligence claims

Class Action Litigation

• Lead counsel for OEM in nationwide product warranty class action litigation alleging defective steering components
• Represented leading international publisher in statutory privacy class action: achieved favorable settlement at mediation prior to class certification
• Led successful defense of nationwide restaurant chain in class action litigation alleging false advertising and negligence: won dismissal of all claims via successive motions to dismiss
• Lead counsel for CRM provider in $15 million indemnification action related to settlement of nationwide class action alleging statutory privacy claims: won motion to dismiss third party complaint in C.D. Cal. and then successfully resolved claims

Other Significant Commercial Litigation

• Led successful defense of a national distributor in a $15 million trademark infringement action in E.D. Mich. via aggressive prosecution of affirmative defenses: defeated plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction twice; won discovery sanctions, and then secured release of all claims on extremely favorable terms
• Lead counsel for defendant closely held corporations in shareholder action and wrongful termination dispute: achieved favorable arbitral judgment regarding enterprise valuation and subsequent redemption of interests and dismissal of tort claims
• Lead counsel for defendant closely held corporation in shareholder action: won motion to dismiss breach of fiduciary duty claims and successfully negotiated redemption of plaintiff shareholders’ interests on favorable terms
• Won summary judgment in Illinois state court on breach of fiduciary duty claims asserted by client plaintiff marketing firm against its former president for illicit competition
• Secured early and cost-effective resolution of claims for defendant software developer in a $5 million breach of contract and breach of warranty dispute
• Won motion to strike opposing expert and obtained total defense verdict following arbitral hearing while serving as trial counsel for online travel agency defendant in $10 million breach of contract dispute
• Obtained favorable settlement following bench trial in Illinois state court while representing nonprofit hospital in a breach of contract action against a former consultant
• Represented German furniture manufacturer in a $10 million breach of contract dispute against its U.S. distributor; filed successful declaratory judgment action in S.D.N.Y. and won dismissal of ICC arbitration following victory on opponent’s interlocutory appeal to Second Circuit
• Served as counsel for a chemical manufacturer in a breach of contract and tort action in Louisiana state court arising out of the failure of natural gas storage caverns; developed fact and expert case regarding welding, metallurgy, and well-logging issues; client achieved a highly favorable settlement on its counterclaims following summary judgment

Prior Experience

• Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Associate, 2006-2012
• United States Marine Corps, Captain, 1997-2002

Education

Admissions

Court Admissions

Awards

• The Best Lawyers in America, 2024-2025
  • Recognized in the area of Commercial Litigation
• Michigan Super Lawyers, 2017-2021
  • Recognized as a Rising Star, 2014-2016
• Michigan Lawyers Weekly, "2023 Go-To Lawyer for Business Litigation"

Professional & Community Involvement

State Bar of Michigan

News

Press Releases

Alerts