Michigan's Competition Lawyer™
R.J. Cronkhite specializes in solving the specific challenges involved in unfair competition, including brand and name protection, trademarks, workforce management, non-competes, non-solicits, trade secrets, antitrust, and related contracts, employment agreements, and lawsuits.
My Story
Michigan-born, Chicago-educated, trench-trained.
I was born and raised in a working-class family outside of Detroit. I learned how to fight early. Later on, I learned how to fight for others. That is now my life’s privilege.
For nearly a decade, I have been litigating, negotiating, and settling contract disputes on behalf of individuals and businesses. I now litigate under the banner of Dinsmore & Shohl LLP — an Am Law 200 firm.
I discovered that my experience fighting over and resolving these issues on the back-end—often in court—enabled me to help clients identify and prevent problems on the front-end, at the contract-drafting stage. My litigation insight empowers me to help protect clients against costly disputes—and ensures that my clients hold the winning hand if and when a dispute escalates.
Cronkhite obtains $40,020.00 award against delinquent tenant.
March 18th, 2021 / R.J. Cronkhite
Many tenants have abused COVID protections by overstaying their welcome without paying a dime. My client provides a critical service, relocating disaster victims to temporary housing. Most homeowners have insurance policies that cover relocation costs. But those costs have a limit. The defendant in this matter used all of her insurance proceeds. But she then […]
Cronkhite successfully defends client in five-day arbitration against $3,700,000 in contractual and partnership claims while simultaneously obtaining injunction on behalf of client.
January 28th, 2021 / R.J. Cronkhite
One of my clients provides sophisticated IT services to the Department of Defense. The client recently won a lucrative multi-million federal contract. The client’s subcontractor then sued my client for more than $3.7 million. The subcontractor asserted that my client breached alleged partnership and contractual obligations—including a right of first refusal—by not hiring the subcontractor […]
Cronkhite obtains $405,120.20 arbitration award and attorney’s fees against former director who defrauded staffing company.
January 6th, 2021 / R.J. Cronkhite
A Michigan arbitrator recently awarded $405,120.20 to my client—a national staffing company—after arbitration proceedings. In 2018, the staffing company hired a director-level employee to manage a new staffing division. The employee had represented to the staffing company that he had a well-established network of existing clients, as well as a large roster of individuals to […]
Results
Stopped former employee’s breach of non-compete; employee went to work for a nearby competitor and was attempting to poach former employer’s customers.
Issue: Non-Compete | Injunction | Non-solicitation | Employment Agreement
Court: Wayne County Circuit Court (Michigan)
Industry: Food Industry
Judge: Judge Ewell
Stopped former employee’s breach of non-compete; employee went to work for a nearby competitor and was attempting to poach former employer’s customers.