Portrait of Michael M. Sullivan

Michael M. Sullivan

Retired Counsel

Michael Sullivan is a veteran corporate attorney and trusted advisor to small and mid‑size companies, their owners, and C‑suite leadership teams. Known for his practical and solutions‑oriented approach, Michael serves as his clients’ “go‑to” lawyer for a wide range of corporate, commercial, and strategic matters. He works with businesses across industries, including manufacturing, technology, and professional services, to support growth, manage risk, and advance long‑term objectives.

Michael’s practice focuses on general corporate and commercial transactions, family‑owned business matters, financial transactions, and mergers and acquisitions. He regularly negotiates and drafts complex agreements, including corporate governance documents, shareholder and buy‑sell agreements, employment and independent contractor agreements, customer and vendor contracts, and non‑compete and non‑disclosure agreements. He also collaborates with CPAs and tax advisors to guide U.S. companies expanding into international markets, and he has significant experience assisting foreign businesses establishing operations in the United States.

Michael has deep experience in private equity and debt offerings, venture capital investments, joint ventures, including SBA Mentor Protégé joint ventures, and project finance. He has also advised numerous family‑owned companies on succession planning, corporate governance, and the formation of advisory boards.

Before returning to private practice, Michael held senior in‑house legal roles with both public and private companies. Most notably, he served as Senior Vice-President and Chief Legal Officer of Sanmina Corporation, a Fortune 250 global electronics manufacturing company operating in 23 countries. In that role, and previously at SCI Systems, Inc., he led complex public and private financings including convertible debt offerings, credit facilities, commercial paper programs, and industrial revenue bond transactions. He also negotiated acquisitions with multinational companies in more than 20 foreign jurisdictions.

Michael began his legal career with a major Wall Street law firm, where he built the foundation for the sophisticated corporate and commercial practice he maintains today.

    Education

    • Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (J.D.)
    • Fairfield University (B.A.)

    State Bar Admissions

    • Georgia
    • District of Columbia
    • New York

    Court Admissions

    • Supreme Court of the United States
    • United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
    • United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
    • United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
    • United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
    • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

    Professional Affiliations

    • American Bar Association, Business Law Section-Corporate Governance Subcommittee, Intellectual Property Committee, Science and Technology Subcommittee, former member
    • American Corporate Counsel Association, former member
    • Atlanta Bar Association, former member
    • Chamblee Business Association
    • District of Columbia Bar
    • Hands On Atlanta, Volunteer
    • National Association of Stock Administrators, former member
    • New York State Bar Association
    • Peachtree Corners Business Association, Founding Member
    • Sandy Springs Clean-Up, Volunteer
    • Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Commerce, Bylaws Committee
    • Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Commerce, Secretary and Member of Board of Directors
    • Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Commerce, Workforce Development Alliance
    • Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals, former member
    • State Bar of Georgia

    Recognitions

    • Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
    • Georgia Trend’s Legal Elite, Bankruptcy / Creditors’ Rights Law, 2020
    • Georgia Trend’s Legal Elite, Corporate Law, 2014-2015
    • The Best Lawyers in America®, 2023
  • Biography
  • Publications & News

Firm Highlights

  • Events
    AIA Tri-State Conference
    Princeton will serve as the backdrop for three days of connection, learning, and design leadership. From keynotes to tours to the Tri-State Design Awards, this year’s conference is designed to go far beyond education sessions. Kick off the week with pre-conference intensives and individual state component Design Award celebrations, followed by three days of education, inspiration, networking, and design excellence at the 2026 AIA Tri-State Conference—featuring pre-conference intensives, three keynote speakers, 25 education sessions, curated tours, an expo, spec academies, and the AIA Tri-State Design Awards—bringing together architects and design professionals from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania to connect, learn, and celebrate the best of the profession. G2. Designing Secure Practices: Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, Contractual Provisions, and Insurance Risks for Architects (4:00 PM - 5:30 PM) Architects and design professionals increasingly rely on cloud platforms, BIM software, and digital tools to manage sensitive data, creating cybersecurity and privacy risks. A single incident can trigger liability claims, regulatory obligations, reputational harm, and insurance challenges. Yet many firms underestimate how contracts, insurance, and internal practices intersect during a breach. This program offers legal and insurance perspectives on cyber risk in architecture, examining liability exposure, risky contract provisions, and mitigation strategies. A cyber insurance expert will explain policy responses, coverage gaps, coordination with professional liability, and best practices for aligning insurance with contractual risk and protecting firms from evolving cyber threats. Learning Objectives: Identify key cybersecurity and data privacy risks faced by architecture firms and explain how these risks can impact professional liability and project outcomes. Analyze common contractual provisions to determine which clauses may increase exposure to cyber incidents and propose strategies to mitigate these risks. Evaluate the scope and limitations of cyber insurance policies, including coordination with professional liability coverage, to determine how a policy would respond in a breach scenario. Develop actionable risk management strategies by integrating legal, contractual, and insurance considerations to protect sensitive client and project data.
  • Events
    The 2026 Economic, Tax, and Accounting Updates
    We are looking forward to the Mid-Atlantic CFO Roundtable's next event on November 13, 2026. This is a program with topics built for Finance Executives. We are extremely fortunate to have three excellent speakers: Dr. Daraius Irani, Vice President of Business and Public Engagement at Towson University; Mike Stankus, Tax Office Managing Principal at BDO; and Daniel Wahlberg, Managing Partner of Acclare Solutions. The economy is rapidly changing with various factors driving it. The November 3rd midterm elections may also have an impact. Our three expert presenters will discuss the ramifications of the election, and the current year updates to GAAP financial reporting and Federal and State income taxes. Please join us for what will surely be an informative and timely discussion. Meet Our Speakers: Daraius Irani, Ph.D. • Towson University Vice President, Business & Public Engagement Dr. Daraius Irani serves as Vice President of Business and Public Engagement at Towson University as well as the chief economist for the Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI) at Towson University, a policy group providing economic, fiscal impact, and policy analysis to public and private entities.  Dr. Irani is often called upon to provide economic presentations to organizations across Maryland. He has appeared on numerous television programs and in local and regional print media. Dr. Irani holds a Ph.D. in economics from University of California, Santa Barbara. Dan Wahlberg • Acclare Solutions Managing Partner With over 28 years of experience, Dan Wahlberg is a recognized leader in audit and assurance for the Mid-Atlantic’s middle market business community. As a licensed CPA in Maryland and Virginia, Dan has led assurance practices at top regional firms, including serving as Baltimore Audit Managing Partner and Assurance Practice Leader at BDO USA in Baltimore and as Partner and member of the Management Committee at Hertzbach & Company P.A which merged into BDO in 2020. His expertise centers on delivering clarity, strategic guidance, and proactive solutions to middle-market businesses across Baltimore and beyond. His entrepreneurial spirit has led him to begin a new CPA firm this year with four other CPAs serving the business community. Dan holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Rutgers University and began his career at PWC in New York. He is also deeply engaged in the community, previously serving as President of ACG Maryland and current Board member and as Audit Committee Member for The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore.  Mike Stankus • BDO USA LLP Tax Office Managing Principal Mike Stankus is the Tax Office Managing Principal for the firm’s Baltimore office. He has more than 16 years of experience providing tax planning and preparation and management advisory services for his clients. Mike focuses on advising privately held businesses and their owners on effective growth and tax strategies. He also performs various engagements for mergers and acquisitions and complex cost accounting projects and projections. In addition, he represents various government contracting clients before the DCAA and assists with FAR compliance. Mike’s areas of concentration include working with government contractors, professional service firms, construction companies, and homebuilders.