Skip to Main Content

Meet Our Professionals

Michael A. Goldsticker

Partner
Raleigh | 919.835.4624
Fax | 919.834.4564

Michael Goldsticker is a litigator and former federal prosecutor who clients rely on to resolve disputes and represent them at trial and on appeal. He handles, investigates, and litigates cases involving complex commercial disputes, including claims under the False Claims Act (qui tam actions) and other business fraud cases. His litigation experience includes class actions, multidistrict litigation, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings. He has also represented businesses and individuals in large-scale government and internal investigations.

Michael's clients span the life sciences, financial services, health care, renewable energy, construction, and government contract sectors. His experience includes disputes involving noncompetes and other restrictive covenants, insurance coverage, trademarks, settlement agreements, leases, executive compensation, securities, and government procurement.

As both a prosecutor and in the private sector, he has tried numerous cases as a first-chair trial attorney before state and federal courts, juries, and arbitration panels throughout the country. Michael now serves on the Criminal Justice Act panel for the Eastern District of North Carolina, accepting court appointments to represent defendants in criminal cases who cannot afford to retain a lawyer.

Michael also has developed in-depth knowledge and experience in eDiscovery and the management and organization of extensive discovery, including document review and organization.

Prior to joining Parker Poe, Michael served as a federal prosecutor in the District of Maryland, overseeing sweeping investigations into violations of federal criminal laws, including those involving corruption, conspiracy, and money laundering. Earlier in his career, Michael was a litigator at Williams & Connolly in Washington, DC, where he focused on complex civil litigation and criminal defense.

Michael is a former law clerk for the Honorable José A. Cabranes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, as well as the Honorable Robert N. Chatigny of the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.

Michael graduated magna cum laude from Duke Law School and served as an articles editor for the Duke Law Journal.

Outside of work, Michael enjoys Carolina Panthers football, Duke basketball, cooking, musicals, camping, biking, and hiking with his family.

Representative Experience

Complex Commercial Disputes

  • Defended a construction company in multimillion-dollar contract dispute in federal court in the District of Columbia, resulting in dismissal of all claims and, after re-filing, obtained entry of summary judgment.
  • Served as defense counsel in civil RICO class action in federal court in Georgia arising from allegedly fraudulent tax-favored investments, resulting in dismissal of all claims.
  • Defended a financial services company accused of civil RICO violations and fraud, culminating in a three-month bench trial in the Southern District of New York.
  • Defended a major private equity firm facing breach-of-fiduciary-duty and mismanagement claims related to the collapse of a residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) investment fund.
  • Secured a multimillion-dollar settlement in a breach-of-contract dispute in South Carolina federal court.
  • Represented a global defense contractor accused of a $1 billion breach of contract before an American Arbitration Association (AAA) panel.
  • Represented a government agency before an American Arbitration Association (AAA) panel involving multimillion-dollar commercial lease dispute.  

False Claims Act, Regulatory & White Collar Criminal Defense

  • Served as defense counsel for large national health system in a False Claims Act case arising from alleged Stark Law violations.
  • Served as defense counsel for a Fortune 500 corporation in a False Claims Act case arising from alleged Anti-Kickback Statute violations.
  • Served as counsel for plaintiff-relator in reverse False Claims Act case in District of Columbia Superior Court, resulting in multimillion-dollar recovery.
  • Represented the former CEO of a biomedical company in connection with a False Claims Act investigation.
  • Represented senior-level executives at a national broker-dealer in connection with an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
  • Conducted an internal investigation for a publicly traded pharmaceutical company involving prescription drug advertising.

Bid Protest & Government Procurement Disputes

  • Represented a transportation industry client in successfully obtaining the reversal of a state contract award at trial and on appeal in our client’s favor.
  • Represented a life sciences company in a successful protest bid before the NC Department of Administration, resulting in the state vacating the initial contract award.
  • Successfully defended a North Carolina transportation company against a bid protest, resulting in an administrative law judge upholding the contract award in our client's favor.
  • Represented a transportation industry client in protesting a bid with a government agency, resulting in a settlement on favorable terms for our client.

Restrictive Covenants & Deceptive Trade Practices

  • Represented a national provider of ancillary medical services in disputes involving noncompete and non-solicitation agreements, as well as the Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and successfully litigated the case before the North Carolina Supreme Court. 
  • Defended a national piping company against claims involving noncompete and non-solicitation agreements, as well as the Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act. 
  • Secured a permanent injunction ordering a former employee’s compliance with noncompete and non-solicitation agreements.

Environmental & Products Liability

  • Serves as defense counsel for chemical manufacturing companies in multidistrict litigation for aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) PFAS claims in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.
  • Represented a national electronics and office-supply retailer defending against catastrophic personal-injury claims.

Loading content

Loading content

Honors & Awards

  • The Best Lawyers in America "Ones to Watch" in Commercial Litigation, 2024-2025
  • ATF National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) Award, 2021
  • FBI and Montgomery County Police Department’s Prosecutorial Special Recognition Award, 2019
  • Order of the Coif