Overview
Eric J. Hatchell is a partner and litigation lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. Eric focuses his practice on complex litigation issues in state and federal courts, and has extensive experience counseling and representing clients in matters including trust, estate, and probate litigation, as well as state and local tax litigation, and resolution of complex contract and tax disputes. Eric has also litigated complex shareholder disputes, class action Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) claims, False Claims Act claims, as well as copyright, trademark, and trade secret disputes. Eric also counsels clients regarding appellate-related aspects of litigation, has argued cases before the United States Court of Appeal for the Seventh Circuit, and has obtained multiple successful decisions from both state and federal appellate courts.
Before joining Foley & Lardner LLP, Eric worked as an intern for Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler at the Wisconsin Supreme Court as well as for the Office of Legal Counsel for Governor Scott Walker.
Publications
Eric is a regular contributing author of tax law updates for the Council on State Taxation (COST) and annually co-authors the “Tax Law” chapter of the Wisconsin State Bar’s Annual Survey of Wisconsin Law. Eric also frequently writes and presents on issues relating to trusts, estates, and probate litigation matters.
Representative Cases
- United States v. Walter, 870 F.3d 622 (7th Cir. 2017) – Appellate reversal of criminal conviction due to government’s Brady violations
- Regency West v. City of Racine, 2016 WI 99 (2016) – Wisconsin Supreme Court appellate victory which defined proper property tax assessment for Section 42 low-income housing under Wisconsin law
- Primex Plastics Corporation v. Zamec, 2016 WL 4006153 (W.D. Wis. 2016) – Federal court trial victory defending claims of fraudulent transfer
- Yankee Hill Housing Partners v. City of Milwaukee, 2014 WL 4328201 (Ct. App. 2014) – Wisconsin Court of Appeals appellate victory regarding the recovery of unlawful BID special assessments
- Kienitz v. Sconnie Nation, LLC, 766 F.3d 756 (7th Cir. 2014) - Represented the prevailing party in one of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeal’s most significant decisions regarding the copyright fair use defense
- United States v. Robinson, 714 F.3d 466 (7th Cir. 2013) – Achieved pro bono appellate victory on a circuit split issue involving a criminal sentencing enhancement
Education
Eric graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School (J.D., cum laude, 2011), where he was elected to Order of the Coif and won a national Moot Court competition. Eric earned his undergraduate degree, with distinction, from the University of Wisconsin – Madison (B.A., 2008). He was a letter winner on the University of Wisconsin’s track and field team and a member of the 2007 national championship team.
Admissions
Eric is admitted in Wisconsin and before the U.S. District for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin and before the Seventh Circuit of Appeals.
Recognition
Eric received a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognition for Commercial Litigation (2023-2024). He was also selected for inclusion in the Wisconsin Super Lawyers – Rising Stars® list for his work in business litigation, from 2016 - 2021.