Michael R. Overly focuses his practice on drafting and negotiating technology related agreements, software licenses, hardware acquisition, development, disaster recovery, outsourcing agreements, information security agreements, e-commerce agreements, and technology use policies. He counsels clients in the areas of technology acquisition, information security, electronic commerce, and online law. Michael is a partner in the firm’s Technology Transactions, Cybersecurity, and Privacy and Privacy, Security & Information Management Practices.
Michael is one of the few practicing lawyers who has satisfied the rigorous requirements necessary to obtain the Certified Information System Auditor (CISA), Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Information Systems Security Management Professional (ISSMP), Certified Risk and Information System Controls (CRISC), and Certified Outsourcing Professional (COP) certifications.
Awards and Recognition
- Recognized as a 2023 and 2025 Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer after being nominated as an outstanding lawyer by his clients as part of Thomson Reuters’ global research with in-house counsel.
- Recognized by The Legal 500 for his information technology work in the U.S. (2010-2015).
- Selected for inclusion in the Southern California Super Lawyers® list and also was honored by Los Angeles Magazine for this recognition (2005).
- Recognized by Chambers USA for his IT & outsourcing work (2013-2016).
Affiliations
- Chair of the Legal Working Group for the Cloud Standards Customer Council, an end user advocacy group dedicated to accelerating cloud’s successful adoption, and drilling down into the standards, security and interoperability issues surrounding the transition to the cloud
- Member of the Computer Security Institute
- Member of the Information Systems Security Association
- Member of the Computer Law Association
- Member of the International Technology Law Association
Presentations and Publications
- A Guide to IT Contracting: Checklists, Tools and Techniques (CRC Press; December, 2012).
- The Executive MBA in Information Security (CRC Press, 2009).
- Negotiating Telecommunication Agreements Line-by-Line (Aspatore Press, 2005).
- Software Agreements Line-by-Line (Aspatore Press, 2004).
- The Open Source Handbook (Pike & Fisher, 2003).
- Overly on Electronic Evidence (West Publishing, 1998).
- E-Policy: How to Develop Computer, E-Mail, and Internet Guidelines to Protect Your Company and Its Assets (American Management Association, 1998).
- Document Retention in The Electronic Workplace (Pike & Fisher, 2001).
- Numerous articles and books published in the United States, Europe, Korea, and Japan.
- Interviewed by a wide variety of print and broadcast media (e.g., the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Business 2.0, Newsweek, ABCNEWS.com, CNN, and MSNBC) as a nationally recognized leader on technology and security related matters.
- In addition to conducting seminars in the United States, Norway, Japan, and Malaysia, he has testified before the U.S. Congress regarding online issues.
Foley Recognized with 2025 JD Supra Readers' Choice Awards
Foley & Lardner LLP is recognized as a firm and five attorneys are recognized individually for thought leadership across key topics with 2025 JD Supra Readers’ Choice Awards.
National Public Data Hack Exposes Millions: Essential Steps to Safeguard Your Identity and Combat Fraud
The recent massive data breach at National Public Data, a background check company, has potentially compromised the personal information of millions, if not billions, of individuals, including their Social Security numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers, current and past addresses, the names of siblings and parents, and other information.
Foley Represents Riverwood Capital in Growth Equity Investment in One Model
Foley & Lardner LLP represented Riverwood Capital, a leading global investor in high-growth technology companies, as the lead investor in the $41 million growth funding round for One Model.
Foley Represents Novacap in Partnership with Static Media
Foley & Lardner LLP represented Novacap, a leading North American private equity firm, in its partnership with Static Media, an Indianapolis-based company that owns and operates a portfolio of unique and passion-driven digital media brands providing content in food, lifestyle, and media and entertainment.
Foley Represents LG Technology Ventures as Lead Investor in $28M Series A Round for Venti Technologies
Foley & Lardner LLP recently represented LG Technology Ventures as the lead investor in the $28 million Series A funding round for Venti Technologies, a company designing autonomous vehicles for industrial and logistics hubs.
Foley Represents Mirantis in Acquisition of Shipa
Foley & Lardner LLP recently represented Mirantis, a company providing a public cloud experience on any infrastructure from the data center to the edge, in their acquisition of Shipa, the Santa Clara, California-based application management framework for cloud native platforms.