Michelle A. Freeman is a Senior Counsel at Foley & Lardner LLP, focusing on high-stakes investigations and complex litigation. She is a member of the firm’s Government Enforcement Defense & Investigations, Antitrust, and Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution practices. Michelle represents corporations and individuals in criminal, antitrust, and regulatory matters, guiding clients through complex government investigations and white-collar defense involving the U.S. Department of Justice, state Attorneys General, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other enforcement bodies. She leads internal corporate investigations to uncover and address potential legal exposure—often before government authorities become involved—and counsels clients on proactive compliance measures to minimize future risk. In addition to her investigations work, Michelle represents clients in a broad spectrum of commercial litigation, delivering strategic counsel in sensitive disputes.

Michelle was a summer associate with Foley in 2014. Prior to joining Foley, she participated in the Geneva Fellowship Program at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights where she worked on the implementation and enforcement of the United Nations Human Trafficking Protocol. Michelle has held positions as an intern for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and judicial intern for the Honorable Judge John W. Darrah, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Michelle worked for several years as a senior policy and advocacy specialist for an international women’s organization where she focused on the congressional appropriations process and authorizing domestic and international antiviolence initiatives connected to the Violence Against Women Act and related state and federal legislation.