Seth J. Linnick

As the co-founder and chair of the Tucker Ellis Commercial Asset Recovery & Protection Group, Seth primarily focuses his practice on plaintiff-side business disputes. He routinely leads teams prosecuting complex business cases arising from commercial contract disputes, such as those involving suppliers or vendors, and he has extensive experience in both prosecuting and defending post-transaction claims for breaches of representations and warranties, as well as fraud.

Seth’s approach to commercial disputes sets him apart from many of his peers in large, defense-oriented law firms. First, Seth understands that businesses should be working to avoid litigation whenever possible. It can be costly, stressful, and divert valuable human resources away from their best and highest uses. Accordingly, Seth consistently positions clients to achieve their objectives without ever needing to file a lawsuit. This typically requires extensive pre-suit fact investigation and discovery, legal research and analysis, thorough exploration of potential business solutions, and, in many cases, the use of pre-suit alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, such as mediation. By working diligently to understand and develop the facts and legal underpinnings of matters at their inception, Seth often can force opposing parties to confront their exposure before lawsuits are filed, achieving quick, cost-effective results for clients.

Second, if or when litigation arises, Seth manages cases like a CEO instead of a lawyer. His teams are lean, their actions are purposeful, and every strategic decision must pass a cost-benefit analysis. Rather than reflexively filing every motion, deposing every witness, and picking every fight, Seth’s teams are laser-focused on efficiently moving cases toward the client’s ultimate goals.

Finally, in the courtroom, Seth is adept at putting clients in a position to succeed. He began his career at one of the world’s largest law firms and has spent nearly a decade at Tucker Ellis. Seth cultivated his oral advocacy skills under some of the premier trial lawyers in America, and he excels at turning complex fact patterns into cogent, relatable stories for judges and juries. He has prevailed for clients at trials in both state and federal courts across the United States.

Seth’s unorthodox approach to litigation also influences his approach to client engagements. A longtime skeptic of the billable hour, Seth works to align financial incentives with client objectives. He is a firm believer that compensation is better measured by results achieved than time expended, and, as a result, he frequently works with clients under a variety of alternative fee arrangements, including flat fees, incentive fees, and contingency fees.

Seth was born and raised in Northeast Ohio. He and his two children reside in Cleveland’s Duck Island neighborhood.