Michael E. Hoover is a founding partner of the law firm of Diefenderfer Hoover (now Diefenderfer Hoover & Wood, LLP), which was established in January, 1988, when the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, law firm of Sheinberg & Hoover became affiliated with the Washington, D.C. law firm of Wunder, Diefenderfer, Ryan, Cannon & Thelen.  Mr. Hoover is also a Certified Public Accountant.  Prior to attending law school, he was a staff accountant with the accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P.).  In his 44 + year legal career, Mr. Hoover has represented individuals and corporations in the fields of contract, corporate, commercial, RICO, labor & employment, government relations, software licensing, taxation, and probate law, and he has conducted litigation in State Courts in Pennsylvania and Florida, Federal Circuit and District Courts within the 3rd, 4th, 7th, and District of Columbia Circuits, and in the U.S. Tax Court. 

Profession Affiliations

• Formerly a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association Finance Committee
• Formerly Chairperson of the Allegheny County Bar Association
  Mentoring Committee
• A founding member and formerly Vice-Chairperson
  and Treasurer of the Allegheny County Bar Association Sole Practitioners & Small Firm Section
• Florida Bar Association
• Formerly a Member of Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants



Professional Experience
1988 - Diefenderfer Hoover, Pittsburgh, PA/Washington, D.C.
1981 - Sheinberg & Hoover, Pittsburgh, PA
1978 - Plowman & Spiegel, Pittsburgh, PA
1974 - Coopers & Lybrand (now PriceWaterhouseCoopers, L.L.P.)
  
Education
1978 - J.D. University of Pittsburgh School of Law
1974 - B.S. in Accounting The Pennsylvania State University.

Bar Admissions
Pennsylvania
Florida
Numerous Federal Circuit and District Courts on Permanent or Pro Hac Vice basis

Articles Published
“Appropriateness of Discounts in Valuing Ownership Interests in Closely Held Business Entities in the Equitable Distribution Setting”, appeared in the Pittsburgh Legal Journal
 

Representative Matters

• From 1998 to date, served as general counsel to multiple software and e-commerce  development companies from their inception through multiple phases of private financing and product development, and its growth from
  1 to 70+ employees
• Loughner v. Presbyterian University Hospital, a/k/a UPMC – Successfully prosecuted racial discrimination and FLSA actions, including claims for counsel fees, against the region’s largest employer; jury verdict of $6,000 for lost wages and benefits plus $275,000 for emotional distress; case settled prior to hearing on punitive damages [260 F.3d 173 (3rd Cir. 2001)]
• 1998-2000 Coordinated federal government relations and appropriation request efforts for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
• Griffith v. Silbert, et.al. Successfully prosecuted defamation claims of UPMC executive who had been accused of sexual harassment
• From 1993 to 1997 served as general counsel to Icarus Aircraft, Inc. and subsidiaries, companies organized for the purpose of owning and operating advertising airships, which included the Snoopy 1 and Snoopy 2 MetLife airships
• 1987 – Lead litigator on team of Wunder Diefenderfer lawyers that secured comprehensive relief for a major manufacturer of all-terrain vehicles against claims by the Federal Trade Commission that such vehicles were patently unsafe
• 1991 – Assembled and coordinated team of lawyers that successfully defended medical testing laboratory and its officers against claims of improper Medicaid billings asserted by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
• The Limo Center, Ltd. v. Saudi Arabia – Successfully prosecuted breach of contract claim and enforced judgment against the foreign state of Saudi Arabia
• 1992-1993 – Successfully defended civil RICO claim against individual who had been alleged to have been involved in a truck hijacking scheme; judgment of non pros entered
• Streitman v. Kustaborder – Successfully prosecuted claims in Brevard County, Florida, regarding wrongful conversion of assets of father suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease by daughter and son-in-law; 99% of assets were recovered in settlement prior to trial
• Oakley v. The Moxham National Bank – Successfully prosecuted claim to enforce shareholder cross-purchase agreement and appraisers findings relative to business asset valuation; summary judgment entered
• Lampenfield v. Schutzeus – Successfully prosecuted claims in Dade County, Florida regarding wrongful conversion of assets of decedent’s estate by personal representative; 100% of assets plus interest and attorneys’ fees were recovered
• 2002 to 2007 - Successfully prosecuted multiple FLSA actions against UPMC, including claims for counsel fees; all cases settled just prior to commencement of jury trial
• 2007 to 2010  – Successfully defended claim by UPMC/University of Pittsburgh Physicians against nurse employee for repayment of signing bonus loan and violations of The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)(42 U.S.C.S. §§ 1320d, et.seq.) and successfully prosecuted counterclaim for violations of Pennsylvania Fair Credit Extension Uniformity Act (73 P.S. § 2270.4); case settled just prior to commencement of jury trial
• 2017 - 2021 - Successfully defended claims of breach of non-competition agreement, trademark infringement, and conspiracy against former physician employee of a medical practice
• From 2010 to date, represented multiple closely held small businesses in connection with succession planning

Public Service

From March, 1980, until September, 1984, Mr. Hoover was a member of the City of Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations where he presided over administrative hearings involving alleged violations of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, by individuals, businesses and local government departments or agencies.  He was nominated for that position by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council of the City of Pittsburgh.  From 1984 to 1986, Mr. Hoover was an elected member of the Pennsylvania State Democratic Committee.  In 1981 and 1983 he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Pittsburgh City Council.  Mr. Hoover has also served on the Boards of several Allegheny County Charities.
 
Personal Interests
Golfing, gardening, and snow skiing.