LevatoLaw

Terry is an attorney with over nineteen years’ experience managing a variety of actions across several jurisdictions. As first-chair, he has tried and won cases in federal and state courts and arbitrations, before juries and judges.
 

Terry’s practice focuses on business and real estate litigation, representing corporate entities, insurers, financial institutions, investment vehicles, and individuals. His trial experience has covered issues of breaches of contract in the United States and the People’s Republic of China, trade secrets, intellectual property, business fraud, employment agreements, bankruptcy, unjust enrichment, and criminal charges.
 

Terry has practiced law since 2002, working for the City of Madison, Wisconsin, law firms in Wisconsin and California, including Lewis Brisbois and Freeman, Freeman & Smiley, LLP. At Levato, Terry puts this experience to use representing and advising clients in matters involving multi-national contractual disputes, corporate entity dissolution, property ownership battles, easement creation, and real estate fraud.
 

Terry enjoys spending time with his family, running, and enjoying Wisconsin sports. Terry can communicate in American Sign Language and is a Sports Jeopardy! three-time champion.

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Representative Matters

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• Defended a consortium of private money lenders in a civil action involving multiple fraudulent schemes by a property owner and fellow investor resulting in the return of the lenders’ principal plus profit.

• Represented private money lenders in ownership dispute appealed to the Ninth Circuit.

• Successfully won a court trial representing a plaintiff Chinese lender covering a breach of contract/fraud dispute with American borrowers.

• Represented a commercial lender in a civil action whereby a prior owner’s descendants unsuccessfully attempted to invalidate the lender’s refinancing lien.

• Represented a Chinese real estate owner and limited liability company with respect to charges of fraud and employment law violations.

• Represented a title insurance company in a lawsuit with respect to the enforcement of its lien in the face of a debtor’s attempt to wrongfully transfer away assets, securing the insurer’s repayment.

• Member of trial team defending an international vitamin manufacturer at jury trial against its competitors concerning allegations of trade secret stealing and unfair competition.

• Represented trustees and beneficiaries in probate proceedings challenging estate asset distribution and determining decedent's estate planning wishes.

• Represented local real estate investors in civil and probate actions whereby prior owners sought to invalidate the investors’ ownership and the investors’ seller engaged in a complex, multi-state fraud, resulting in investors’ keeping their ownership.

• Defended real estate investors in civil actions involving a seller’s fraud and attempt to reclaim the subject investment property.

• Assisted business owners with respect to the sale of their businesses.

• Represented homeowners relating to obtaining easements necessary for the intended uses of their property.

• Assisted limited liability company with winding down its operations.

• Represented a commercial lender in civil action which equitably subrogated its lien encumbering residential property.

• Represented homeowners in a civil action whereby a prior owner unsuccessfully attempted to transfer a home without fully repaying the prior owner’s liens encumbering the property.

• Represented homeowners in civil actions whereby a prior owner’s lender failed to reconvey its lien.

• Represented private hard-money lender in a civil action correcting defective recorded instruments.

• Defended homeowners in litigation relating to a tenant’s allegation of mold within the premises.