Michael Pinnisi

Mr. Pinnisi is the Chief Legal Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the GoDigital Media Group, an international conglomerate engaged primarily in the purchase and licensing of music and film catalogues. Immediately prior to undertaking that position he as a Partner of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, where he handled corporate and litigation matters; and before that the General Counsel and Chief Operating Officer of Hudson Executive Capital LP (for Douglas Braunstein, Vice Chairman of Wells Fargo and formerly Vice Chairman of JPMorgan Chase). He is a "lawyer's lawyer," having advised and represented attorneys listed in "Best Lawyers in America" and "Super Lawyers." Earlier legal experience includes service as an Honor Program Trial Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York and Washington, D.C., as an associate with Shearman & Sterling and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, as in-house General Counsel of Kionix, Inc., and as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Cornell Law School. He is an honor graduate of Cornell University and Cornell Law School, a frequent speaker to bar and business groups, and a recipient of awards for upholding high ethical standards in practice.

• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  Nearly all work is performed on a straight hourly basis. Rates vary based upon the type of engagement, from $400/hour to $550/hour.

New York

Since 1986

Chief Legal Officer, Chief Operating Officer

GoDigital Media Group, LLC

2025 - Current

Partner

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP

2023 - 2025

General Counsel, COO, CLO

Hudson Executive Capital LP

2017 - 2023

Partner

Pinnisi & Anderson

2003 - 2017

General Counsel

Kionix, Inc.

1999 - 2003

Adjunct Professor

Cornell Law School

1992 - 2000

Trial practice, appellate practice, and negotiations

Partner

Brown Pinnisi & Michaels, PC

1992 - 1999

Associate

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

1991 - 1992

Litigation, including products liability

Assistant US Attorney

US Attorney, Southern District of NY

1988 - 1991

Assigned to criminal and civil divisions of the office, with assignments including international financial crimes and major civil cases

Associate

Shearman & Sterling LLP

1987 - 1988

Litigation, including bankruptcy litigation

Honor Program Trial Attorney

US Department of Justice

1985 - 1987

Civil Rights Division

Cornell University

J.D. (1985)

1982 - 1985

Honors: Freeman Civil Rights Prize

Activities: Moot Court, Mock Trial

Honorary Inductee for exemplary ethics in practice of law

Phi Delta Phi

Harrop Freeman Prize for advancement of civil rights in practice

Harrop Freeman

AV-Preeminent, Judicial Edition

Martindale-Hubbell

Business Litigation - Upstate New York

Super Lawyers

Superb Rating

Avvo

American Red Cross

Former Board Member

Current

FIRST (Foundation for Ichthyosis and Related Skin Types)

Former Board Member

Current

Historic Ithaca, Inc.

Former Board Member

Current

Ithaca Community Childcare Center

Former Board Member

Current

The Ithaca Shakespeare Company, Inc.

President, Board of Directors

2012 - Current

Summary

Frequent speaking engagements with bar groups, business groups, and academic institutions, generally regarding legal ethics, litigation, or corporate matters