PRIMARY AREAS OF PRACTICE:
Business, Real Estate, and Corporate Law
Mr. DeLuca represents individuals and corporate entities in connection with a wide array of matters relating to business issues, including contract disputes, employment issues, and other disputes that arise from commercial and corporate relationships, as well as lawsuits involving real property.
Mr. DeLuca also routinely serves as liaison counsel for some of the world's most prominent class action litigators in multi-million dollar shareholder derivative suits and breach of fiduciary duty cases filed in the State of Michigan.
Mr. DeLuca also provides transactional work for his clients, including the drafting and negotiating of stock purchase agreements, asset purchase agreements, employment agreements, real estate purchase agreements, and other corporate contracts and business agreements. He also advises clients on corporate formation and prepares and files necessary documents to form and operate business entities.
Family Law
Mr. DeLuca has extensive experience representing individuals in divorce and child custody matters. During law school, Mr. DeLuca was a member of the acclaimed Child Advocacy Law Clinic at the University of Michigan Law School. Through this program, Mr. DeLuca won his first jury trial, terminating the defendant's parental rights. Mr. DeLuca prides himself on resolving family law matters quickly, effectively, and inexpensively.
Copyright and Trademark Litigation
Mr. DeLuca has significant experience and expertise in the areas of copyright and trademark litigation. Some of his accomplishments include obtaining a substantial settlement in a trademark infringement action brought against two major entertainment corporations and a major broadcasting company on behalf of a recording artist, and taking a case of first impression concerning the scope of authorship in sound recordings to trial against a Grammy Award winning artist.
Legal Malpractice
Mr. DeLuca has successfully represented aggrieved parties in legal malpractice actions, in several instances obtaining six figure settlements.
OWI and OWVI Charges
Mr. DeLuca has experience successfully representing individuals who have been charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol and operating while visibly impaired.
Music Law
Mr. DeLuca worked in the music industry before becoming an attorney and is also an accomplished touring musician and recording artist.
As a critically acclaimed drummer, Mr. DeLuca and recordings on which he performs are featured in numerous books, including, Detroit Rock City: The Uncensored History of Rock 'n' Roll in America's Loudest City; The Trouser Press Guide to 90s Rock; Gimmie Indie Rock: 500 Essential American Underground Rock Albums 1981-1996; Appetite for Definition an A-Z Guide to Rock Genres; and, The Lemonheads the Illustrated Story. He served as a music licensing consultant on the Sony Pictures documentary "American Hardcore." In 1991 Mr. DeLuca introduced Dave Grohl to Grohl's first wife backstage at a Nirvana show at St. Andrew's Hall in Detroit.
Mr. DeLuca has significant experience negotiating and drafting contracts relating to all aspects of the music business. His clients have included recording artists, record labels, producers, and songwriters. Mr. DeLuca also provides advice on performing rights society affiliation, proper entity formation, and copyright and trademark registration.
Appeals
Throughout his career, Mr. DeLuca has successfully handled numerous appeals for his clients. One of his accomplishments includes convincing the Michigan Court of Appeals in Brooks Williamson v Mayflower Construction, 308 Mich App 18; 863 NW 2d 333 (2014), to strike down as unconstitutional the mandate in the Michigan Court Rules that formerly required a party to show a meritorious defense to set aside a default judgment where it is shown that the party did not receive notice of its opponent’s intent to request a default judgment.