Michele Himstedt is a litigation associate whose practice focuses on complex commercial litigation involving high‑stakes business disputes and fiduciary relationships. She represents clients in Texas state and federal courts in matters involving trade secrets and confidential information, real estate disputes, intellectual property claims, and corporate and shareholder conflicts, including business divorce matters. Michele also regularly defends single‑plaintiff employment discrimination and retaliation claims arising from broader commercial and workplace disputes.
Michele supports clients through all phases of litigation, including early case strategy, dispositive motions practice, discovery, depositions, trial, and appeals. She has significant courtroom experience developed primarily through temporary restraining order and temporary injunction proceedings, where expedited schedules, evidentiary presentations, and immediate judicial rulings are often outcome‑determinative.
In addition to her commercial litigation practice, Michele advises and litigates matters in the NIL and entertainment space and regularly presents CLE programs on NIL‑related legal developments and emerging issues affecting collegiate athletics, collectives, and related commercial partners. Michele is at her best when the stakes are high, and the pressure is on. Prior to joining MWM, Michele worked with a boutique Dallas firm handling complex commercial litigation and employment matters.
Michele clerked for the Honorable Reed O’Connor in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. She received her JD from Baylor Law School, cum laude, where she was the Executive Business Editor of the Baylor Law Review. Michele was the captain of her Division 1 soccer team at the University of Central Arkansas, where she also graduated magna cum laude in Sociology-Criminology and Communications.
Secured temporary injunctions in multiple trade secret disputes, including against a former associate of a national boutique employment firm and against former executives of a global bank, enjoining the use and disclosure of confidential information.
Successfully obtained emergency injunctive relief against the City of Dallas, enjoining enforcement of its ban on residential short term rentals.
Successfully defeated an application for a temporary injunction sought by a global energy company to restrict public access to its premises following a fatal incident, pending the completion of agency investigations.
Represented a cloud storage company in connection with multiple employment related disputes, resulting in multi state litigation and expedited advancement proceedings.
Represented clients in defamation actions, including successfully obtaining dismissal through anti SLAPP motions and recovering attorneys’ fees.
Represented voice actors and publishers in copyright and misappropriation of likeness disputes arising from the use of artificial intelligence training models.
Represented a Power Four collegiate athlete in a breach of contract dispute relating to a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agreement.
By Michele Himstedt These disputes are becoming increasingly common as brands and creators operate in an environment where reputational risk can escalate overnight. At the center of many of these conflicts is one provision: the Morality clause. A Morality clause typically allows a brand to terminate an agreement if the creator engages in conduct that
By: Wallace Dunwoody and Michele Himstedt The Response Deadline Is Now Triggered by the Filing of the Motion, Not the Hearing Date For most practitioners, this will likely be the most consequential day-to-day change. Under the prior Rule 166a, deadlines were anchored to the hearing date—the motion was due 21 days before the hearing, and
By Michele Himstedt Two cases arising this year exemplify the legal issues implicated by this trend. In one case, Duke University sued quarterback Darian Mensah in state court after he announced his intention to transfer to the University of Miami while still under a two-year $8 million NIL deal with Duke. Duke argued the contract
Rising Stars is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Published by Thomson Reuters, the Texas Rising Stars listing recognizes the top young lawyers in the state based on a multiphase process that includes nominations, an independent research
Notable additions to the lineup this year include Connor Cassady, Michele Himstedt, Will Munck, Drew Nunn, Emily White, Tri Truong, and Jesus Cano. Debuting attorneys exemplify the type of lawyers that the list designates – promising attorneys at the front end of their careers doing laudable work in their respective practice areas. Munck Wilson Mandala
The first problem schools encounter? No one seems to know the rules. As two Big 12 football coaches bluntly put it: “We don’t know the rules” and that even if they did, schools “are not playing by the same rules.”[2] Recently, an NIL analyst encapsulated the chaos this way: “Confused about which law is the
By Jordan Strauss, Michele Himstedt and Luke Dombroski Background The Business Court was established in September 2024 to provide a specialized forum devoted to resolving complex business disputes efficiently and consistently. Initially limited in both geographic scope and jurisdiction, the Business Court began operations in five of Texas’ eleven judicial regions and required high monetary
By Jordan Strauss, Michele Naudin, and Luke Dombroski The Texas Business Court (“Business Court”), launched in 2024 to serve as a specialized forum for resolving complex business disputes[1], continues to evolve as it gains practical insight from its early docket. On March 1, 2025, the Business Court implemented a new set of local rules including
Written by Jordan C. Strauss, Michele H. Naudin, and Luke Dombroski In a case that could reshape the landscape of apparel merchandising, Penn State University (“Penn State”) sued Vintage Brand LLC (“Vintage Brand”) in a trademark infringement lawsuit in Pennsylvania. At the heart of the dispute is the question of whether Vintage Brand’s use of
By Michele H. Naudin Social media influencers have carved out a lucrative niche in the digital landscape, generating income through various methods. Influencers achieve success by strategically combining authenticity, niche focus, and consistent engagement with their audience. By selecting a specific niche that aligns with their passions—be it fashion, travel, or fitness—they attract a dedicated
Munck Wilson Mandala, a leading technology focused law firm, is pleased to welcome associate Michele (Chele) Naudin to the award-winning litigation team. Naudin brings impressive litigation experience and a highly accomplished academic background. She previously worked as an associate at Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann LLP in Dallas, TX, where she was a key member
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Baylor Law School, JD, 2020
cum laude
Baylor Law Review – Executive Business Editor
Dean’s List, 2018 – 2020
University of Central Arkansas, BS, 2017
Sociology-Criminology and Communications
magna cum laude
Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Dallas
Women Lawyers Association
Dallas Bar Association
Federal Bar Association (Executive Board) – Dallas Chapter
Federalist Society
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch 2026-2027
Texas Rising Star, Thomson Reuters 2025
Latino Lawyers to Keep on the Watch, Latino Leaders Magazine 2024
Texas, 2020
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
