He maintains a broad litigation and counseling practice covering a range of substantive areas in both U.S. federal and state courts. He has handled litigation and trial work for numerous major corporate clients and individuals on matters involving complex trust and financial institutions issues, directors and officers liability, antitrust and trade regulation, toxic tort exposure, products liability, psychiatric malpractice, employer-union and employer-employee relations (including relating to federal and state discrimination laws), bankruptcy, securities, mechanics' liens, FINRA broker-dealer disputes and other commercial matters.

In addition, Mr. Garvey has developed a special concentration in counseling clients and litigating issues pertaining to trade secrets and the enforcement and enforceability of restrictive covenants in Illinois and throughout the United States. Mr. Garvey’s practice includes counseling clients with respect to drafting restrictive covenants, enforcing and defending covenant and trade secrets claims and litigating all aspects of such cases, from the TRO stage through trial. Mr. Garvey serves as Chair of the Litigation practice area’s subgroup on Restrictive Covenants and Trade Secrets.

Mr. Garvey also has significant experience in handling disputes involving securities broker-dealers, including representing clients in federal and state securities investigative, administrative and contested matters, as well as handling arbitration cases from initiation through completion.

Mr. Garvey also has developed a national practice focused on software license audit and compliance issues, with a concentration on enforcing software owners’ rights in respect of end users’ licensure (via click-through, shrink wrap and other means), deployment, and use of software products for both commercial and consumer purposes.

Mr. Garvey is experienced in handling all phases of litigation, from the temporary restraining order/injunction phase through trial and appeal. He has appeared and argued before the Illinois Appellate Court and the federal Seventh and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeals. He regularly counsels clients on litigation avoidance and the use of alternative dispute resolution techniques, including negotiation, mediation and arbitration.

Mr. Garvey also serves on the firm’s Diversity Committee and its Associate Evaluation Committee. He is a past Chair of the firm’s Hiring Committee and Co-Chair of the firm’s Summer Program.

Mr. Garvey was selected for inclusion from 2011 to 2021 in Illinois Super Lawyers. He was also selected by his peers from 2013 to 2021 as a Leading Lawyer in Commercial Litigation and Trade Secrets/Unfair Competition.