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Practices

Biography

Mike is an accomplished trial lawyer. With close to 40 years of experience helping his clients resolve disputes – through trials, arbitrations, mediations, and appeals – he’s argued cases before U.S. Supreme Court as well as all Southern California State and Federal courts. In addition, he’s often asked to assist clients across the country and as a result has made a number of pro hac vice appearances before various Federal and State courts throughout the United States.

Throughout his career, Mike has been involved in lawsuits related to a wide range of corporate disputes, from real estate, securities, and corporate governance issues, to trade secrets, employment matters, unfair competition, and California financing laws. He has significant experience defending class action lawsuits.

Mike has an active real estate and appellate practice covering both transactional and litigation matters: he’s helped clients structure and defend mechanics liens, purchase agreements, commercial leases, homeowner’s disputes, commercial common area maintenance disputes, subordination agreements, financing arrangements, and more.  He regularly lectures at bar association and continuing education seminars on real estate, mechanics lien, and attorney fees issues.

Mike lives in Laguna Niguel with his wife, Anne, and their Labradoodle, Lucy.

Other Info About Mike

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Successful resolution of numerous disputes on behalf of a commercial developer redeveloping popular commercial projects in Costa Mesa and Anaheim, including obtaining both a judgment in favor of his client as well as the award of attorney fees in a Costa Mesa case.  

Representation of an accounting firm and a public company with respect to two decisions against the business. In the first, Mike successfully argued that a previously reversed arbitration award in favor of his client should be affirmed. In the second, he was able to reduce the damages of a jury verdict and attorney’s fees against his client by about 75%.  

Defended a developer who was sued during the recession by an out-of-state lender for a debt incurred while building a major office project for a multinational corporation. Mike prevailed in a month-long trial, allowing their client to continue pursuing a work out of the debt and recover 85% of their attorney fees.   

Successfully represented numerous clients before Los Angeles and Orange County intermediate appellate courts. 

Education

Law School

Rutgers University School of Law, J.D., 1979

Undergraduate School

University of Southern California, B.A., Speech Communication, 1976

 

Bar Memberships

Mike is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

California, 1979

Major Publications

Mike is an author or contributor to the following publications:

Mike is the principal author of The California Attorney Fees blog CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY’S FEES (calattorneysfees.com), which provides a resource to practitioners, jurists, and the public about the law governing attorneys’ fees/costs awards in California State or California Federal judicial forums.

“California Supreme upholds employer’s good faith belief defense against Labor Code Section 226 Penalties”, LA Dail Journal, May 2024

“Floating Utility Easements in California” CEB Daily News, November 2023.

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