Michael serves as special counsel to the Character and Fitness Committee of the Mississippi Bar and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Mississippi Bar’s Intellectual Property Section. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the 100 Black Men of Jackson, Inc., and co-chairs the Membership Subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s Section of Intellectual Property Litigation.
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, Patent Law, 2024-2026 Listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers, "Rising Stars" 2022-2025 General Litigation, 2016-2018 Intellectual Property, 2019-2021 Cameron J. Miller Award for Excellence & Community Service, 2019 Bradley Diversity Leadership Award, 2023 First-chaired a jury trial to verdict in a plaintiff-friendly jurisdiction, securing a complete defense verdict in a case involving malicious prosecution and wrongful termination claims. Defended a global petrochemical manufacturer in a multi-plaintiff catastrophic injury case arising from an alleged plant explosion, where plaintiffs sought damages exceeding $1 billion; resolved on favorable terms on the first day of trial, substantially mitigating exposure and avoiding jury risk. Represented a leading global online payments platform in complex commercial disputes, including breach of contract claims arising from payment-processing relationships; consistently positioned such matters for early resolution or favorable outcomes. Retained as trial counsel weeks before trial for a high-net-worth individual in a high-exposure dispute and drove a favorable pretrial resolution, avoiding jury risk. Represented an international law firm in high-stakes business tort and injunction proceedings involving tortious interference, barratry, and reputational harm, including pursuit of emergency injunctive relief to halt coordinated efforts to disrupt client relationships. Defended a national retail tenant in commercial lease litigation involving claims for past-due rent, accelerated future rent, and related damages exceeding six figures; resolved on favorable terms, substantially mitigating the client’s exposure. Defended a media entity in a high-profile defamation action involving claims of defamation per se and actual malice, securing a favorable non-monetary resolution. Obtained a defense verdict for an individual accused of fraud and breach of contract, eliminating all exposure.
