Michael is the youngest attorney ever to become a Shareholder at Smith Alling, P.S. and has since been a Managing Partner for over ten years. He is currently the firm’s President. An active litigator his entire career, Michael’s trial practice includes both the state and federal court system, emphasizing all types of litigation, including construction, trade secrets, property, corporate, employment matters, and significant personal injury claims.
For almost twenty years, Michael has tried cases to juries, the bench, arbitrators, and governmental agencies, representing both plaintiffs and defendants. Locally, Michael has briefed and argued cases before the Washington Supreme Court, Washington Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Washington Shorelines Hearings Board, and various local hearing examiners. Nationally and internationally, Michael has successfully represented international and Fortune 500 companies in class action litigation, racketeering, and anti-competitive practice claims in courts ranging from the New York Federal District Court to similar courts on the West Coast. In the construction context, he has both represented and successfully brought claims against contractors, suppliers, public and private owners, engineers, and architects in all aspects of construction, from land use, planning, and program development through construction documents, performance issues, and claims resolution.
Michael also has substantial experience in general business law, representing emerging and established businesses in a variety of matters, including forming and dissolving business entities; negotiating and documenting various contractual arrangements such as shareholder, investor rights and voting agreements; employment and labor issues; and other general business matters. His personal injury practice involves defense and prosecution of catastrophic injury, wrongful death, automobile collisions, government liability, civil rights, medical malpractice, and product liability cases.
A few of the clients Michael has successfully represented include: TrueBlue, Inc.; Labor Ready Northwest, Inc.; Wells Fargo Bank; The World Boxing Association; The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs; Philadelphia Insurance Companies; United States Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee Mark Waldron; Cal Portland Company; and many others, including individuals.
