Mike has a diverse practice in our Litigation and Labor & Employment Law sections. He is the Chair of the firm's Labor & Employment practice section and the firm's General Counsel. Mike generally represents management in labor and employment law matters in both state and federal courts. Mike also has extensive experience in complex litigation matters including personal injury cases, franchise disputes and real estate matters. Mike has handled many individual and class cases in state and federal courts. He typically defends employers in all types of discrimination cases, wage and hour cases, and cases involving labor/management issues. Notably, Mike was Trial Counsel for USX Corporation in the case of Cox v. USX Corporation. In this class action lawsuit, approximately 5,500 current and former employees of USX contended that USX granted pensions to certain union negotiators in exchange for labor concession in a local labor agreement. Company documents estimated those concessions exceeded $24 million annually. USX had been convicted of various criminal violations of Section 302 of the Taft-Hartley Act, as well as mail fraud and an ERISA violation relating to the pensions. Burr & Forman did not represent USX in the criminal cases. In the civil case, plaintiffs sought damages in excess of $1 billion. Plaintiffs refused a $10 million offer of judgment and consistently demanded a settlement in excess of $100 million. After a lengthy trial, an Alabama jury rendered a verdict in favor of USX. Mike is admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama State Bar and the Birmingham Bar Association. Within the ABA, he belongs to the Labor & Employment Law Section and the Litigation Section. He is also is affiliated with the Labor & Employment Law Section of the Alabama State Bar. Mike is a member of the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association. Mike has been involved in various civic and youth organizations and has been Community Advisor to the Junior League of Birmingham for over twenty years. Mike received his B.A., cum laude, from Vanderbilt University in 1979 and his J.D. from the Vanderbilt Law School in 1982. During law school, he served on the Vanderbilt Law Review. He was admitted to the Alabama Bar in 1982. Mike authored the Alabama narrative for Cornell's American Legal Ethics Library. He also serves as the Alabama Regional Coordinator for Attorney's Liability Assurance Society. Mike is a Martindale-Hubbell AV rated lawyer and currently listed in the national publication The Best Lawyers in America, and has been named by Birmingham Magazine as one of "Birmingham's Best Lawyers". He was also selected for inclusion in Alabama Super Lawyers from 2008 to 2011. In addition, Chambers USA named Mike as a "Leader in their Field" in labor and employment law in 2009 and 2010. Memberships & Bar Associations American Bar Association Member, Labor & Employment Law Section Member, Litigation Section Alabama State Bar Member, Labor & Employment Law Section Birmingham Bar Association |