Michael R. White

tel: (213) 688-9100  ext. 232

email: mwhite@mcbirneychuck.com

Mr. White is of counsel to the firm.  He is one of Los Angeles’ top trial and appellate attorneys.  He has over thirty-five years of experience representing injured parties and trying cases before juries, judges, and administrative tribunals throughout the state and country, including in state trial courts all over Southern and Northern California, the California Courts of Appeal, the California Supreme Court, United States District Courts, United States Bankruptcy Courts, and in the United States Court of Appeals throughout the United States.  Mr. White has extensive experience handling complex civil litigation matters as lead trial counsel, including numerous multi-million dollar personal injury, wrongful death, employment, and business litigation actions.  Mr. White began his legal career working for the federal government, through which he, among other things, successfully advanced the government's position in a series of cases which ultimately clarified and expanded the rights of union shop stewards in the Circuit Courts and, eventually, in the United States Supreme Court.  Subsequently, he was lead counsel in the Labor Board’s prosecution of the Western Conference of Teamsters for unlawful picketing during the union’s attempt to organize container freight operations in the Los Angeles harbor.  Mr. White served as assistant counsel for the California Teachers Association, the largest union in California, where he prosecuted cases before administrative agencies and courts, including the California Supreme Court, which dramatically expanded the rights of public employees.  He has also worked in the entertainment industry as assistant counsel for the Writers Guild of America, representing screenwriters in disputes with major studios and other industry employers.  He has received an AV® rating by Martindale-Hubbell (Peer Review Rated)*, the highest peer review rating for skill and integrity.  Mr. White graduated from Yale University (B.A., 1976) and the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall) (J.D., 1979). He co-authored the faculty-student Post-Bakke Report, participated in a student-initiated proceeding before the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, relating to faculty hiring practices, worked on initiative campaigns for the United Farm Workers, and worked as a volunteer law clerk for the Asian Law Caucus.  Mr. White has participated in instruction of judges at the Judicial College on the topic of settlement negotiations, is a regular lecturer for the National Business Institute, and has frequently lectured and conducted workshops for other attorneys on trial practice and litigation skills.