Bio

AREAS OF PRACTICE
Mike is a partner and trial lawyer in the firm with over 40 years of extensive jury trial experience in state and federal courts. Mike’s experience and expertise extends to a wide range of civil disputes, such as medical malpractice, complex commercial cases, product liability claims, personal injury actions, wrongful death claims and complex litigation resulting in multiple million-dollar-plus settlements and verdicts.

AWARDS, HONORS, RECOGNITIONS
Mike began his active law practice in Saint Joseph, Missouri in 1982.

Since that time, Mike is the recipient of the prestigious Lon O. Hocker Memorial Trial Lawyer Award. This award is presented annually by the Trustee of the Missouri Bar Foundation to three attorneys from across the state who have demonstrated unusual proficiency in the art of trial advocacy. Recipients are chosen based on their demonstrated balance between zealousness and honor, strength and courtesy, confidence and respect. They must possess a quick wit in the courtroom that is supported by meticulous preparation in the pursuit of truth.

For achieving multiple verdicts and settlements in cases involving verdicts and settlements in an amount of Two Million Dollars or more, Mike is a qualified member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum of the Top Trial Lawyers in America. In the last three years, Mike and his partners have obtained over $100 million in verdicts, settlements and arbitrations for the firm’s clients. During Mike's 40 years of practice, he and his partners have obtained over $350 million in verdicts, settlements and arbitrations.

Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings is recognized as the gold standard in attorney ratings. Mike has received the highest and most distinguished rating possible, that of “Preeminent AV”, reflecting the highest possible rating of professional excellence and signifying Mike’s notable legal abilities and high ethical standards as a practicing attorney.

Mike has been named to the National Trial Lawyers “Top 100 Trial Lawyers”, an invitation-only organization composed of the premier trial lawyers who meet stringent qualifications as civil plaintiff attorneys. Membership is extended to only a select few of the most qualified attorneys who demonstrate superior qualifications of leadership, reputation, influence, stature and public profile measured by objective and uniformly applied review standards.

Mike has been selected for inclusion by Super Lawyers, Missouri, and Kansas, each year since 2007, as among those attorneys who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. No more than 5 percent of attorneys are recognized for inclusion each year.

Mike has been designated a “Best Lawyer in America” by the Best Lawyers in America publication which highlights the top 5% of practicing attorneys in the United States. The core mission of Best Lawyers is to recognize, by peer review, those attorneys who, in the opinion of their peers, possess the highest and best professional abilities of attorneys in their field.

CIVIL MEDIATOR
Mike is a civil mediator and is available to serve as a mediator of civil disputes.

COURTS ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
Mike is admitted to practice law in Missouri and Kansas state and federal courts. He has also been admitted to practice before numerous other United States District Courts around the country, including Pennsylvania, Wyoming, and Wisconsin. He was admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in 1986; the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit in 1987; the United States Supreme Court in 1999, and the United States Court of Claims in 2013.

GENERAL
Mr. Taylor has also been recognized as noted below:

Selected as Who’s Who in American Law
Selected as Who’s Who in America
Selected as Who’s Who in the World

EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Mike received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas with a double major in Political Science and Sociology in 1979, and his J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1982. Mike was a law clerk to the 29th Judicial District Court of Kansas from 1981 to 1982. Mike began his active law practice in St. Joseph, Mo., in 1982.

Mike has participated as a speaker in educational seminars nationwide for various professional organizations, including the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the Missouri Bar. He has presented to groups that have included attorneys, judges, medical doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health professionals, corporate personnel, human resource directors, and the general public. As a speaker, he has presented on such issues as trial tactics, evidence, discovery, expert witnesses, ethics, tax considerations, employment law, and other timely and relevant topics.

In addition to his litigation practice, Mike served as an instructor at Missouri Western State College from 1985–1994, teaching classes in Tort Law, Litigation–Practices and Procedures, as well as Business Organizations.

Michael L Taylor

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