Michael represents businesses in employment and commercial matters, including matters involving data privacy and protection.
Michael’s experience is both deep and varied. His experience spans over a decade in a wide variety of industries, through every stage of the economic cycle, and in venues throughout Texas and the country. Clients frequently call on Michael to advise on complicated and sensitive matters involving company personnel and business relationships.
Michael is Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has encountered nearly every type of employment-related issue. He has litigated all of the typical employment-related claims, including many through trial. Michael’s practice also involves negotiating agreements and separations with executives.
Michael works hard to resolve disputes outside of litigation, but if a matter must be litigated, Michael doggedly pursues his clients’ interests. Michael has tried cases to verdict before judges, juries, and arbitrators and has an enviable record doing so.
Additionally, a growing part of Michael’s practice involves data privacy and protection of proprietary data, such as trade secrets and other confidential information. Michael advises on compliance with emerging data privacy laws, such as the CPRA and the GDPR, as well as legacy privacy-related laws. He has extensive experience litigating disputes involving the misappropriation of propriety data and trade secrets by employees and others. Michael also litigates general commercial disputes on behalf of his clients.
Away from the Office
Michael enjoys spending time with his wife, three children, and their rescue dog.
Practice Areas
- Complex Commercial Litigation
- Data Privacy & Cybersecurity
- Intellectual Property
- Labor & Employment
- Litigation
Credentials
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of Texas (2009)
Education
-
South Texas College of Law, J.D., 2009
- Managing Editor, South Texas Law Review
- The University of Texas at Austin, B.A., 2005
Experience
Recent Employment Litigation Experience
- Lead counsel for regional professional services company in trade secret misappropriation claim against competitor
- Lead counsel for perforation technology company in trade secret misappropriation claim
- Lead counsel for perforation technology company in restrictive covenant enforcement litigation
- Lead counsel for popular seasoning brand in defense of breach of employment agreement claim
- Lead counsel for major restaurant chain in defense of sex discrimination and retaliation lawsuit
- Lead counsel for national industrial staffing company in defense of race discrimination claim
- Lead counsel for global engineering, construction, and commissioning company in defense of various discrimination and retaliation claims
- Lead counsel for directional drilling company in defense of retaliation claim
- Lead counsel for midstream company in defense of Fair Labor Standard Act collective action
- Represented global engineering, procurement, and construction company in defense of discrimination and retaliation claims
- Represented major hospital system in defense of trade secret and interference claims related to hiring a group of physicians
- Represented major hospital system in defense of discrimination, retaliation, and whistleblower claims
Recent Commercial Litigation Experience
- Lead counsel for regional franchise group in dispute arising from acquisition of portfolio
- Lead counsel for popular seasoning brand in partnership dispute
- Represented major hospital system in defense of claims by specialist group concerning competitive business practices
Presentations
- Panelist, “AI in the Workplace,” Centerforce Houston Employment Law Summit (September 19, 2024)
- Quoted, “Texas' Meta Deal Signals Future Data Privacy Actions,” Law360 (July 30, 2024)
- Presentation, Why It’s Best to Have A Lawyer On the Other Side: Dealing With Pro Se Plaintiffs and Lawyer-Less Defendants, University of Texas at Austin, 31st Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference (May 30, 2024)
- Article, What You Need to Know about the New FTC Rule Banning Noncompete Agreements, Corporate Compliance Insights (May 7, 2024)
- Presentation, Damages in Trade Secret Litigation, 16th Annual Damages in Civil Litigation Course, State Bar of Texas (February 1, 2024)
- Article, The Texas Data Privacy & Security Act Becomes Law, Mondaq (July 3, 2023)
- Presentation, Data Privacy & Data Protection: Mid-Year Update, KRCL L&E Seminar (June 13, 2023)
- Quoted, Lessons Can Be Learned from Dallas Data Attack, Law360 (May 19, 2023)
- Quoted, Texas Employment Lawyers Talk FTC’s Proposed Noncompete Ban, The Texas Lawbook (May 3, 2023)
- Article, Texas Takes a Big Step Toward Passing Data Privacy Legislation, Mondaq (April 11, 2023)
- Article, The FTC’s Proposed Ban on Non-Compete Agreements, Mondaq (Mar. 1, 2023)
- Presentation, Data Privacy & Cybersecurity: What HR Needs to Know, HR Houston (Nov. 3, 2022)
- Article, Doing Business in California? The California Privacy Rights Act is Coming…, Mondaq (Oct. 13, 2022)
- Article, Fifth Circuit Again Denies Arbitration for Pipeline Inspectors’ FLSA Claims, Mondaq (June 2, 2022)
- Article, Thinking of Paying Your Employee with Virtual Currency? Not so Fast, Mondaq (May 11, 2022)
- Presentation, The ADA: Post COVID-19, HR Houston Gulf Coast Symposium (Aug. 4, 2021)
- Presentation, How Much is Too Much? “Undue Hardship” under the ADA, HR Houston (Feb. 2, 2021)
- Presentation, The COVID-19 Vaccine: What It Means for Your Workforce, Am. Osteopathic Assoc. (Jan. 12, 2021)
- Article, What the COVID-19 Vaccine Means for Your Workforce, MGMA Connection Magazine (Jan. 2021)
- Quoted, COVID-19 Vaccine Policy: Is your medical practice ready?, MGMA.com (Dec. 17, 2020)
- Article, What the COVID-19 Vaccine Means for Your Workforce, MGMA.com Insight Article (Nov. 29, 2020)
Honors & Awards
- Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- Best Lawyers in America, Employment Law – Management, 2021 – present
- Texas Rising Star, Labor and Employment, Super Lawyers Magazine, 2014 – 2023
- Houston Young Lawyers Association Leadership Academy, Class of 2010 - 2011
Houston Office