
Overview
MIKE STRIVES TO UNDERSTAND HIS CLIENTS’ BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND GOALS, AND TUNE HIS LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO THOSE OBJECTIVES.
Mike started his career as a client, not a lawyer. He represented the same company where he worked in management, thus “walking both sides of the street.” As a lawyer, Mike had devoted his practice to practical, results-oriented advice and litigation representation in situations where the law, facts or business risks are ambiguous.
Mike’s practice is devoted to the areas of employment law, agriculture and cooperative law, and in the food and agriculture industries. He has litigated employment and labor issues across Washington and California and advised across the United States. Throughout his career, a substantial part of Mike’s practice has been representing agriculture and food-based companies. He acts as outside general counsel in that industry, handles corporate governance, and manages complicated domestic and international transactions.
On the business side, Mike developed Dorsey’s LegalMine Document Review Solution from concept to operation. He has also held leadership roles as Office Head for Seattle (where he negotiated a large office move, and the office was named one of Washington’s Best Workplaces) and as co-head of the Labor & Employment and other practice groups.
Education & Admissions
Santa Clara University School of Law (J.D., 1992), summa cum laude
Editor-In-Chief, Santa Clara Law Review
University of California, Berkeley (A.B., 1986)
Admissions
- Washington
- California
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Languages
- German (conversational), Spanish (conversational)
Experience
Client Achievements
- Achieving the impossible, mink farm loan goes from hairy to sleek
- BioLife restructures and uplists to Nasdaq Capital Market
- Dorsey Partners with Seattle Nonprofits on Workers’ Cooperatives
- Founders sell oil and gas software business to private equity buyer
- Pacific Northwest Farmers Cooperative Combines with Cooperative Agricultural Producers
- Protecting a client's customer base
- Washington Capital Management Acquires Great Point Investors
News & Resources
Articles
News & Press Mentions
Events & Speaking Engagements
Legal Writings
Select Presentations
- Risk Management and Ethics for In-House Counsel Seminar, September 25, 2017
- Keynote Speaker Employment Law Update, SHRM Conference, 2000 – Present
- Megatrends in Employment Law, keynote speaker with McCarthy Tetrault law firm, September 2014
- Co-op Law for Community Organizations, September 2014
- Tribal Governmental Business Law CLE Seminar, Seattle U, June 2014
- NSAC Legal Update, NSAC Annual Conference, May 2014 (Spokane, WA)
- Employment Update, SHRM Washington State Council, March 2014
- FLSA – The Law We Love To Hate!, February 2014
- Independent Reality: The New Law of Contractor Status, March 2013
- Keynote Speaker, Megatrends In Employment Law, SHRM Washington State Council, March 2013 and March 2014
- Executive Compensation for Cooperatives, January 2013 (Spokane, WA)
- Megatrends in United States Employment Law, Canadian Bar Assn. (Calgary Chapter), April 2012
- I Survived an ICE Audit, SHRM Washington State Council Webinar, January 2012
- US Labor & Employment Law, Vancouver, March 2011 and Calgary, Canada May 2011
- What’s Work Got To Do With It? Off The Clock, Cyberworking, and The Laws Of Overtime
- Cyberstalking & The New “Harassment”
- Troublemakers in the Workplace: Avoiding The Legal Pitfalls Caused By Your Most Problematic Employees
- Legislative Update
- Facebook’s Workplace: Social Networking, New Media and The Law
- In the Hot Seat: Mock Deposition of an HR Representative
- Panel Discussion: Preventing the Wage & Hour Class Action
- Quirky Questions in Employment Law
- Going Global: Non-Competes, Trade Secrets, and Employee Mobility in the Global Marketplace
- When the Appletini Goes Sour: How Do You Keep Work/Personal Boundaries from Getting Blurry?, NW Human Resource Management Assn. Annual Conference, October 2011
- Employment Litigation: Avoidance and Defense, NW Human Resource Management Assn. Annual Conference, October 2011
Industries & Practices
Antitrust & Competition Law
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceBanking & Financial Institutions
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceCorporate Governance & Compliance
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceEnergy & Natural Resources
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceFinancial Services Regulatory
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceFood, Beverage & Agribusiness
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceInternational Arbitration & Litigation
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practice- Antitrust & Competition Law
- Banking & Financial Institutions
- Canada
- Class Action Litigation
- Cooperative Law
- Corporate Governance & Compliance
- Electronic Discovery
- Emerging Companies
- Energy & Natural Resources
- ERISA Litigation
- Europe
- Financial Services Regulatory
- Food, Beverage & Agribusiness
- Healthcare
- Immigration
- Indian & Alaska Native
- Insurance Law
- International Arbitration & Litigation
- International Trade
- Labor & Employment
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Mining
- Products Liability
- Technology
Professional & Civic
Professional Achievements
- Washington Athletic Club Board of Governors, Memberships & Marketing Committee
- Member, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, Legal, Tax / Accounting Committee
- Member, Federal Bar Association
- Founding Member, The CHO Group, 2002-Present
- Founding Member, Board Member, President, 2002-2009, Bainbridge Schools Foundation
- Member, National Society of Human Resource Management and Northwest Human Resource Management Association, 1986-present
- Founding Member and Past President, Association for Corporate Growth
Accolades
- Named one of “America’s Leading Business Lawyers” by Chambers USA (Labor & Employment), 2009-2018
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America© (2007-2019, peer rated)
- Rated AV Preeminent® (highest possible for legal skills and ethics) by Martindale-Hubbell®
- Listed as a Washington Super Lawyer, 2003, 2005-2018
- Named “Who’s Who Among American Professionals” by Madison, 2006-present