Michael T. Bridwell

Overview

Michael Bridwell has been practicing since graduating from University of Texas School of Law in 1985. He is an experienced litigator and handles personal injury, premises liability, products liability, toxic tort, commercial litigation, general litigation, occupational and environmental chemical exposure, asbestos and contract litigation. He has represented companies in premises liability cases, products liability cases, severe burn personal injury cases, groundwater contamination cases, community chemical exposure cases, and pipeline right of way and eminent domain disputes. He is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and AV rated by Martindale Hubbell. He is also a certified mediator. Representative clients include oil and chemical companies, product manufacturers, pipeline companies and insurers.

Michael is licensed in Texas (1985), Oklahoma (2009) and Arkansas (2009).

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Practice Areas

Representative Experience:

Represented local chemical manufacturing facility in litigation involving thousands of plaintiffs claiming personal injury based on claims of air pollution and community exposures
Defended local refinery in alleged ground water contamination case involving hundreds of nearby residents
Represented pipeline companies in pipeline rupture cases involving claims of environmental damage and catastrophic burns
Counsel for steering gear manufacturer in tanker/tug boat collision and death case
Represented industrial pump manufacturer in catastrophic burn and death case
Defended several oil and chemical companies in asbestos litigation on a statewide basis
Represented pipeline companies in easement, right of way, and eminent domain negotiations and suits; and served as panel counsel for several insurance companies
Successfully tried a products liability death case on behalf of gasoline can manufacturer

Honors and Awards:

Martindale-Hubbell AV rated
Texas Super Lawyers (a Thomson Reuters® service), 2006-2010, 2013-2023
Houston’s Top Lawyers, H Texas Magazine (2008-2009, 2013)
The Best Lawyers in America – 2022 Product Liability Litigation – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year” in Beaumont
The Best Lawyers in America – 2020 Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year” in Beaumont
Best Lawyers® (by Levine Leichtman Capital Partners)
- The Best Lawyers in America©
  - Commercial Litigation (2013-2022)
  - Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action (2013-2022)
  - Product Liability Litigation (2013-2022)
  - Personal Injury Litigation (2022)

Membership/Affiliations:

Texas Board of Legal Specialization Personal Injury Trial Law – 1990
Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC)
Certified Mediator, A.A. White Dispute Resolution Institute
All Texas Courts
U.S. District Courts for Eastern, Southern, Northern and Western Districts of Texas
U.S. Court of Appeals—Fifth Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
Texas Association of Defense Counsel (TADC)
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
Texas Bar Foundation—Life Fellow
American Inns of Court, Michelle Mehaffy Chapter (President 2014, 2015)
Jefferson County Bar Association
Arkansas Bar Association
All Arkansas Courts
Oklahoma Bar Association
All Oklahoma Courts
U.S. District Courts for Eastern, Western and Northern Districts of Oklahoma

Education:

University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1985
Michigan State University, BA with Honors, 1981

Articles and Presentations:

Condemnation Update and Easement Maintenance Issues (author and presenter), May 2013
Easement Rights Pertaining to Multiple-Pipeline Grants and Update on Texas Easement Issues (author and presenter), November 2010
Sun Tzu and the Art of Mediation (author and presenter), Texas Association of Defense Counsel Winter Seminar, January, 2009
Mediation Tips for Litigants: Don’t Meet Me In The Middle (author and presenter), Texas Association of Defense Counsel Summer Seminar, July, 2004
Creating and Managing a Case Budget (author), The Advocate, June, 2006
Taking The Plaintiff’s Deposition (author and presenter) Jefferson County Bar Association, April, 2006

Representative Experience:

Represented local chemical manufacturing facility in litigation involving thousands of plaintiffs claiming personal injury based on claims of air pollution and community exposures
Defended local refinery in alleged ground water contamination case involving hundreds of nearby residents
Represented pipeline companies in pipeline rupture cases involving claims of environmental damage and catastrophic burns
Counsel for steering gear manufacturer in tanker/tug boat collision and death case
Represented industrial pump manufacturer in catastrophic burn and death case
Defended several oil and chemical companies in asbestos litigation on a statewide basis
Represented pipeline companies in easement, right of way, and eminent domain negotiations and suits; and served as panel counsel for several insurance companies
Successfully tried a products liability death case on behalf of gasoline can manufacturer

Honors and Awards:

Martindale-Hubbell AV rated
Texas Super Lawyers (a Thomson Reuters® service), 2006-2010, 2013-2023
Houston’s Top Lawyers, H Texas Magazine (2008-2009, 2013)
The Best Lawyers in America – 2022 Product Liability Litigation – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year” in Beaumont
The Best Lawyers in America – 2020 Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year” in Beaumont
Best Lawyers® (by Levine Leichtman Capital Partners)
- The Best Lawyers in America©
  - Commercial Litigation (2013-2022)
  - Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action (2013-2022)
  - Product Liability Litigation (2013-2022)
  - Personal Injury Litigation (2022)

Membership/Affiliations:

Texas Board of Legal Specialization Personal Injury Trial Law – 1990
Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC)
Certified Mediator, A.A. White Dispute Resolution Institute
All Texas Courts
U.S. District Courts for Eastern, Southern, Northern and Western Districts of Texas
U.S. Court of Appeals—Fifth Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
Texas Association of Defense Counsel (TADC)
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
Texas Bar Foundation—Life Fellow
American Inns of Court, Michelle Mehaffy Chapter (President 2014, 2015)
Jefferson County Bar Association
Arkansas Bar Association
All Arkansas Courts
Oklahoma Bar Association
All Oklahoma Courts
U.S. District Courts for Eastern, Western and Northern Districts of Oklahoma

Education:

University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1985
Michigan State University, BA with Honors, 1981

Articles and Presentations:

Condemnation Update and Easement Maintenance Issues (author and presenter), May 2013
Easement Rights Pertaining to Multiple-Pipeline Grants and Update on Texas Easement Issues (author and presenter), November 2010
Sun Tzu and the Art of Mediation (author and presenter), Texas Association of Defense Counsel Winter Seminar, January, 2009
Mediation Tips for Litigants: Don’t Meet Me In The Middle (author and presenter), Texas Association of Defense Counsel Summer Seminar, July, 2004
Creating and Managing a Case Budget (author), The Advocate, June, 2006
Taking The Plaintiff’s Deposition (author and presenter) Jefferson County Bar Association, April, 2006

Overview

Practice Areas

Representative Experience:

Honors and Awards:

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Education:

Articles and Presentations:

Representative Experience:

Honors and Awards:

Membership/Affiliations:

Education:

Articles and Presentations:

Practice Areas

Beaumont:

Austin:

Houston:

San Antonio:

Tyler: