Practice Emphasis
Complex litigation, alternative dispute resolution, banking litigation, commercial litigation, construction litigation, eminent domain, condemnation, environmental litigation, franchise litigation, insurance litigation (including bad faith claims), intellectual property litigation, international law, employment litigation, tort defense, mass torts, toxic tort defense, drug and medical device defense, real estate litigation, securities litigation and broker dealer arbitrations
Professional Summary
Michael is an A-V rated lawyer. For over thirty years, Michael has been a "first chair” litigator in numerous complex, multi-party and very document intensive litigation. He has tried cases in state and federal courts throughout Texas and other parts of the United States.
Michael has handled a wide variety of business litigation matters over the span of his career, which matters have included securities and broker-dealer litigation, real estate development and construction matters, partnership and corporation dissolutions and shareholder derivative lawsuits, civil RICO, fraud, and Deceptive Trade Practice Act litigation, energy litigation, accounting and other professional liability actions, and numerous other business disputes. Recently, Michael represented a Fortune 100 company in an eminent domain matter involving the construction of a new pipeline and related eminent domain activities, and he also successfully represented another national client as a Tenant in a separate eminent domain matter. His other litigation activities have included “bet the company” lawsuits for various banks, savings institutions, and the FSLIC and the FDIC as Receiver for insolvent thrifts in Texas. Additionally, Michael has represented a regional bank holding company in litigation arising out of “problem loans” and in defending lender liability actions, as well as defending the chief executive officer of a lending institution in a civil monetary penalties action. He has defended the manufacturers of pharmaceutical products and other toxic tort litigation targets, as well as corporations in the protection of trade secrets, proprietary information, and other intellectual property.
Michael was appointed to the Jury Reform Task Force created by the Supreme Court of Texas, and he has lectured at various seminars and trial forums. In January 2008, he was a speaker at the Texas Eminent Domain Super Conference, speaking on pipeline litigation in Texas. Michael previously served as the Chairman of the Houston Bar Association’s Federal Litigation Section.
Michael served as Editor of the Houston Law Review and was a member of the Order of the Barons (then the highest legal scholastic honor society at the University of Houston, Bates College of Law). In addition to being a Life Member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Michael is also proud to be an Honorary Life Member of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame, and a charter member of the Texas Rangers Association Foundation. Mr. Lee’s military service includes service with the U.S. Army (Intelligence) as a Prisoner of War Interrogator from 1968-1970.
Education
University of Houston (B.B.A. 1968)
University of Houston, Bates College of Law (J.D. 1972)
Bar Admissions
Texas and U.S. District Courts, Eastern, Western, Southern and Northern Districts of Texas
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Memberships & Affiliations
State Bar of Texas
Houston Bar Association (Sections on Litigation, Banking, Business Law and Federal Practice)
Federal Bar Association
American Bar Association (Litigation Section)
Michael B. Lee
Senior Counsel
Houston, Texas
(713) 535-5525 (Direct)
(713) 535-5533 (Fax)
mlee@cbylaw.com
