Michael J. Warshauer
Attorney
Meet Michael Warshauer
From Michael’s interview for the Masters of the Courtroom series on ReelLawyers.com. Read the transcript.
BOARD-CERTIFIED TRIAL ATTORNEY IN ATLANTA
Known for his creative approach to complex cases, Attorney Michael J. Warshauer has a successful track record of handling a variety of complex personal injury claims that result in impressive verdicts and settlements, many of which exceed $1 million and more that exceed $10 million. After three decades in the legal field, Michael is well-respected by the legal community and often is referred other attorneys’ most complex and difficult cases. He has devoted his career to the representation of catastrophic injury victims and the families of those who have suffered a wrongful death.
Email: [email protected]
Areas of Focus
Many of Michael’s cases involve global manufacturers, large healthcare institutions, and Fortune 500 corporations. In the face of intimidation, Michael remains a staunch advocate for his clients. Since the early ’90s, he has been considered a preeminent expert on railroad safety laws and has gained nationwide recognition for his landmark work in improving the lives of railroad industry workers. Currently, Michael concentrates on representing those who have been severely injured by medical malpractice, car accidents, motorcycle crashes, and other catastrophic incidents.
Notable Accomplishments
Throughout the course of his career, Michael has enjoyed numerous awards and certificates. He has been listed as a Georgia Super Lawyer for 19 consecutive years, is rated 10.0 by Avvo, and has obtained an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell®, among many others. He has served in many positions of leadership on various boards and groups, and regularly teaches continuing legal education courses. In addition, he has authored several articles and book chapters on various legal topics. Michael is one of the few board-certified civil trial advocates in Georgia who limit their practice to representing plaintiffs with catastrophic injuries.
Bar Admissions
- Georgia, 1983
- Tennessee, 1996
- United States Supreme Court, 1997
Publications
- “Prepping Your Expert,” Trial, September 2012
- “Railroad, Maritime Lawyers See Victor in US Supreme Court’s FELA Decision,” Lawyers USA, July 2011
- “High-Tech Testing,” Trial, Volume 47, No. 6, June 2011
- “Are You a Real Lawyer?” Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Winter 2011
- “Being a Trial Lawyer is Not for the Faint of Heart, ” Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Fall 2010
- “Civil Justice is a CONSERVATIVE Value,” Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Summer 2010
- “An Inaugural Message,” Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Spring 2010
- A Spouses’ Guide to the Federal Employers’ Liability Act – What To Do When Tragedy Strikes
- The Train Usually Wins, The Crew Too Often Loses – A Multi-Pronged Approach to Recovery for Crew Injuries Caused By Grade Crossing Collisions
- DAUBERT, JOINER, KUMHO TIRE, and WEISGRAM – What These Cases Stand For
- “Jury Charges – The Beginning and End of All Trials”
- “Are You the Steam Roller or the Pavement? Five Things that Make a Difference”
- “Demonstrative Evidence in Railroad Cases from Cheap to Expensive”
- “Demonstrative Evidence: Exhibits for the Rich and the Poor”
- “Cross Examination of Defendant and Defendant’s Expert”
- “Direct and Cross Examination at Trial”
- “Direct Examination of Expert Witnesses”
- “Don’t Get ‘Railroaded’ When Conducting a Site Inspection”
- “Can the Carrier Reduce Its Damages by Dismissing the Employee?”
- “Effective Use of ‘Do It Yourself’ Focus Groups”
- “Beating the Statute of Repose – New Ideas for Old Products”
- “Opening ‘Argument'”
- “Trial Exhibits and Demonstrative Evidence”
- “Combating the Intervening Negligence Defense in Product Liability Cases”
- “Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire – Impeachment by Cross Examination”
- “Novel Yet Unconventional Trial Tactics that Worked”
- “Mediation of a Medical Negligence Case from the Plaintiff’s Perspective”
- “Proper Pleadings Prevent Preemption Problems”
- “An Overview of Georgia Product Liability Law,” June 2008
- O.C.G.A. § 34-9-11.1 is Unconstitutional
- “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder”
- “Suing Railroads: The Train May Win the Battle, But You Can Win the War”
- “Strategies and Uses of ADR from the Plaintiff’s Perspective”
- “Evidentiary and Ethical Considerations of Technologically Presented Evidence”
- “Trial Preparation”
- “A Trial Without a Theme is a Trial Without a Purpose and Without a Hope”
- “My Top Ten Tips on Presenting Evidence in Trial”
- “What Every Plaintiff Lawyer Needs to Know About Daubert: Your Expert May Have a Daubert Problem You Don’t Know About”
- “The Curious Work of Depositions”
- “Politics Matter”
- “Subrogation Update”
- “Recognition of a Products Liability Claim,” Verdict, 1999
- “Surfing for Lawyers”, Verdict, Spring, Fall, Winter, 1998
- “Annual Survey of South Carolina Law,” 34 South Carolina Law Review 125, 137 (1982)
- Chapter: “Railroad Law and Defenses,” Georgia Jurisprudence-Personal Injury and Torts, §37:1-43-11, Volume 15, Chapter 40, West Publishing, 1994, updated 1998
- “Proper Pleadings Prevent Preemption Problems,” Trial, Volume 43, No. 5. pp 68-70.
Speeches
- “Effective use of Demonstrative Evidence with Examples from Real Cases,” GTLA 2016 Annual Convention
- “Summary of Mac v. PC for Lawyers,” by Michael Warshauer and Mark Zamora, GTLA 2010 Annual Convention
More Michael Warshauer Videos
Education
- University of South Carolina School of Law, Columbia, South Carolina, 1983
- J.D.
- Law Review: South Carolina Law Review, Member
- University of South Carolina, 1980
- B.S. cum laude
Honors & Certifications
- Georgia SuperLawyers® for 19th Consecutive Year
- 2023 Martindale-Hubbell® Award – Rated AV Preeminent
- 10.0 AVVO Rating
- Board Certified in Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
- American Board of Trial Advocates
- American Society of Legal Advocates Top 100 Litigation Lawyers in Georgia
- Certified Advocate of National Board of Civil Practice Advocacy
- Top 100 Lawyer, 2021
- Best Lawyers in America (Personal Injury Litigation), 2018
- Recipient of the 2009 Wiedemann & Wysocki Award (given by the American Association of Justice
- Super Lawyer, 2005 – Present
Professional Associations & Memberships
- Georgia Trial Lawyers Association
- President, 2010-2011
- Vice President, Atlanta Judicial District, 1998
- American Association for Justice (formerly ATLA)
- Academy of Trial Advocacy
- National Board of Trial Advocacy
- Academy of Rail Labor Attorneys
- American Bar Association
- American Board of Trial Advocates
- President, Georgia Chapter, 2017
- Treasurer, Southeast ABOTA Chapter, 2014
- Southeastern American Board of Trial Advocates
- American Civil Liberties Union
- Lawyers Club of Atlanta
- Civil Justice Foundation
- Georgia Consumer Justice Foundation
- National Crime Victim Bar Association
- Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
- United Transportation Union
- Georgia Bar Association
- Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials
- Tennessee Bar Association
- Atlanta Bar Association
- 2013 Chair-Elect, American Association for Justice Products Liability Law Group
- 2014 Chair, American Association for Justice Products Liability Law Group
Personal Life
Outside of work, Michael enjoys a full life with his family. He and Lyle, his wife and firm co-founder, have five children and enjoy spending time with them and entertaining friends at their Atlanta home. Michael is a regular volunteer for non-profit organizations that provide meals for families. He is also a competitive triathlete.