Michael Donn Mortenson

Michael  D. Mortenson is a founding partner of Mortenson Taggart LLP. He is an experienced trial lawyer who represents and advises Fortune 500 companies, innovative startups, emerging middle market companies, and high-profile individuals, as both plaintiffs and defendants, in complex, high-stakes matters in federal and state courts throughout the country.

Michael’s trial practice focuses primarily on business litigation, consumer litigation and employment litigation. Michael regularly handles matters involving fraud, breach of contract, breach of warranty, breach of fiduciary duty, misappropriation of trade secrets, products liability, whistleblower actions, discrimination, and retaliation for clients in various industries including automotive, technology, manufacturing, alternative energy, private equity and sports and entertainment. Michael’s work has been featured in various media outlets including The Washington Post, Fox News, ABC News, Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, and Law360 among others. Michael has been recognized by Top Verdicts for winning one of California’s top 100 jury verdicts in 2019, and he has repeatedly been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers Magazine.

Michael’s clients include iconic Fortune 500 companies such as Ford Motor Company and Western Digital, innovative startups such as Rivian Automotive and Bubs Naturals, emerging middle market companies including Valta Energy, and sports and entertainment companies including Gracie Barra Jiu Jitsu and Angelus Entertainment, among others.

Michael also devotes a substantial amount of his time to pro bono work. Among his many successful outcomes over the last decade, Michael represented the family and estate of U.S. Navy SEAL Glen Doherty, who was killed in the Benghazi terrorist attacks, against the Central Intelligence Agency and the State Department, which resulted in modifications to CIA and State Department policies regarding contractors killed in action, and against the Defense Base Act insurance broker for breach of fiduciary duty that resulted in a favorable settlement. Michael also represented California’s foster care children in a suit against the State of California for violating the Child Welfare Act, which resulted in hundreds of millions of additional dollars spent to care for California’s most vulnerable children. California Lawyer Magazine touted this victory as “precedent-setting.”

Before founding Mortenson Taggart LLP, Michael was the Chair of Consumer Litigation at Stradling, Yocca, Carlson & Rauth, and before that was a partner at Baker Hostetler LLP.