Sanford Louis Michelman

Sanford L. Michelman is a co-founder and partner in Michelman & Robinson, LLP’s (M&R’s) Los Angeles office and a member of M&R’s Commercial & Business Litigation and Regulatory & Administrative Departments. His practice focuses on the insurance, financial services, and advertising and digital media industries. Given his trial and litigation experience, he is routinely called upon to represent clients in the most difficult and complex situations that frequently extend into a wide array of industries. Mr. Michelman advocates in arbitration, administrative proceedings and in state and federal courts all over the country.    

Mr. Michelman has defeated scores of class actions and large exposure cases. He routinely represents insurers, broker/agents, underwriters, private equity groups and other financial services companies, and advertising and media companies throughout the United States. Mr. Michelman also represents clients in investigations conducted by various governmental agencies including Departments of Insurance and Attorney General’s Offices in addition to the Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Trade Commission and Department of Real Estate, among others.

Mr. Michelman not only represents clients in matters involving the government, he also has experience representing the government itself and handling matters for government officials. He worked for U.S. Senator Howard M. Metzenbaum (D-Ohio), assisting with the investigation of Executive Life Insurance, Inc. and the nomination of Associate Justice Clarence Thomas to the United States Supreme Court. In 2001, the Governor of California appointed Mr. Michelman to the State Athletic Commission. The next year, Mr. Michelman was elected Vice-Chairman, and in 2004, he was elected Chairman. 

Mr. Michelman is Chair of M&R's Executive and Recruiting Committees.

Mr. Michelman believes in giving back, and regularly handles pro bono cases. 

A significant contributor to the Los Angeles community, Mr. Michelman was the recipient of the Discovery Award by the Zimmer Children’s Museum. He sits on the Museum's Board of Directors. 

Mr. Michelman earned his J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law, and his B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Mr. Michelman was selected for inclusion in the 2015 Best Lawyers in America USA Guide (Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law). Additionally, he has been named to list of Southern California Super Lawyers consecutively since 2003 until present, and in 2015 received special recognition as one of the Top 100 attorneys in Southern California by Super Lawyers Magazine. He is also among a select group of lawyers serving on the Super Lawyers’ Blue Ribbon Panel to evaluate the nominees for inclusion on the Southern California Super Lawyers list. Mr. Michelman has also been named in the San Fernando Valley Business Journal as one of the “Top 25 Lawyers” and "Top Forty Under 40." In 2003, he was named by the Daily Journal as a “Top 20 Under 40” lawyer. In addition, Mr. Michelman received the Latin American Agents Association’s “Valor Award” for his involvement in the insurance industry, has been named to the list of “Who’s Who in Law“ and was selected as a finalist in LawDragon’s Leading Lawyers in America. Finally, Mr. Michelman has been honored by the California State Bar for his pro bono work at Bet Tzedek.