Michael Gonzales is a litigator who focuses his practice on representing corporate policyholders in complex coverage litigation involving a variety of insurance coverage products. He relies on his extensive insurance experience to provide strategic representation both pre-suit and throughout litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Michael worked as a litigation attorney and then corporate counsel for a privately held company and its enterprise affiliates. Michael’s corporate experience, coupled with his extensive litigation experience, enables him to better understand his client’s goals and representation needs.

Michael’s insurance coverage experience includes first party and third-party coverages, and encompasses professional liability policies, commercial general liability policies, first party property policies, business interruption coverage, pollution liability policies, and directors and officers policies. His experience also includes primary, excess, and umbrella coverages and litigation involving complicated long-tail liability claims. Earlier in his career, Michael advised global insurance companies on policy coverage issues, including drafting policy language for new and existing products and assisting with priority of coverage disputes.

In addition to his insurance coverage litigation and coverage counseling practice, Michael also has experience representing managing general agents, third-party administrators, real estate brokers, insurance brokers, financial planners, and attorneys in litigation involving alleged negligence, breach of fiduciary duties, breach of contract, and malpractice.

While serving as a director and corporate counsel, Michael gained considerable experience with corporate governance, and in-house litigation management (consumer and corporate insurance dockets), as well as advising C-suite personnel and board members on litigation and regulatory risk management. Michael was also the lead attorney for two of the company’s affiliated insurance entities.

Prior to law school, Michael worked as an insurance underwriter for one of the largest property and casualty carriers in the United States. Through this experience, he gained particular interest in understanding how coverages were litigated. This fueled Michael’s interest in insurance coverage litigation and coverage counseling.

Outside of work, Michael spends time with his family and serves on the board of directors for SPCA, one of the largest animal welfare non-profits in the country.

Areas of Focus

Credentials

Education

  • Texas Tech University School of Law (J.D. and M.B.A., 2016)
    • Business & Bankruptcy Law Journal, Editor in Chief
    • Board of Barristers
    • Research Assistant
    • Texas Tech Law and Technology Association, Co-Founder
  • University of the Incarnate Word (B.A., Political Science, 2010)

Admissions

Bar Admissions

  • Texas

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas

Presentations

  • Speaker, “Concurrent Causation and Hurricane Harvey Litigation,” Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (CPCU) Alamo Chapter, September 2018
  • Speaker, "Insurers’ Duty to Defend," Client Presentation, April 2018

Publications

  • Author, "Examinations Under Oath: Underwriting, Claims, and Litigation Considerations," Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (CPCU) Alamo Chapter, October 26, 2022
  • Author, "Does a Default Judgment Satisfy Texas’ No Direct Action Rule?" Journal of Texas Insurance Law, April 19, 2022

Professional Activities

  • Dallas Insurance Law American Inn of Court
  • Journal of Texas Insurance Law, Editor

Community Involvement

  • SPCA of Texas Board of Directors, Former Governance Chair, Former CEO Search Committee Chair; Development Committee Co-Chair, present
  • SPCA of Texas Young Professionals, Founding Member and Former Chair