24/7 Rapid Response - On Call Transportation Attorneys | 24/7 Data Breach Response - breachresponse@lewisbrisbois.com

Michael W. Connally

Partner

Michael Connally is a partner in the Orange County office of Lewis Brisbois and a member of the firm’s Bad Faith Litigation, Insurance Coverage, Complex Business & Commercial Litigation, and Appellate Practices groups.

His cases primarily include the following:

  • Appellate Law
  • Insurance Bad Faith and Coverage
  • Defense of religious organizations
  • Real property and title disputes
  • Complex commercial and business litigation
  • Eminent Domain

Mr. Connally litigates for his clients in trial and appellate courts throughout California.  He has successfully tried and arbitrated high exposure cases, obtaining defense verdicts and awards.  He once obtained a "reverse bad faith" verdict for $75,000 against an insured who unsuccessfully sued an insurer for bad faith.  He also defends businesses and religious organizations in contract disputes and against claims of wrongful termination, sexual harassment, defamation, discrimination and other employee/employer tort claims, disputes over corporate structure, and premises liability.  He also has successfully litigated cases involving eminent domain, including both direct and inverse condemnation.

Insurance companies and associations have retained him to file friend of the court briefs in Supreme Court cases where issues affecting the insurance industry are being considered.

Published Opinions

  • Moradi-Shalal v. Fireman's Fund Insurance (1988) 46 Cal.3d 287 [Amicus brief filed for Safeco Title Insurance Company regarding third party insurance statutory bad faith].
  • Isaacson v. California Insurance Guaranty Association (1988) 44 Cal.3d 775 [Amicus brief filed for California Land Title Association regarding insurance bad faith and duty to settle].
  • Redevelopment Agency of the City of Burbank v. Gilmore (1985) 38 Cal.3d 790 [Amicus brief filed for Boy Scouts of America, holding that condemnees are entitled to prejudgment interest at a market rate on condemnation awards].
  • Aetna Life & Casualty Co. v. City of Los Angeles (1985) 170 Cal.App.3d 865 [Inverse condemnation subrogation case holding, for the first time, that fire damage can give rise to eminent domain liability and requiring prejudgment interest at a market rate in inverse condemnation cases].
  • U.S.F.& G. v. Superior Court (1988) 204 Cal. App.3d 1513 [Civil Code section 2860 and an insured’s rights to independent counsel].
  • Native Sun v. Ticor Title (1987) 189 Cal.App.3d 1265 [Title insurance company’s duties and obligations].
  • Textron Financial Corp. v. National Union Fire Ins. Co. (2004) 118 Cal.App.4th 1061 [Punitive damage award found to be excessive, violating the federal Constitution's due process clause].
  • Ohio Casualty Ins. Co. v. Garamendi (California Fair Plan Assn.) (2006) 137 Cal.App.4th 64 [affirmed Insurance Commissioner’s order interpreting California FAIR Plan’s statutory participation rule and $3,103,153 assessment in favor of Mr. Connally’s client].
  • Jonkey v. Carignan Construction Co. (2006) 139 Cal.App.4th 20 [affirmed defense verdict in favor of Mr. Connally’s client on personal injury claim].

Admissions

  • State Bar Admissions
    • California
  • United States District Courts
    • United States District Court for the Central District of California
    • United States District Court for the Eastern District of California
    • United States District Court for the Northern District of California
    • United States District Court for the Southern District of California
  • United States Courts of Appeals
    • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • United States Supreme Court

Admissions

State Bar of California, 1981

United States District Court - All Districts of California, 1981-1982

United States Court of Appeals - Ninth Circuit, 1982

United States Supreme Court, 1990

Associations

Orange County Bar Association - Appellate and Insurance Law Sections

Awards & Honors

  • American College of Trial Lawyers, Medal for Excellence in Advocacy, National Moot Court Competition, 1980-81
  • Loyola Trial Advocacy Competition, first place, Fall 1980
  • Scott Moot Court Honors Program, first place, 1979-80
  • "Best Overall Advocate," Scott Moot Court Honors Program, 1979-80
  • Winner of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award
  • Winner of the West Publishing Company Award
  • Chief Justice, Scott Moot Court Honors Program, 1980-81

Education

Loyola Law School

Juris Doctor, 1981

Loyola Marymount University

Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, 1978

arrow Back to Attorneys