Michael P. McGinley is a partner in the Madison County office of Lewis Brisbois and co-chair of the Public Agency & Municipal Law Practice, Government Affairs & Public Policy, Asbestos Litigation, and School Districts & Municipalities Practices.

Michael is the City Attorney for Highland, Illinois and Lebanon, Illinois. In these roles, Michael works directly with politicians, city managers, city directors and city staff to draft and implement public policy and ordinances, facilitate business development, negotiate real estate transactions, prosecute ordinance violations, and work directly with the public. Being part of the Madison County, Illinois and St. Clair County, Illinois legal communities allows Michael to achieve superior results for his local government clients in sometimes contentious venues. Additional local government areas of expertise include Illinois FOIA requests, general contracts, general litigation, real estate contracts, construction contracts and notices of municipal letting, labor and employment, workers’ compensation, employee benefits, labor relations, and COVID-19 response counseling.

With more than a decade of experience, Michael has been successfully defending his clients in Madison County, IL, St. Clair County, IL, McLean County, IL, and the City of St. Louis, MO in the most contentious asbestos litigation in the nation. His successes for his asbestos clients are attributed to his strong negotiation skills. He builds relationships and trust with each client to help them reach the best outcome for their unique situation. Michael’s background in family business has instilled in him an entrepreneurial mindset that helps him approach each case from an owner’s perspective to ensure the resolution makes the most financial sense.

Michael also has a robust and successful consumer and commercial collection practice focusing mainly on construction clients. With recent changes to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, clients need an experienced advocate who understands the law and how it can be utilized to maximize recovery of bad debt.

As a litigator, Michael has varied and extensive litigation experience throughout Illinois and Missouri, including criminal court, small claims court, mediation, arbitration, and circuit court. Michael represents clients ranging from small business owners and entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 companies in matters including collections, real estate transactions, evictions, Illinois gaming, family law, product liability, toxic tort liability, asbestos liability, premise liability, personal injury, business litigation and general litigation. Michael also has vast experience litigating on behalf of Plaintiffs including cases filed in Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas. Michael’s diverse litigation experience makes him uniquely qualified to be a strong and successful advocate for his clients.

Prior to attending law school, Michael worked as the General Manager of a retail automotive dealership in Madison County, Illinois where he negotiated the purchase and sale of thousands of vehicles. Working directly with employees and the general public as a retail automotive professional afforded Michael the opportunity to develop negotiation skills that he puts to great use as a litigator.

Apart from his legal practice, Michael enjoys swimming, skiing, boating, golf and playing sports with his wife and boys.

Pro Bono & Philanthropy

Professional Presentations

“Buying & Selling Cars in Illinois: Contracts, Carfax and Fraud,” Madison County Bar, Association People’s Law School

Admissions

• State Bar Admissions
  • Illinois
  • Missouri
• United States District Courts
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri

Associations

• City Attorney, City of Litchfield, Illinois
• City Attorney, City of Wood River, Illinois
• City Attorney, City of Highland, Illinois
• City Attorney, City of Lebanon, Illinois
• Highland, Illinois Bar Association
• Madison County Bar Association
• Illinois Local Government Lawyers Association
• Illinois Municipal League
• Southwestern Illinois Council of Mayors

Awards & Honors

Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers Rising Star - Product Liability Defense, 2018-2020

Education

Saint Louis University School of Law

Juris Doctor

Washington University

Bachelor of Arts