Attorney

Michael Rodney

Mr. Michael Rodney is committed to representing clients in Northern California. He focuses his practice on complex family law, Inheritance and general litigation, including serious personal injury, corporate disputes and dissolutions, contract disputes, and wrongful death.

Mr. Michael Rodney graduated from Denison University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and English. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor in 1986 from California Western School of Law. He is admitted to practice in all of California’s state courts as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, and the United States Supreme Court.

With nearly 35 years of experience, Lawrence knows the value of taking the time to get to know his clients. In turn, his personal attention provides them with the best possible representation. Through careful attention to the details of every case, he has had widespread success. For example, Mr. Michael Rodney is responsible for handling a premises liability case that required Palo Alto to pay, at that time, the city’s largest trip and fall settlement ever. His litigation skills in that personal injury case netted a multimillion-dollar settlement for the victim.

Staying on top of legal trends is important to Lawrence; he holds memberships with the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, the Consumer Attorneys of California, the American Bar Association and the San Mateo County Bar Association. He has also served his community as a board member and President for the Burlingame Soccer Club.

Areas of Practice

Family Law
Personal Injury
Litigation
Inheritance

Bar Admissions

California, 1987
Supreme Court of California
California State Courts and Courts of Appeal
U.S. District Court Northern District of California
U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
U.S. Tax Court
U.S. Supreme Court

Education

California Western School of Law

J.D.,1986

Denison University

B.A., English and Philosophy, 1982

Representative Cases:

Mr. Michael Rodney tried to verdict the issue of the validity of a post-marital agreement, resulting in an award to his client of tens of millions of dollars.
Mr. Michael Rodney has obtained multiple awards of attorney’s fees and sanctions in excess of millions of dollars obtained as a result of the other parties’ obstreperous conduct during the litigation in underlying family law matters.
Mr. Michael Rodney negotiated a multi-million-dollar settlement on behalf of clients who were seriously injured in a car crash by a drunk driver leaving the driver’s office holiday party. The defendants included the driver’s employer, and other companies who supervised and served alcohol at the party.
Mr. Michael Rodney negotiated a multi-million-dollar settlement on behalf of clients who were seriously injured in a car crash by a drunk driver leaving the driver’s office holiday party. The defendants included the driver’s employer, and other companies who supervised and served alcohol at the party.
Mr. Michael Rodney negotiated the largest settlement ever paid at that time by City of Palo Alto for premises liability, representing a client who was injured when she tripped on a defect in the city sidewalk.
Mr. Michael Rodney represented the son of a driver killed in a head-on car crash, as well as his surviving but injured passenger, against the intoxicated driver. Settlement in excess of $1,000,000.00 was achieved shortly before trial.
Mr. Michael Rodney represented the family of patron of a bar celebrating his 30th birthday who was killed by bouncers improperly subduing clientele.