Long Beach 562.432.5855 / San Diego 619.814.5900
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mmotico@kellytrotter.com
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Michael J. Trotter

Michael Trotter

Michael J. Trotter

Founding Partner

Phone (562) 432-5855

American College Of Trial Lawyers
American Board Of Trial Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Lawyer of the Year 2014
Best Lawyer

About

Michael Trotter grew up in Orange County. After graduating from Mater Dei High School, he attended Georgetown University graduating in 1985 with a B.A. in History and Political Science. He then went to the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, graduating in 1988. He was admitted to the California Bar in 1988. From 1988 to 1993, he was an associate with Baker, Silberberg & Keener, and then a partner from 1993 to 1994. In 1994, along with Richard D. Carroll and John C. Kelly, he founded Carroll, Kelly & Trotter. In over 35 years of practice, Mike has been engaged in over 100 jury trials, and in excess of 50 binding arbitrations. He has focused his practice on medical malpractice, pharmacy malpractice, elder abuse, products liability, general liability and medical devices. He is on the trial panel for Adventist Health, Berkshire Hathaway, Beta Healthcare, CAP/MPT, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, CHUBB, CNA, Dignity Health, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Hudson, Kaiser Permanente, MIEC, Munich Re-Insurance  Norcal Mutual Insurance Company, ProAssurance, The Regents of the University of California, The Doctors’ Company, Sedgwick CMS, Prime Healthcare, Providence Health, Christian Brothers and Gallagher Bassett. He has general liability experience representing a major ladder manufacturer, a manufacturer of hand-held saws, and a manufacturer of raw silicone. Mike has defended healthcare providers in several class actions, including the Breast Implant, Rezulin, Phen-Fen, Quinine, and Talc litigation.

Mike has achieved the rank of Diplomate with the American Board of Trial Advocates and is also a member of the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel, California Medical Legal Committee and International Association of Defense Counsel. He is a founding member of 8th Street Lawyers. Mike has earned an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell, which ranks him at the highest level of legal ability and ethical standards. He is also a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, which is considered to be the preeminent trial lawyer organization in the country. Mike has been featured numerous times in Verdict magazine “Name of the Game”, and in the Los Angeles Daily Journal “Litigator Profile.” He was Verdictum Juris’ 2000 “Defense Trial Lawyer of the Year.” In 2005, he was featured in the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of the “Top 10 Medical Malpractice Defense Attorneys in Southern California.” He has been selected as a “Super Lawyer” from 2005 to 2024. Mike was voted by his peers as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” from 2005 to 2024. In 2014, he was selected as “Lawyer of the Year.” He has been an invited speaker at many professional organizations on topics such as Risk Management, Consent, Trial Advocacy, and Elder Abuse, among others. In 2020, Mike received the Los Angeles ABOTA Chapter’s Lee B. Wenzel Civility Award. He practices out of both the Long Beach and San Diego offices.

Mike lives in Rossmoor with his wife, Mary. He has four children, ages 24 to 34 years old. In his free time, he enjoys skiing, golf and Mater Dei football.