Commercial litigator and trial lawyer Michael Amir resolves complex business disputes for companies with California operations, workforces and litigation portfolios. Known for his aggressive and efficient strategies, Mike understands clients’ business priorities and the nuances of state and federal regulations and statutes. He guides health care, technology, education and other California entities through litigation, including on commercial, intellectual property and employment disputes.
In 2025, the Daily Journal recognized Mike as one of its “top performing, bet-the-company litigators.” Mike pursues claims and defends clients in state and federal court throughout California as well as in arbitration and other dispute resolution forums. He regularly tries and resolves claims and litigation related to:
- Breach of contract
- Breach of fiduciary duty
- Billing and Medicare fraud
- Trade secrets
- Noncompete agreements
- Shareholder derivative actions
- Employment disputes
Mike earned his J.D. from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and began his litigation practice at Gibson Dunn & Critcher LLP. Both Lawdragon and the Daily Journal in 2025 recognized Mike among the leading commercial litigators in California.
Representative Matters
- Pharma Trade Secrets Protected Obtained a TRO and a preliminary injunction on behalf of pharmaceutical company against former employee in trade secret case in federal court.
- District Court Axes Qui Tam Action on Summary Judgment Successfully defended health care clients in False Claim Act action that alleged defendants falsely submitted hundreds of millions of dollars in claims to Medicare for hospice-related services. The federal district court granted clients’ summary judgment motion and dismissed entire case.
- Major Damages Demand by ER Group Thwarted Secured a favorable jury verdict on behalf of health care clients sued by one of the largest ER groups in the United States seeking roughly $30 million in damages. The jury awarded a fraction of what the ER group sought in the lawsuit.
- Unprecedented Injunction and Contempt Ruling Secured an unprecedented injunction against a hospital that had sought to shut out physicians who worked in the hospital’s ER. About a year later, after the hospital failed to obey the injunction, convinced the court to hold an unusual, one-week criminal contempt trial and find the hospital guilty on 14 of 15 counts.
- Prelim Injunction Stops Departed Executive’s Corporate Theft Obtained preliminary injunction on behalf of company in an action against former executive who allegedly misappropriated company assets.
- Court Tosses Fraud and Breach of Fiduciary Claims Court granted clients’ special motion to dismiss (under anti-SLAPP statute) fraud and breach of fiduciary claims in a partnership dispute and awarded all fees and costs, which the Court of Appeal affirmed.
- Cleared Executive Accused of Trade Secret Misappropriation Obtained highly favorable settlement on behalf of executive sued by former employer for trade secret misappropriation and seeking millions in damages. Case settled on highly favorable terms following Court’s tentative ruling to grant summary judgment against client.
- Unfair Competition Claims Axed Filed a successful anti-SLAPP motion to strike unfair competition claims brought by a medical provider against a health care company. The trial court awarded client all fees and costs.
- Bribery Allegations Tossed Filed a successful motion to strike bribery allegations under California’s anti-SLAPP statute and recovered all fees/costs associated with the motion.
- Enforced “Right of First Refusal” Enforced client’s right to block sale of a company to third party in JAMS arbitration. The Arbitrator further rejected $20 million+ breach of contract claims against client and awarded client all fees and costs.
- White Collar Defense Win Achieved a complete defense verdict on behalf of an executive for a major grocery chain in a federal white collar criminal defense case where the grocery chain had pleaded guilty and paid $70 million in fines and restitution. Even though the trial lasted almost a month, the jury deliberated for less than five hours before returning a “not guilty” verdict on all counts.
- University Trial Victory on Fraud Claims Secured a complete defense decision in a state court trial on behalf of a major university in a discrimination and breach of contract case.
- Real Estate Contract Dispute Trial Win Awarded a complete defense verdict in a five-week jury trial where the plaintiffs sought millions alleging fraud and breach of contract in connection with a real property dispute.
- “Reasonable Value of Medical Services” Win Sets New Law Obtained a full defense decision in a trial on behalf of a medical group in a dispute over reasonable value of medical services. California Court of Appeal subsequently affirmed the ruling in a published decision.
- Medical Billing Fraud Action for HMO Representing large HMO in lawsuit alleging that one of its providers, a dermatologists, committed massive fraud by charging millions in services that were never performed.
Practice Areas
- Commercial litigation
- Employment litigation
- Health care litigation
- Intellectual Property litigation
- Pre-litigation counseling
Education
- University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings), J.D., 1999
- University of California, Santa Barbara, B.A., 1995
Experience
- Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP – Los Angeles
- O’Brien Zarian LLP (now Arent Fox) – Los Angeles
Recognitions
- Daily Journal, Leading Commercial Litigator, 2025
- Lawdragon, “500 Leading Litigators in America,” 2025
- Los Angeles Business Journal, “Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys,” 2025
- Los Angeles Times, “Legal Visionaries,” 2024
- Southern California’s “Super Lawyers,” 2010-present
- Litigation Counsel of America, Inducted 2011
California Industries. Strategic Counsel.
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From online retailers and multimedia agencies to financial and health care institutions, we operate in the industries that shape California commerce.