CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES
In 1990, Mike was awarded Certificates of Special Competence in Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  He was recertified in 1995, 2000 and 2005.  He is licensed to practice in all Texas State Courts and before the United States District Courts for the Eastern, Western, Southern and Northern Districts of Texas.  He is also licensed to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. 

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
Mike completed his undergraduate studies at Baylor University, receiving a Bachelors of Business Administration in 1980.  He then attended Baylor University School of Law where he obtained his Doctorate of Jurisprudence in 1982.  In 2000, he attended the National Mediation Academy, where he was credentialed as a mediator, qualifying him to serve as a mediator and arbitrator in disputed civil matters pursuant to the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code.  

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
Mike entered private practice immediately upon graduation from law school with the Tyler law firm now known as Ramey & Flock.   Mike has always concentrated his practice in personal injury and civil trial law.  For the first fifteen years of his practice, he defended a wide variety of personal injury and other civil cases, representing insurance companies, trucking companies, automobile manufacturers, and health care providers.  For the last ten years, the focus of his practice has changed, with Mike devoting the majority of his time to representing persons who have been injured.  He has handled a variety of legal matters for disadvantaged people who have been “shut out of the system” by large companies, insurance carriers and employers and he has the unique perspective of having represented both Plaintiffs and Defendants in personal injury lawsuits. 

PERSONAL BACKGROUND AND INTERESTS
Mike was born in 1958 in Stuttgart, Germany.  He has called Tyler home since 1982.  He is actively involved in his church and has served the community through Goodwill Industries of East Texas, both as a member of the Board of Directors and as President of the Board of Directors in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2006.  He has served on the Board of Directors of Parent Services Center, Inc., serving as Vice-President in 1993 and President in 1994.  Since 1997 he has also served on the Advisory Board of the Regional East Texas Food Bank.  Mike enjoys spending all of his free time with his wife and two daughters.