J. Michael Bailey

Mike Bailey is an experienced and well-respected shareholder in the litigation and government relations departments. In litigation, he concentrates his practice on the following:

• Plaintiffs’ toxic tort actions
• Plaintiffs’ qui tam actions
• Representing both plaintiffs and defendants in complex commercial litigation
• Representing both plaintiffs and defendants in environmental litigation

Mike has significant experience in litigation before federal and state courts. He has tried cases before the District Courts of the United States and State of Utah and has argued cases before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Utah Supreme Court and the Utah Court of Appeals. He also has significant experience before state and federal agencies.

Mike represented 37 former members of Congress in the landmark case, McConnell v. FEC, before the United States Supreme Court.

In government relations, lobbying and political law, he uses his experience to assist clients in a variety of industries and subject areas in crafting solutions to problems that cannot otherwise be solved. 

Mike's government relations practice includes lobbying at the Utah State Legislature as well as petitioning state agencies and county and city governments throughout the State of Utah. Mike's legal advice has long been relied upon by candidates and elected officials from both political parties. For 12 years, he served as chief legal counsel for a United States Congressman. His years of experience as a commercial trial lawyer and his background in politics and legislative affairs provides him with unique skills and perspective that allow him to assist clients and solve complicated problems with creative solutions.

Mike is the firm's Director of Strategic Growth. In that role, he recruits motivated, highly-qualified lateral attorneys to the firm. He places a high value on diversity, equity and inclusion and is always looking for candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

He is a member of the Utah State Bar, Arizona State Bar, American Bar Association, Order of the Barristers and American Inn of Court VII. Mr. Bailey is an adjunct professor of Election Law and Politics at the J. Reuben Clark School of Law at Brigham Young University and has lectured at the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah. He currently serves on the Salt Lake City - Utah Committee for the [Olympic] Games and on the Board of Directors of World Trade Center Utah.

Mike has served as a member of the firm's Board of Directors and as chair of the firm's hiring committee. He is rated in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business and maintains an AV® Preeminent™ rating from Martindale Hubbell.