Burns Anderson Jury & Brenner, L.L.P.
Phone: (512) 338-5322
Fax: (512) 338-5363
E-mail: mdonovan@bajb.com
Download vCard
Profile:
As a reminder of what drives a law firm, this partner reserves the biggest chair in his office for his clients – literally. He aims to best serve his clients by maximizing results while minimizing both the duration of the cases and the cost.
After more than 29 years of practicing workers’ compensation law within the same circle of attorneys and judges, Mike continually attacks the challenge of serving as counsel away from home turf while meeting the demands of his trial work.
In 1985, after four years of plaintiff work, Mike began concentrating on insurance defense, the majority of his practice involving workers’ compensation matters at the administrative, trial court and appellate levels. His clients include workers’ compensation carriers, self-insured employers and political subdivisions in first-party claims, premise/liability, products liability, auto liability, bad faith and Deceptive Trade Practice Act claims. He also represents carriers on recovery of subrogation monies.
All of the above has led Mike to an increasing concentration on business litigation matters, representing employers and small businesses on employment law issues ranging from defense of wrongful discharge to breach of contract suits, as well as representing plaintiffs in enforcing employment and non-compete agreements.
Certification:
Personal Injury Trial law – Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1991
Civil Trial Law – National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1995
Texas Workers’ Compensation Law – Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2004
Professional Affiliations:
National Board of Trial Advocacy
State Bar of Texas
Texas Association of Defense Counsel
Austin Bar Association
American Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Other Affiliations:
The Optimist Club
Youth Sports
Reported Appellate Decisions as Lead or Co-Counsel for a Party:
Pacific Indemnity Ins. Co. v. Liberty Mutual Ins. Co., 834 S.W.2d 91 (Tex. App. – Austin, 1992)
Texas Workers’ Compensation Ins. Fund v. Mandlebauer, 988 S.W.2d 750 (Tex. 1999)
Southern Ins. Co. v. Brewster, 249 S.W.3d 6 (Tex. Civ. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2007)
Discover Property & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Tate, 298 S.W.3d 249 (Tex. Civ. – San Antonio, 2009)
Elliot v. Hollingshead, 327 S.W.3d 824 (Tex. Civ. – Eastland 2010)
Long v. Elliott, 461 S.W.3d 152 (Tex. Civ. — Eastland 2013)
Publications & Seminars:
Coauthor and Speaker: “Identifying Exceptions,” 2003.
Coauthor and Speaker: “House Bill 2600 and Impact on Workers’ Compensation,” 2002.
Coauthor and Speaker: “Prevention of Bad Faith Claims,” 2002.
Coauthor and Speaker: “Subrogation Law,” 2002.
Coauthor and Speaker: “Sufficiency of Controversion,” 2002.
Coauthor and Speaker: “Benefit Scheme,” 2001.
Coauthor and Speaker: “Texas Modified Work Programs and Bona Fide Job Offer,” 2001.
Coauthor and Speaker: “Extra Territorial Coverage Issues,” 2000.
Coauthor and Speaker: “Problems Related to Identification to Correct Employer,” 2000.
Coauthor and Speaker: “Understanding Bad Faith Claims,” 1999.
Coauthor and Speaker: “Identifying Exceptions and Defenses Under TWCA”.
Coauthor and Speaker: “Issues Regarding Recoupment and Salary Continuation”.
Coauthor and Speaker: “MMI, Impairment and the 90-Day Rule”.
Coauthor and Speaker: “Medical Benefits Disputes and Issues Regarding SOAH Process”.