William E. McMichael

William McMichael maintains a nationwide practice with an emphasis on complex commercial and insurance coverage litigation.

His representative experience includes serving as trial counsel in both state and federal courts in more than a dozen states across the nation. He primarily prosecutes contractual and extra-contractual claims against insurers, while also representing a variety of clients in complex business disputes throughout the State of Texas. He also advises policyholders on emerging insurance coverage issues, including issues impacting property and casualty coverage, business interruption coverage, directors and officers coverage, and other specialized coverages.

Representative Experience

Served as trial counsel in multimillion-dollar insurance coverage and bad faith lawsuit in federal court in Dallas, Texas arising out of damage to luxury golf course property.
Served as trial counsel in multimillion-dollar insurance coverage and bad faith lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles, California arising out of business income losses sustained during 2014 Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.
Represented Texas-based midstream company in breach of contract and trade secrets case in state court in Martin County, Texas arising out of the alleged breach of non-disclosure agreement.

Professional Highlights

Recognized by Super Lawyers as a “Texas Rising Star” for Insurance Coverage (2023 – 2024).
Recognized by Best Lawyers in America as “One to Watch” for Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law (2023 – 2024).
Member of the Insurance Recovery & Advisory practice, named by Law360 as a Practice Group of the Year in 2010, 2015, 2016, 2020, and 2022.

Publications & Presentations
- “Coverage for Biometric Information and Privacy-Related Claims” – American Bar Association TIPS Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Mid-Year Conference, February 22, 2024.
- “That’s Just Your Opinion, Man! How Differences in Texas and Federal Rules of Evidence’s Treatment of Opinion Testimony May Impact Your Coverage Case,” Journal of Texas Insurance Law, Fall/Winter 2023.
- “Harvard's Broker Fight Shows Active Risk Management Is Key,” Law360, November 17, 2023 (co-author).
- “Nobody Told Me That! Lessons Learned from Real Insurance Coverage Disputes,” State Bar of Texas Insurance Law CLE Webinar, October 30, 2023.
- “Taking the Market’s Temperature on Coverage for Climate Change-Related Property Damage,” Pillsbury Policyholder Pulse, August 1, 2023.
- “Trial Technology and Digital Resources Every Trial Lawyer Needs,” Texas Association of Defense Counsel Summer Seminar, July 19, 2023
- “Practice Tips for New Insurance Lawyers,” State Bar of Texas Insurance Law 101 Seminar, May 31, 2023.
- “10 Tips to Avoid Bad Faith in Liability Claims Handling,” Houston CPCU Society, May 16, 2023.
- “The Wrong Tool for the Job – Insurers Seek to Avoid Coverage for BIPA Claims by Using Old Exclusions for New Purposes,” Pillsbury Pulse, April 19, 2023.
- “War! What Is It Good For? Helping Companies Avoid Insurance Coverage Battles,” SHALE Magazine, June 12, 2022.
- “Insurance Coverage for Human Trafficking Litigation,” State Bar of Texas – Advanced Insurance Law Seminar, June 3, 2022.
- “COVID-19 Update,” State Bar of Texas – Advanced Insurance Law Seminar, October 1, 2021.
- “Subject to Exceptions? Texas Supreme Court Accepts Challenge to ‘Eight Corners’ Rule,” State Bar of Texas – Insurance Law Section, April 6, 2021.
- “#64: Complete the Texas Bucket List,” Texas Monthly, May 20, 2015.

Memberships & Associations
- Insurance Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (Young Lawyer Subcommittee – Member)
- Litigation Section of the State Bar of Texas
- Texas Bar Foundation – Fellow
- Texas Bar College
- Houston Bar Association
- Baylor Law Alumni Association
- Texas Exes – Life Member
- Risk & Insurance Management Society – Houston Chapter

Education

J.D., Baylor University School of Law, 2017
With Special Distinction

B.A., History, The University of Texas at Austin, 2014
With Honors

Admissions

Texas

District of Columbia

Pro Hac Vice: Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah

Courts

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas

Pro Hac Vice: U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota, U.S. District Court for Northern District of Ohio

Languages

Spanish

Areas of Focus

Practices

Representative Experience

Professional Highlights

William's Insights