Mike Grimley has more than 30 years of experience in representing insurance companies, corporations, business entities, and individuals in a wide variety of litigation. Mike believes that the interests and goals of his clients are paramount. He has learned that the best way to achieve those goals is through a proactive approach that involves developing an early case assessment through focused discovery, targeted motion practice, and timely dispute resolution, and if the case can not be resolved favorably, then through an aggressive defense at trial. Having tried numerous jury and bench trials throughout the State and Federal Courts in Florida, Louisiana, Texas (ad hoc), and Alabama (ad hoc), Mike has developed the skills to successfully try a wide variety of cases in diverse jurisdictions. That extensive experience in knowing what it takes to prove a case at trial also provides invaluable insight into how to thoughtfully and skillfully develop a case from the beginning to achieve a favorable outcome.
Mike’s experience and success have earned him an “AV Preeminent” rating with Martindale-Hubbell, the directory’s highest rating for attorneys, and a significant accomplishment that only two percent of all attorneys achieve. Mike has also been selected as one of Tampa’s Top Lawyers as recommended by his peers and seen in the National Law Journal.
Mike handles first and third-party claims throughout the State of Florida for primary and excess carriers. He handles matters involving premises liability, auto and trucking claims, professional liability, products liability, admiralty, and maritime law, construction defect claims, employment practices claims, and environmental claims. He also handles the insurance coverage and bad faith claims associated with those areas of practice.
Mike’s first-party practice involves the defense of claims, including bad faith by homeowners; condominium associations; HOAs; commercial building and property owners; and restoration and remediation contractors. Mike has handled those claims at all stages, from pre-suit EUO’s to appraisals and arbitration.
Mike’s representative clients include domestic and foreign insurers (both standard and surplus lines); attorneys; doctors and other health care providers; insurance agents; architects and engineers; developers and contractors; various vessels owners and marine interests; businesses and entrepreneurs; short and long haul trucking companies; and all types of premises owners.
His extensive experience in handling high-exposure claims at the trial and appellate level has afforded him a critical perspective in the understanding of complex legal issues, coordination of multi-disciplined expert discovery, and synthesis of that information into a successful litigation strategy. His high-exposure trials have included cases involving wrongful death; paraplegia; burn victims; serious orthopedic injuries with multiple surgeries and life care plans; class actions; and a multi-million dollar environmental claim.
Mike is admitted to practice in all State and Federal Courts in Florida and Louisiana and is a member of the Florida Bar Association, Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), and the Florida Surplus Lines Association. Mike is a licensed instructor with the Florida Bar and frequently gives seminars to claims adjusters and attorneys on topics ranging from first and third-party bad faith, managing outside counsel, updates on the law, insurance coverage, negotiations, and ethics. He also has conducted seminars for clients in the areas of loss control and claims investigation. Mike is also a former President of the Bay Area Propeller Club.
Representative Matters
- Tried a premises liability case involving a paraplegic injured on the client’s property and obtained a defense verdict on the basis that the hazard the Plaintiff encountered was open and obvious and that he caused his own accident.
- Have handled multi-party, personal injury and death claims, including one involving a pile up on an Interstate in which our client was the lead truck and there were over 30 injuries and the total claim value exceeded $50 million.
- Have handled many serious bodily injury claims including instances in which the plaintiffs were electrocuted, or sustained 3rd degree burns over most of their body or sustained debilitating brain injuries.
- I have handled large construction defect claims, including those involving commercial projects and multi building condominiums, in which represented the general contractor or the architect, engineers and the developers, and a variety of subcontractors including stucco applicators, framers, painters and window installers and manufacturers.
- Tried a benzene exposure case brought by an industrial plant worker against our client who was an environmental service provider and obtained a defense verdict.
- Tried an asbestos claim brought by a Longshoreman as a result of alleged exposure over years of working in shipyards and obtained a defense verdict.
- Have defended and tried class action cases associated with a well blowout and associated land remediation claims in which the demands exceeded $30 million.
