PARTNER
Michael Lyons is one of the founding partners of Lyons & Simmons and concentrates his practice on representing plaintiffs in catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases as well as “bet the company” complex business disputes. Lyons has a national reputation for achieving outstanding results for his clients by displaying a mastery of the facts and law while utilizing creativity, tenacity and cutting-edge technology.
Over the past 20+ years of practice, Lyons has tried cases to juries, judges, and arbitrators throughout the state of Texas and all over the country. In the process, Lyons has obtained verdicts, awards and settlements totaling hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of his clients—many involving high profile, high exposure matters.
Lyons has extensive trial experience in cases involving catastrophic personal injuries, wrongful death, products liability, business disputes, construction defects, and professional liability. Lyons’ cases are as diverse and extensive as his approach to his cases. He has handled cases involving: brain and spinal cord injuries, electrocutions, aviation disasters involving helicopters and airplanes, trucking accidents, construction site accidents, industrial accidents, motor vehicle products liability, pharmaceutical and medical device products liability, large business disputes involving breach of contract, fraud and breach of fiduciary duties, medical malpractice, high profile contract disputes involving college football coaches and celebrities, and fire and explosion cases.
Lyons has obtained exceptional results for clients in just the recent past:
$33 Million – Wrongful Death, Fire / Explosion
$25 Million – Wrongful Death, Workplace Accident
$15 Million – Wrongful Death, Aviation Disaster
$10 Million – Business Dispute, Breach of Fiduciary Duties
$6 Million – Wrongful Death, Negligent Entrustment
$4 Million – Mild Brain Injury, Trucking Accident
$4 Million – Sexual Assault, Negligent Hiring / Supervision
$4 Million – Wrongful Death, Rig Fire
$2.5Million – Breach of Contract, College Coach Contract Buyout
Lyons has earned the respect of his peers through the relentless pursuit justice for his clients. He has been recognized by National Law Journal as one of the top lawyers in the country as a “Trailblazer” award recipient. He has regularly appeared on Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers listing (2005, 2008-2021), including being selected among the Top 100 attorneys in Dallas/Fort Worth (2018-2020) and was selected as one of the Top 100 attorneys in the entire state of Texas (2021). He was named to the Lawdragon Top 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers list in 2020. He was honored as a “Best Lawyer in Dallas” by D Magazine in 2005, 2011, 2013, 2015-2017 and 2019-2021 and is one of only a select few to receive the award for both personal injury and commercial litigation. Lyons has been recognized as a member of the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums, was named a Lifetime Achievement member of America’s Top 100 Attorneys for Texas and was named among America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators in North Texas for 2017-2021. He has attained an AV® Preeminent™ peer-review rating from Martindale-Hubbell consecutively for over a decade, signifying the highest level of professional excellence based upon peer review evaluation from lawyers and judges who have observed his legal skill and ethical standards.
In addition to pursuing outstanding results on behalf of clients, Lyons has invested significant time in service of his community as a leader within the Dallas Bar Association and as a leader in his community. In 2008 Lyons was recognized by Dallas CBS affiliate KTVT Channel 11 as a "Texan with Character" for his philanthropic work in the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex with children who were victims of abuse or neglect. In 2010, he was elected as a Fellow of the Dallas Bar Foundation, and in 2015, Lyons became a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
Wrongful Death
Personal Injury
Product Liability
Professional Liability
Business Disputes and Commercial Litigation
BAR ADMISSIONS
Texas
New Mexico
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico
EDUCATION
South Texas College of Law
J.D. cum laude - 1999
Honors: Order of the Lytae
Law Review: Corporate Counsel Review, Assistant Editor
The University of Texas
B.A. - 1995
REPRESENTATIVE CASES
Obtained a $5.9 Million verdict in one of the most conservative venues in the state of Texas representing the largest verdict in a personal injury case in Midland County history.
Obtained the largest combined settlement in history for the state of Oklahoma for a wrongful death case involving an adult wrongful death decedent.
Following a trial, obtained a $2.5MM judgment in representation of publicly traded company where physician group sued for $2.6MM+ over alleged breach of management agreement. All claims were dismissed by the physician group and a judgment was awarded for the defendant company plus attorneys’ fees.
Obtained a successful settlement in complex business tort case involving $500 million in alleged damages involving large aviation manufacturer and claims of breach of fiduciary duty, aiding and abetting, and conspiracy.
Representation of hundreds of investors in complex securities action involving oil and gas investor scam resulting in $21.5MM disgorgement order obtained by the Securities and Exchange Commission against the perpetrators and the investor clients receiving a collective 60% interest in the oil and gas company after the perpetrators were removed through successful appointment of a Ch.11 Trustee.
Co-lead counsel where multi-million-dollar plaintiffs’ verdict was obtained following several week trial involving catastrophic, disfigurement causing electric shock injuries in premises liability case.
Obtained a $2MM judgment against large, international insurance company stemming from improper denial of UIM claim involving wrongful death victim.
Lead Plaintiffs’ counsel in a multi-party commercial construction defect case involving large national general contractor, and complex engineering and design defect allegations. Resulted in a high-value settlement and one of the “Largest Texas Settlements” reported by Verdict Search in 2013.
Obtained defense verdict after 3-week trial in electrocution case against property owner involving apartment complex electrical systems.
Representation of brain injury victim stemming from intoxicated and distracted driver of a commercial truck. Multi-million-dollar settlement obtained.
Representation of the family of wrongful death victim involving negligent entrustment, hiring, retention and training. Multi-million-dollar settlement obtained.
Tried multiple pharmaceutical product liability lawsuits to verdict involving claims for design and marketing defects in venues in Texas and throughout the United States.
Following trial, obtained a substantial judgment for plaintiff surety in complex construction lien dispute between two national construction bond insurers.
PUBLISHED WORKS
"Character Evidence, Subsequent Remedial Measures, and Offers of Settlement", How to Offer and Exclude Evidence, University of Houston CLE Program, 2008
"Conduct, Character and Remedial Measures–The Article IV Rules of Evidence", Advanced Evidence and Discovery, University of Houston CLE Program, 2008
HONORS AND AWARDS
Texas Super Lawyers, Top 100 for State of Texas (2021)
Lawdragon Top 500 Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers (2020)
The Best Lawyers in America (2019-2021)
Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine (2011, 2013, 2015-2021)
Texas Super Lawyers, Top 100 Dallas/Fort Worth (2018-2020)
Texas Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters (2013-2021)
Super Lawyers Rising Star, Texas (2005, 2008-2012)
“Best Lawyers in Dallas Under 40”, D Magazine (2005)
Fellow, Dallas Bar Foundation
Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
Top 100 Lawyers in America, Lifetime Achievement Member
Top 100 High Stakes Litigators in America for North Texas
Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS
State Bar of Texas, Member
Texas Trial Lawyers Association
Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
America's Top 100 High Stakes Litigators®, Member
Texas Exes, Dallas Chapter, Board of Directors, 2001 – 2007
The Chancellor’s Council of The University of Texas System, Member
American Bar Association, Tort and Insurance Practice Section, Member
College of the State Bar of Texas
American Association of Justice, Leadership Forum Member
North American Brain Injury Society, Member
