Michael L. Roberts

• Civil Litigation
• Personal Injury and Death
• Negligence
• Products Liability
• Fraud
• Civil Trials

A graduate of the Cumberland School of Law and a highly successful trial lawyer, Mike Roberts is known for his encyclopedia-like knowledge of the law. For the clients of Cusimano, Roberts, Mills & Knowlton, this means that when a complicated point is raised or a legal argument is made by an opposing attorney, they can rest assured that they have the best minds in the business on their side.

Mike Roberts has successfully handled cases for clients since 1978 involving civil litigation, personal injury, negligence, product liability, wrongful death and fraud.

He is the author of all eight editions of Alabama Tort Law, a two-volume, 50-chapter, 4500-page treatise (published by Lexis Law Publishing), explaining the history and current status of such topics as negligence, uninsured motorist insurance, employment actions, insurance bad faith, wrongful death, and compensatory and punitive damages. He authored the First Edition of Alabama Tort Law in 1990 and has written an annual supplement or new edition each year since 1990. He has also written a portion of the national publication, ATLA’s Litigating Tort Cases, Chapter 68 “Fraud,” published by Thompson-West. He has also been a frequent lecturer at legal education programs and has published numerous articles.

After graduating summa cum laude with bachelor’s degrees in economics and history from Samford University, Mike graduated cum laude from Cumberland School of Law, where he served on the school’s Law Review Editorial Board.

Upon graduation from law school, he served as law clerk for Presiding Judge Charles Wright of the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals from 1977 through 1978.  

Mike’s professional associations include fellowships, Board memberships, and past Presidencies within the state and national legal community. Additionally, he serves as an arbitrator through the American Arbitration Association.

Education

J.D., Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama, 1977
Honors: Cum Laude Honors: Member, Curia Honoris Law Review: Cumberland Law Review, Member, Editorial Board, 1976 – 1977

B.A., Samford University, Birmingham, 1974
Honors: Summa Cum Laude Major: Economics Major: History

Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice

Alabama, 1977
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1979
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1981
U.S. District Court Northern District of Alabama, 1979
U.S. Supreme Court, 1996

Published Works

• Alabama Tort Law, 7th Edition, Lexis, 2021
• Alabama Tort Law, 6th Edition, Lexis, 2016
• Alabama Tort Law, 5th Edition, Lexis, 2010
• Alabama Tort Law, 4th Edition, Lexis, 2004
• Alabama Tort Law, 3rd Edition, Lexis, 2000
• Alabama Tort Law, 2nd Edition, Michie Co., 1996
• Alabama Tort Law Handbook, Michie Company, April 1990
• Alabama Tort Law, Cumulative Supplements, 1990-2015
• “ATLA’s Litigating Tort Cases, Chapter 68 “Fraud” (Thomson-West 2003)
• Good Counsel — Confront the “Know-Nothing” Witness, Trial, p. 66, August 2007.
• Recovery for Lost Profits of Nascent Businesses, 3 Matthew Bender Commercial Damages Reporter 67, April-May, 1988
• Sexual Harassment Remedies, 4 Alabama Trial Lawyers Journal 15, 1985
• Proposed Alabama Rules of Evidence: What’s the Same? What’s Different?, 45 Alabama Law Review 109, 1993
• Profit Recovery for the New or Unestablished Business, 48 Alabama Lawyer 78, March, 1987
• The Televised Trial: A Perspective, 7 Cumberland Law Review 323, 1976
• Note: Expert Economic Testimony Regarding Inflation’s Effect on Future Pecuniary Damages Held Admissible, 6 Cumberland Law Review 733, 1976

Representative Cases

• Super Valu Stores, Inc. v. Peterson, 506 So.2d 317 (Ala.1987)
• Dillard v. Pittway Corp., 719 So. 2d 188 (Ala.1998)
• Kelton v. Gulf States Steel, Inc., 575 So. 2d 1054 (Ala. 1991)
• Maharry v City of Gadsden, 587 So. 2d 966 (Ala. 1991)
• Ex parte Wharton, 852 So. 2d 113 (Ala. 2003)
• Bellew v. Sloan, 536 So. 2d 917 (Ala. 1988)
• Garrett v. Alfa Mut. Ins. Co., 584 So. 2d 1327 (Ala. 1991)
• Wallace Constr. Co. v. Industrial Boiler Co, 470 So. 2d 1151 (Ala. 1985)
• Phillips v. Smalley Main., Services, Inc., 435 So. 2d 705 (Ala. 1983)
• Ala. Power Co. v. Wagnon, 627 So. 2d 977 (Ala. Civ. App. 1993)

Classes/Seminars Taught

• Lecturer, Tort Law Update, Continuing Legal Education, Alabama Bar Institute, 1998-2023
• Lecturer, Premises Liability, 1989 and 1996, Alabama Trial Lawyers Association
• Lecturer, Depositions of Adverse or Lay Witnesses, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2003
• Lecturer, Proving Lost Profits – Plaintiff Perspective, Business Torts Litigation Seminar, 1992
• Lecturer, Recovery of Lost Profits for New Business, Alabama State Bar Business Torts Section, 1987
• Lecturer, Continuing Legal Education, Alabama Bar Institute, 1992

Honors and Awards

• Favorite Law Firm – Readers Choice 2018
• Super Lawyers
• Best Lawyers in America, Since 2001
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating for Ethical Standards and Legal Ability
• 2001 Professionalism Award, Alabama Trial Lawyers Association
• 2003 Walter P. Gewin Award, Alabama Bar Institute for Continuing Legal Education

Professional Associations and Memberships

• American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
• Alabama State Bar, 1977 – Present Member
• Alabama Association for Justice, 1987 – Present Member, Executive Committee
• American Association for Justice
• Alabama Trial Lawyers Association, 1984 – 1987 Member, Board of Governors
• Etowah County Bar Association, 1979 – 1980 Secretary-Treasurer, 2004 President
• The Alabama Lawyer, 1991-1992 Board of Editors
• Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association

Past Employment Positions

Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, Presiding Judge L. Charles Wright, Law Clerk, 1977 – 1978

Fraternities/Sororities

Phi Alpha Delta; Phi Delta Phi; Omicron Delta Kappa; Phi Kappa Phi

Litigation Percentage

90% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Birth Information

February 26, 1952, Gadsden, Alabama, United States of America

Disclaimer: No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of services performed by other lawyers.