- J.D., University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Law, Staff, UMKC Law Review and The Urban Lawyer
- M.B.A., University of Missouri-Kansas City, with Honors
- B.A., University of Wisconsin, Madison, Zoology
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
- U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
- Missouri
- Kansas
- Iowa
- Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Michael focuses his practice on commercial litigation. He handles disputes involving real estate foreclosure, landlord-tenant disputes, bankruptcy litigation, creditor's rights, and mechanic's lien litigation. His experience includes managing an active trial practice in Missouri, Kansas and Iowa state and federal courts. Such experience has included diverse issues like wrongful death, medical malpractice, product liability, premise liability, personal injury, privacy torts, consumer protection, real estate, bankruptcy, probate, family law and more. Michael has served as National Dealer Bankruptcy Counsel to FCA US LLC for several years and has practiced in bankruptcy courts across the country in that capacity.
Michael has achieved favorable results for clients in court, at trial and on appeal, and through the use of alternative dispute resolution.
Firearms
In addition to his commercial litigation practice, Michael has long been interested in shooting sports. He has held a Type 54 federal explosives license/permit for many years and is familiar with federal explosives law and regulations, and BATFE rulings.
Michael represents regional and national firearms dealers, ammunition and accessory manufacturers and firearms manufacturers, providing advice and counsel regarding licensing and compliance matters, corporate restructuring, point-of-sale compliance, general contract review, acquisition and expansion, and defense of legal claims.
He has defended wrongful death lawsuits against several federal firearms licensees, both large, multi-FFL operations and smaller, single-store dealers. Michael has advised licensees on matters relating to the BATFE Audit and inspection process and the related hearing process. He also has assumed outside general counsel duties for a reloading powder manufacturer.
He has advised and represented industry clients on:
- Straw Purchase issues, including defense of wrongful death suits
- Ammunition sale issues
- Licensing
- Corporate structure and organization
- Subpoena response
- General compliance matters, best practices, A & D book and point-of-sale
- BAFTE Audits/Inspections/Hearings
- NFA Trust matters
As part of his Firearms Industry practice, Mr. Brown has co-presented the seminar "Dealer Liability for Firearms Related Injuries" at the 2018 and 2019 Shot Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, and co-presented the same session at the 2019 Pawn Expo. He will be speaking again at the 2020 SHOT Show retailer seminars on Dealer Liability, Pawn Brokers issues and Cultural Influences relating to the 4473.
Publications
- “Missouri Close Corporations: Proposals to Strengthen Protections for Minority Shareholders,” 68 UMKC L. Rev 145, 1999
- “Case, Statutes, and Recent Developments,” 30 Urb. Law. 778, 1998
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation, multiple years including 2025; Litigation – Real Estate, 2024-2025