Biography

Thomas Michel heads the firm's appellate practice group. He handles matters at all stages of the appellate process beginning with the trial court, to the Court of Appeals and all the way to the Supreme Court level.  As an experienced and determined appellate lawyer, Thomas has obtained successful results in various appellate matters including commercial matters, probate matters and family law appeals.  Since 1997, Mr. Michel has been board certified in Civil Appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Thomas been recognized for his appellate accomplishments over the years.  For the years 2005-2018, he has been selected for inclusion in the list of Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters service published in Texas Monthly Magazine. Likewise, Fort Worth Magazine has recognized him as a Top Attorney in Tarrant County in the appellate category for the years 2005-2019. Thomas is also a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and rated an AV- Preeminent Lawyer who meets the highest criteria for legal and ethical standards by his legal peers in Martindale Hubbell.   Mr. Michel was also designated as a Top Attorney in 360 West Magazine, a publication of Fort Worth, Texas 2018-2019.

Mr. Michel has handled and argued cases in the United States Supreme Court, the Texas Supreme Court and state and federal Courts of Appeals. He has also tried both commercial and family law cases.

Areas of Practice

Certified Legal Specialties

• Board Certified Civil Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1997

Bar Admissions

• Supreme Court of the United States of America
• Supreme Court of Texas, 1990
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
• U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
• U.S District Court Eastern District of Texas, 2020

Education

• The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas
  • J.D. - 1989
• University of Texas, Austin, Texas
  • B.A. cum laude - 1986

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Tarrant County Bar Association - Former Chair of the Appellate Section
• Tarrant County State Bar - Former Chair of the Appellate Pro Bono Committee
• Tarrant County Bar Association - Appellate Section, Member
• Tarrant County Bar Association - Former Co-Chair of the Bench Bar Conference
• Texas Bar Foundation - Life Fellow; Member Texas for Legal Ethics & Professionalism
• State Bar of Texas - Appellate Section, Member 

Representative Published Works

• Speaker and Author - Appellate Issues - Texas State Bar Convention (2013)
• Speaker and Author - Appellate Considerations, Advanced Family Law Seminar (2012)
• Speaker and Author - Declaratory Judgments, Advanced Family Law Seminar (2012)
• The Appeallate Roadshow or Everything Trial Lawyers Need to Know, State Bar of Texas Appellate Seminar and Tarranty County Bar Association Appellate Section
• Tools of the Trade: A Family Lawyer's Checklist for Appeal of a Family Law Case, State Bar of Texas, Adavanced Family Law Seminar
• Motions in Court of Appeals - Tarrant County Bar Assocation, Appellate Seminar
• The Ethics and Economics of Appeallate Practice - Tarrant County Bar Association, Appellate Seminar

Past Employment Positions

• Adjunct Professor of Law, Texas Wesleyan School of Law (Former)
• Bourland, Kirkman, Jay & Michel, LLP, Partner (1997 - 2005)

Honors and Awards

• AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, a LexisNexis company (2000 - Current)
• Designated in the list of Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters service published in Texas Monthly (2016-2018)
• Designated as a Top Attorney in Tarrant County by Fort Worth Magazine, a publication of Fort Worth, Texas the City’s Magazine, 2005-2019
• Designated as a Top Attorney in 360 West Magazine, a publication of Fort Worth, Texas (2018-2019)