Biography
Michael J. Betz is a partner in our San Francisco office. Michael’s practice focuses on complex commercial and corporate litigation conducted in California state and district courts. He is an experienced trial attorney who litigates complex telecommunications, corporate, breach of contract, partnership, limited liability company, unfair business practice, tortious interference, construction defect, professional liability, real estate and land use cases. He has a broad spectrum of clients ranging from corporate entities to individuals.
Michael's experience includes:
- 3-4 trials per year;
- in excess of 100 depositions, including parties, executives, professionals, and experts;
- prosecuting and defending applications for temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, applications for right to attach orders, temporary protective orders, applications for writs of possession, petitions to reinstate partnerships; and, all things civil in nature; and
- hundreds of law and motion matters including demurrers, motions to dismiss, discovery matters, dispositive summary judgment motions, pre-trial pleadings and post-trial motions.
Recent cases include:
- Obtaining an arbitration award pursuant to which the firm's client was awarded every penny sought in the underlying contractual dispute as well as all attorneys' fees and costs incurred in the prosecution of the action and for which the client obtained full recovery of the award;
- obtaining an arbitration award on behalf of a limited partner of a partnership which owns a national football league franchise;
- obtaining a $3.6 million jury verdict against the City and County of San Francisco for violating a contractor's constitutional rights as well as a significant attorneys' fees award;
- obtaining arbitration award in favor of conglomerate of radio stations venued in Maui, HI which absolved the company from approximately $16 million of claimed liability and allowed it to retain premier radio stations; and
- obtaining an approximately five million dollar jury verdict on a cross-complaint for tortious interference;
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Prior to joining Allen Matkins, Michael worked at Moore & Associates, where he assisted Robert Moore, now also at Allen Matkins, with high profile and complex business litigation cases and trials. Michael previously externed for Justice Robert L. Dossee of the First District Court of Appeal in California and the Honorable Alfred Chiantelli of the San Francisco Superior Court.
Education
Michael received his B.S. and his J.D. from Pepperdine University. Michael was born and raised in San Francisco, and often participates in local community and charity events.
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California