Mike McKool was honored with Benchmark Litigation’s prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the 2017 Benchmark Litigation U.S. awards reception in New York City on February 16.
As Chairman and a Founder of McKool Smith, Mr. McKool is largely responsible for creating what The Wall Street Journal described as “one of the biggest law firm success stories of the past decade.” Since founding the firm in 1991, his leadership and courtroom successes have helped McKool Smith grow from an 11-attorney litigation boutique in Dallas to a national litigation powerhouse with 185 trial lawyers across eight offices coast-to-coast. Over the past 11 years, the firm has won more than $2.5 billion in jury verdicts and more "Top 100 Verdicts" than any other law firm in the country.
Over the course of his 40-year career, Mr. McKool has tried more than 100 jury trials and developed an enhanced understanding of the psychology that governs how juries decide cases. His courtroom prowess has secured substantial verdicts, settlements, and defense rulings for a “who’s who” list of industry leaders, including major airlines, energy companies, telecommunications firms, investment banking houses, and industrial conglomerates, among others. He is currently preparing to represent music icon Quincy Jones in a high-profile breach of contract trial against the Michael Jackson estate and Sony Entertainment.
