Jonathan Michaels

About

Jonathan Michaels has litigated some of the most important cases in the automotive industry. He is lead counsel on Ponce v. General Motors – a national class action case against GM for the fraudulent concealment of a deadly safety defect in its vehicles for 13 years; and Spitzer Motor City v. U.S. – where he represents numerous terminated Chrysler dealers against the United States for the unlawful “taking” of their franchises in 2009, a violation of the 5th Amendment. He has also litigated cases against nearly every major auto manufacturer in the world, including General Motors, Nissan, Honda, AM General, Isuzu, Toyota, Fisker, Mercedes, Kia, Chrysler, Land Rover and Ford.
Michaels is also aptly skilled at structuring complex business transactions. In 2013, he was involved in taking Saleen Automotive, Inc. public, and he now serves as the company’s general counsel and on the board of directors. In his tenure, Michaels has structured international distribution agreements, supply-chain agreements, automotive dealer networks, and he has been involved in numerous venture capital money raises.
Michaels’ efforts have earned him the respect of his peers. He has received the prestigious “Super Lawyers” award every year since 2012, a distinction reserved for no more than 5 percent of the lawyers in the state. Michaels is also frequently called upon by the press for relevant comment, and he has authored nearly 50 articles for The Los Angeles Daily Journal – all of which have appeared on the front page of the respected publication.
Michaels maintains close ties to the academic community. In 2012, he was named “Attorney of the Year” by his law school alma mater, and he is frequently asked by some of the nation’s most prestigious Universities to teach classes to both practicing attorneys and law students regarding effective litigation strategies.
All of this follows a strong scholastic beginning. Michaels graduated from the USC Marshall School of Business in 1992, and then attended Whittier Law School where he graduated in 1995 in the top 4 percent of his class. In law school, Michaels served as the Notes and Comments Editor of Law Review, he competed in several national Moot Court Honors Board competitions, and he published a winning Law Review article that is permanently housed in the U.S. Library of Congress.
Michaels is a member of the California and Colorado State Bars, and is actively involved in the Southern California community. He is the proud father of two sons, Jake and Dean.