Profile
Mike Gruber represents businesses, executives, bankruptcy trustees, trusts, individuals, and high-net-worth families as both plaintiffs and defendants on their most sensitive, confidential, contentious, and high-risk matters. Mike utilizes his deep litigation and pre-litigation experience to avoid litigation when prudent and to take matters to trial when needed.
For each matter, Mike designs a detailed Trial Plan that starts at the end – the appeal – and works backwards to the original petition or answer. By constructing arguments and evidence at every stage and anticipating possible outcomes, Mike works to eliminate surprises and operate from a fully informed position of strength.
Mike has handled a wide range of matters, including representing warring families in major probate disputes, the jurisdiction of bankruptcy courts, a billion-dollar fraudulent transfer case, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and intellectual property ownership claims, and energy and real estate investments gone bad. This diverse caseload has given Mike the experience, confidence, and drive that clients seek and referral sources trust.
Capabilities
Experience
- In 2021, obtained dismissal, as lead trial attorney, of the National Rifle Association of America’s (NRA) Chapter 11 filing, following a 12-day bench trial, with 23 witnesses. Court finding the bankruptcy was not in good faith and method of filing was shocking.°
- From 2014-2017, handled two billion-dollar probate fights.°
- Obtained a $25 million dollar settlement for co-owner of nationwide food and beverage franchise.°
- Represented a key employee in a $20 million jury verdict involving a sexual harassment claim against a major pharmaceutical company.°
- Represented a Bankruptcy Trustee in a $45 million settlement, on the third day of trial, in Texas federal court, over the conversion of a large oil and gas concession.°
- Obtained a $35 million settlement, after trial, in a partnership dispute.°
- Obtained a $20 million settlement on behalf of a cofounder of a multibillion-dollar investment fund.°
- Obtained a $10 million dollar settlement for a Family Trust after arbitration award and judgment – involving a fraudulent financing scheme.°
- In 2017, represented the Mayor of Dallas, preventing the liquidation of the Police and Fire Pension Fund.°
- Served as trial counsel to School Board President Kathleen Leos in highly publicized DISD litigation after she sought a fraud investigation of the School District.°
- Served as lead counsel for the Texas High-Speed Rail Authority.°
- In 2015, won a seminal case on bankruptcy court jurisdiction, Wellness v. Shariff, in the U.S. Supreme Court.°
- Defended ElkCorp in a $2 billion tender offer strike litigation.°
- Represented the original investors in Blockbuster Video at trial, resulting in a $123 million dollar judgment.°
- Obtained a $30 million verdict in a fraud claim for Main Street Ventures against a major oil company.°
- Obtained a $22 million judgment in sexual assault/Dram Shop case following bench trial (largest bench trial verdict in Texas in 2015).°
- Represented investors in Enron-related litigation against a major financial institution, and obtained a $40 million dollar settlement on the first day of trial.°
- Represented Securus Technologies, a developer of criminal justice technology solutions, with more than $35 million in settlements and royalties in patent litigation.°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Gruber prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Recognition & Leadership
- Recipient, Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Larry Schoenbrun Jurisprudence Award, for outstanding leadership, exemplary contributions to the community, and a commitment to the ideals of ADL, 2019
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, 2019-2025
- Honoree, United Negro College Fund, Dallas Region, “Mask Award for Service,” 2018
- Selected, D Magazine, “Best Lawyers in Dallas,” Business Litigation, 2008-2017 and 2023
- Selected, D Magazine, “Dallas 500, The Most Powerful Business Leaders in Dallas – Fort Worth,” 2016, 2018-2019
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Texas Super Lawyers, 2003-2024
- Top 100 in Dallas, 2003-2023
- Top 100 in Texas, 2003-2006, 2009-2011, and 2014
- Recipient, The National Minority Corporate Counsel Association, “Sagar Award” for sustained commitment to improving the hiring, retention and promotion of minority attorneys
- Recipient, SMU Dedman School of Law, “Distinguished Alumni Award,” 2015
- Recipient, Dallas Bar Association, “Justinian Award,” 2012
- Recipient, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, “Award of Excellence,” 2009
- Representative, Dallas Citizens Council, 2022-2023
- Member, Dallas Bar Association
- Past Chairman, CLE Committee
- Past Chairman, Bench Bar Book Committee
- Past Chairman, Judicial Poll Committee
- Member, Criminal Justice Act Attorney Panel
- Member, State Bar of Texas
- Member, SMU Dedman School of Law Executive Board
- Chairman, Southern Gateway Project: Construction of $180 million Deck Park in Oak Cliff
- Board Member, Dallas Zoo, 1990-2020
- Board Chair, 2014-2015
- Chairman, Lieutenant Governor’s Legislative Advisory Committee on Economic and Workforce Development, 2015-Present
- Chairman, Habitat for Humanity, Dream Dallas Project, a successful $100 million capital campaign, 2016
- Director, Basic English Program
- Director, Catholic Foundation and Advisory Board
- Founding Director, North Texas Entrepreneur Foundation, a subsidiary of the Communities Foundation
- Director, North Texas Region of Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Chairman/Chairman Emeritus, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Annual Event, 2005-2015
- Former Chair, Dallas Nature Center, (n/k/a Cedar Ridge Preserve and Audubon Center)
- Chair of numerous Judicial, State and County elections, including 2014 Dallas District Attorney's race
- Liaison to the legal community for the referendum creating Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Credentials
Education
-
J.D., Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, 1981
- Editor, Law Review
- B.S., Southern Methodist University, 1978
Admissions
- Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- Supreme Court of the United States