MICHAEL'S Practice

You can feel confident trusting Michael Brown to help you resolve your business and personal legal issues. As a member of Rotary, he has participated in numerous community service events, and enjoys making Visalia a safe and peaceful place to raise family. If you or your business need a local and accessible attorney with big firm litigation and transactional experience, Michael Brown is the lawyer for you. If you need expert legal advice related to electricity or energy, Michael Brown is an Iindustrial Engineer with the education and experience you can rely on.

Michael Brown's primary areas of practice are: Civil Litigation, Estate Planning (Wills & Trusts), Probate Litigation, Real Property Transactions, Business transactions/formation, Energy Law, and Personal Injury.  As a past Deputy District Attorney, Michael Brown also helps clients with criminal, family law, and complex bankruptcy litigation. 

Michael Brown is an experienced civil litigator and business transactions attorney, having handled numerous cases. Prior to practicing law, Michael Brown worked as an Engineer/Project Manager at a public utility. Working full time, he attended law school at the University of San Francisco School of Law.  Michael started his legal career in Bakersfield, California, doing general practice, served as a Consultant to a non-profit in the field of Energy, and was employed as an associate in a prominent law firm. Michael decided to move closer to his family in Visalia, California and worked as a Deputy District Attorney for a year and a half before moving back into civil practice and working with local firms.           

California Bar (290131) admitted June 5, 2013. 

University of San Francisco School of Law  2007- 2011 San Francisco,    CA.  

J.D.   (cum laude) - Cumulative G.P.A. of 3.42 – top 15% of class 

§ Attended law school while working full-time for PG&E.

§ CALI award in Federal Income Taxation Law - highest grade   possible [A+].

Cal Poly University San Luis Obispo   1998 – 2003 San Luis Obispo,    CA.  

B.S.   Industrial Engineering

§ 3.8 major G.P.A.; Dean’s List; Golden Key Honors Society 2002; 2002-2003 1st place winner for senior project. (June 14, 2003).

§ Spanish immersion program in San Sebastian, Spain  (Merit Scholarship Award winner)

Williams, Brodersen, Pritchett & Burke LLP

Attorney 2021  Civil Attorney

§ Estate Planning

§ Estate/Trust Litigation

§ Business transactions (setting up businesses, transferring business interests, selling of real property)

§ Complex Civil Litigation

Deputy District Attorney, Kings County DA Office

Attorney 2019 – 2020)   Deputy District Attorney Level III

Criminal Prosecution

§ Worked as attorney assigned to felony/misdemeanor courtroom. Worked on felony cases including Mentally Disordered Offender trials, Welfare Fraud Grant trials, and special assignment trials. Conducted preliminary hearings, court trials, jury trials, civil hearings (gun rights), etc.

Attorney  2013 - present;  Consultant  2012 - present

Klein Denatale Goldner

Ehrlich Pledger Law Bakersfield, Ca.

Law Offices of Michael Brown

Civil Litigation 

§ Worked for 6 years as associate/partner.  Primary area of practice is general civil litigation and transactions. I have represented private clients, corporate entities, and public agencies. I also gained substantial transactional experience involving electricity, oil, gas and mineral law including oil and gas leases, title opinions, operating agreements, farmouts, participation agreements, regulatory compliance and litigation. 

Expert Witness / Administrative Litigation (California Public Utilities Commission)

§ Represented Small Business Utility Advocates (Non-Profit) before the California Public Utilities Commission in twelve separate proceedings primarily involving electric rates.

§ Created expert reports and provided expert testimony before the California Public Utilities Commission.

§ Negotiated settlement agreements and participated in negotiations with all major privately owned electric utilities in California.

Other Litigation Experience

§  Prior to my civil litigation experience I was a litigator in Probate Court, Felony & Misdemeanor Criminal Court, and Family Law Court.

Program Supervisor – Resources   2012,  City of Redding, Ca.    

Project Analyst & Program Manager  2005 – 2011 Pacific Gas & Electric; San    Francisco, Ca.

Applications Engineer   2004 - 2005   Hawk Ridge Systems; Mountain  View, Ca.   

Designer / Estimator   2003 – 2004   Pacific Southwest Container; Modesto, Ca. 

Publications & Memberships

§ Visalia Rotary (2021- present).

§ Citizens Advisory Committee Member to the San Joaquin Pollution Control Board representing Tulare County,   California. Term Appointment (Dec. 2013 - December 2016).

§ Published May, 2013 newsletter for www.UtilityHorizons.com: "New Opportunities in the Natural Gas Industry as a result of State and Federal Regulations".

§ Published in the 2011 Spring edition of the Weather Modification Association Journal: “Present and Future Regulation of Cloud Seeding Activities in California”.