Michael L Lucas
USA Guide 2023
Band 2 : Labor & Employment
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
205 458 5204Share profile
Band 2
About
Provided by Michael L Lucas
Practice Areas
Employment Litigation
Labor & Employment
Wage & Hour
Class Action
Labor Relations
Career
Mike Lucas has a diverse practice in our Litigation and Labor & Employment Law sections. He is the firm's General Counsel and the former Chair of the firm's Labor & Employment practice section.
Mike represents employers in state and federal court and before administrative agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board. He also represents management in labor and employment law matters in both state and federal courts. Mike also has extensive experience in complex litigation matters including personal injury cases, franchise disputes and real estate matters. Mike has extensive experience in representing employers in dealing with legal compliance with the National Labor Relations Act.
Mike has handled many individual and class cases in state and federal courts. He typically defends employers in all types of discrimination cases, wage and hour cases, and cases involving labor/management issues. Notably, Mike was Trial Counsel for USX Corporation in the case of Cox v. USX Corporation. In this class action lawsuit, approximately 5,500 current and former employees of USX contended that USX granted pensions to certain union negotiators in exchange for labor concession in a local labor agreement. Company documents estimated those concessions exceeded $24 million annually. USX had been convicted of various criminal violations of Section 302 of the Taft-Hartley Act, as well as mail fraud and an ERISA violation relating to the pensions. Burr & Forman did not represent USX in the criminal cases. In the civil case, plaintiffs sought damages in excess of $1 billion. Plaintiffs refused a $10 million offer of judgment and consistently demanded a settlement in excess of $100 million. After a lengthy trial, an Alabama jury rendered a verdict in favor of USX.
During law school, Mike served on the Vanderbilt Law Review and authored the Alabama narrative for Cornell’s American Legal Ethics Library. He also serves as the Alabama Regional Coordinator for Attorney’s Liability Assurance Society.
Professional Memberships
American Bar Association
Alabama State Bar
Birmingham Bar Association
Alabama Defense Lawyers Association
Personal
Junior League of Birmingham, General Counsel & Community Advisor
Cathedral Church of the Advent
UAB School of Nursing Supporter
Experience
Successful Decertification of Nationwide Collective Action
11.01.2021
Education
Vanderbilt University Law School
J.D.
1982
Economics, Vanderbilt University
B.A.
1979
Awards
Fellow
The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers
2017
Labor & Employment
Chambers USA
2022
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent© Peer Review Rating
Employment Law-Management
The Best Lawyers in America®
2023
Labor Law-Management
The Best Lawyers in America®
2023
Litigation-Labor and Employment
The Best Lawyers in America®
2023
Employment & Labor
Mid-South Super Lawyers
2023
Employment & Labor
Alabama Super Lawyers
2015
Top Attorneys in the Mid-South
American Registry
2017
America's Most Honored Professionals
American Registry
2018
Leading Lawyers of Alabama
Birmingham Business Journal
2012
Top Attorneys in Alabama
Business Alabama
2011
Top Lawyers
The American Lawyer
2011
Top Lawyers
Labor + Employment
2010
Top Lawyers
Corporate Counsel
2008
Birmingham's Best Lawyers
Birmingham Magazine's