Michael Bernard

Mr. Bernard has represented governmental entities, public and private corporations, and high-net-worth individuals facing litigation challenges for over 30 years. His focus includes commercial, white-collar, labor litigation, and public law. His career has encompassed all aspects of state and federal litigation, including civil and criminal trials, arbitration, and other forms of alternate dispute resolution. His peers have recognized him, including Best Lawyers in America^® for Commercial Litigation - Defendants, 2018- 2023.

Mr. Bernard is a former partner of Dykema Gossett PLLC and Bracewell, LLP. Before joining these firms, he served as the city attorney for the City of San Antonio, a position he held for eight years. He served as the chief legal advisor to the city council, city management, and all city departments. His office included a team of 58 attorneys that provided complete legal services to the city, providing advice and general counsel on all legal issues and litigation involving San Antonio and its residents. Michael also served as the first assistant district attorney in Bexar County, Texas. In his six years as the highest-ranking appointed prosecutor, he undertook and supervised investigations and prosecutions of state securities fraud, banking violations, and numerous corporate criminal matters and civil enforcement actions.

Before holding these positions, Mr. Bernard established his firm focusing on federal criminal defense, including antitrust, tax, bankruptcy, securities, bribery, and other federal enforcement actions and investigations. He has supervised the prosecution and defense of hundreds of tort and liability claims in his role as City Attorney and prosecuted and defended tort actions in private practice. His background and experience as a trial lawyer led Mr. Bernard to begin work in 2002 as an adjunct professor at St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, teaching both Trial Advocacy and Arbitration.