Michael Hall, III

Michael Hall III is a trial lawyer who believes in the simple premise that the practice of law should be used to help others, to promote fairness, and to do what’s right.

Michael has received statewide recognition as a result of having repeatedly secured some of the most significant and precedent-setting courtroom victories in the state of Minnesota.

• $10,530,000.00 – Michael is the trial lawyer responsible for the largest jury verdict in St. Cloud history. The $10.5 million dollar verdict, obtained in the case C.A.H. v Holden in March 2011 and reported in the Minneapolis StarTribune and the St. Cloud Times, is the largest jury verdict ever recorded in Stearns County Minnesota (Minnesota’s Seventh Judicial District – St. Cloud, MN).
• $6,735,000.00 – Michael is the trial lawyer responsible for the $6.7 million dollar, Minneapolis jury verdict in Kelley v Bernick’s.   The August 2021 verdict was recognized as one of the largest verdicts of the year in Minnesota, earning Hall and his team Minnesota 2021 Attorney of the Year Honors.  The case involved severe foot and ankle injuries sustained when a commercial truck drove too quickly through a work zone, snagging a water hose and dragging the hose through the work zone and through the workers.  The verdict included $5 million dollars in damages for pain and suffering. 
• $4,000,000.00 – Michael is the trial lawyer responsible for the $4,000,000.00, Minneapolis jury verdict in WJA vs Johnson.  The August 2017 verdict has received nation-wide recognition and has been viewed by many as precedent-setting. The verdict was in favor of Mr. Hall’s client, a woman who had been sexually abused by her stepfather nearly 40 years prior to the jury’s verdict.  Mr. Hall solidified the $4 million dollar verdict in 2019, defeating an appeal brought by the defense.   
• $2,300,000.00 – Michael is the trial lawyer responsible for the $2.3 million dollar, Stearns County jury verdict in  Wolbeck v Custom Waste et. al.   The November 2018 verdict is recognized as one of the top 50 work accident verdicts in the United States by TopVerdicts.com.  The case involved personal injuries sustained by a farm worker as a result of heavy equipment failure.  The verdict included $1.2 million dollars in damages for future pain and suffering. 
• Michael is the trial lawyer responsible for the three largest auto/RFN jury verdicts in Minnesota State history.
  1. $798,000.00. In August 2012 Michael set a state record with a $798,000.00 verdict, obtained in in Minnesota’s 10th Judicial District. The verdict received statewide recognition and set a high-water mark for future damages in auto-accident, neck injury cases. 
  2. $865,660.00. Three years later, on February 2, 2015, Michael set new state record, securing a verdict of $865,660.00 in a neck and low back auto-injury case. This verdict, obtained in the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis, has been recognized by peers in the legal community as having again raised the bar in such cases.
  3. $620,000.00. Then in October 2022, Michael rounded out the top three, securing a jury verdict of $620,000.00 in another neck and low back auto-injury case. The October 2022 verdict was obtained in Minnesota’s Chisago County. 
• Michael is the trial lawyer responsible for seven of the top 10 auto/RFN results in Minnesota State history. Among the many auto RFN verdicts and settlements recorded over the years, 10 stand at the very top throughout Minnesota. Of those top 10 spots, seven are held by one lawyer – Michael Hall.

In addition to the record-setting achievements set-forth above, Michael has earned top-level verdicts and settlements in a myriad of personal injury matters. A short list of notable results is set forth below:

Notable Results – Michael Hall, III

Michael has also made an impact in legal cases involving the protection of fundamental human rights. In November 2011, Mr. Hall served as lead trial counsel in a Hennepin County case involving the privacy rights of two young women. Both young women had their privacy violated via highly offensive conduct committed by their employer.

At issue in the case was whether or not young women such as Mr. Hall’s clients could expect to have their privacy rights respected, and whether an employer who blatantly violated those rights would be held accountable.

The verdict, which was reported in the local news media, was decidedly in favor of Mr. Hall’s two clients and included punitive damage finding against the violator. The verdict reaffirmed the importance of the right to privacy in our community.

Michael is among a very small group of trial lawyers who have secured punitive damages in multiple jury trial verdicts. In general, punitive damages are intended to punish and deter behavior that knowingly or recklessly endangers the public.

Punitive damages verdicts are extremely rare. According to recent figures from the Bureau of Justice Statistics punitive damages were awarded in less than 2.9% of all civil trials nationally.

In 2014 Michael was recognized as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers organization. Criteria for membership in the Top 100 is based on demonstrated achievement in the courtroom and reputation in the legal community.

In 2013 and again in 2014 Michael was named one of the top 100 litigation lawyers in the state of Minnesota. This is a distinction conferred by the American Society of Legal Advocates. Selection to the top 100 is based on measures of demonstrated legal achievement.

Michael has been recognized by his peers for excellence in practice and is rated a Rising Star by Superlawyers.com. This distinction is reserved for less than 2.5% of all lawyers in the state.

Because of Michael’s consistent and high-quality work, his clients have given him Martindale.com’s and Lawyers.com’s Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 client rating. The preeminent client rating is based on measures of responsiveness, quality of service, and value.

It is the highest possible client rating for a personal injury lawyer. In 2013 Michael was presented with the Martindale-Hubbell Client Distinction Award. This honor is reserved for less than 1% of the more than 900,000 lawyers included in Martindale-Hubbell.

In 2019 Michael was elected President of the Minnesota Association for Justice.  The Minnesota Association for Justice (MAJ) is a professional association of attorneys who represent Minnesotans who have been wrongfully harmed or who suffer injuries to their person or property, or who suffer violations of their civil or human rights.

MAJ advocates for public policies that enhance consumer protections, accountability, and equal access to justice for all.  In years past, Michael has served as the Association’s secretary, treasurer, vice president, and legislative chair. Michael also serves on MAJ’s Executive Committee and the Board of Governors.

As a result of his litigation experience, Michael has repeatedly served as a continuing legal education instructor, advising his legal peers on topics relevant to the practice of personal injury law.

Michael has served on the civil jury instruction review committee. The committee is tasked with reviewing current jury instructions for necessary revisions, and with developing new instructions and verdict forms.

In 2013 and 2014 Michael served as the chair of the Legislative Committee for the Minnesota Association for Justice. The Legislative Committee works to preserve and protect the basic legal rights of everyday Minnesotans.

As a result of his work in the personal injury field, Michael has repeatedly been called to testify before the Minnesota House of Representatives’ Committee on Civil Law, and the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

In 2011 Michael was part of a legislative team that helped beat back an unfair bill which would have stripped ordinary Minnesotan’s of the right to rely upon long-standing ski-safety laws established by decades of jurisprudence.

Michael has served as a member of the John E. Simonett Chapter of the American Inns of Court, the Minnesota State Bar Association, and the Stearns/Benton Bar Association.

Michael was born and raised in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He holds an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Chicago (B.S., 1995), and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law (J.D., 1998).

From 1998 to 2006 Michael litigated personal injury and business litigation cases in Southern California. During his years of practice in California, Michael gained experience litigating cases from both sides of the aisle, giving him a unique and valuable perspective on tort liability litigation.

Michael developed a solid understanding of the Spanish language, which he continues to utilize in his current practice. In 2006, Michael returned to Minnesota to join Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys. Michael is admitted to practice law in Minnesota, the Federal District Court for the District of Minnesota, and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.