Michael B. Murphy , Esq.

Mr. Murphy is an internationally recognized attorney with more than 40 years of experience representing clients in straightforward to complex, high-value matters across the U.S. and abroad.  His experience extends across the aisle and across a multitude of business lines and practice areas including professional liability, construction, property & casualty, employment, energy, elder care, abuse, sports, leisure & entertainment and product liability.

Prior to joining JAMS, Mike most recently served as chair of Severson & Werson’s Insurance Practice Group and General Counsel/Risk Managing Shareholder.  His broad-based litigation and monitoring & coverage practice included representation of policyholders and carriers regarding issues related to insurance, reinsurance, subrogation and recovery across all lines (including declaratory relief, claims handling and bad faith) throughout the U.S., Europe, London, Bermuda/Offshore and Asia-Pacific insurance markets. 

Mike advised and represented claimants as well as domestic and international insurers, reinsurers and numerous Lloyd’s of London syndicates in both primary and excess matters.  This work spanned the full spectrum of insurance and reinsurance issues, including coverage interpretation and claims management. Over his career, Mike provided strategic guidance and creative issue resolution to just about every combination of disputing parties to the tripartite relationship.

Clients also routinely engaged Mike to serve as monitoring counsel to provide neutral and honest case evaluations, independent of defense counsel or consultant analyses. Additionally, Mike was particularly sought out to help resolve high-profile media or politically sensitive matters requiring the utmost of discretion.

Mike carries this expansive litigation experience, and a balanced and objective neutral monitoring counsel approach to his ADR practice, offering clients a “human touch” of balanced, empathetic, patient, creative and pragmatic approaches, fostering collaboration and effective resolution in even the most complex or emotionally-charged matters.

In addition to his litigation background, he brings extensive alternative dispute resolution experience, having served as mediator, arbitrator and a Superior Court– and federal court–appointed special master. Mike’s experience as a participant/practitioner in ADR over the past 4 decades goes back to the very genesis of ADR practice as we know it today.