Michael Lee grew up in Southern California. His father, an attorney, inspired him to pursue a career in the law. His time serving communities in the Dominican Republic inspired him to devote his life to helping others.
The second of eight children, Michael grew up in Southern California. He developed an interest in law and public policy at a young age. His father was an attorney, and Michael intended to follow the same path. After a year of college, Michael moved to the Dominican Republic to serve a church mission. During those two years, he was captivated by how different life there was. He became driven to find a career where he could help people and make things work the right way.
After returning home, finishing his undergraduate studies, and teaching English in Peru, Michael moved to Pittsburgh to attend graduate school. There, he studied public policy and management. His graduate work included rigorous training in economics, management theory, and computer modeling for business and public policy analysis. Michael also had the opportunity to co-author several papers on drug policy and spent a summer working at the New York City Police Department. Following graduate school, Michael worked for two years as an internal auditor for the City of San Diego before eventually deciding it was the right time to pursue his legal career.
Michael chose to attend law school at Washington University in St. Louis. He was instantly drawn to litigation and made that the focus of his studies. He earned two awards for his outstanding oral advocacy and was an articles editor for the Washington University Jurisprudence Review. Michael also published a student note on criminal background checks for employment.
He gained valuable experience during internships with the Wisconsin Attorney General’s Office, where he assisted the state’s appellate attorneys in litigation involving constitutionality challenges, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, where he wrote appellate briefs in response to petitions by defendants. During law school, Michael made sure to take advantage of St. Louis’s local blues music and barbecue.
Before joining Arnold & Itkin, Michael completed a trial court clerkship and worked for a small law firm in Utah. These experiences, especially his clerkship, galvanized his commitment to doing work that would allow him to help others after they’ve suffered from the unthinkable. Sadly, in life, people can be wronged in many ways. Michael feels impelled to help put things right. A lawyer is someone versed in the law, and an attorney is an advocate for others. Michael strives to be the best of both.
Michael loves to spend time with his family. He also enjoys live blues and rock music, the outdoors, and thriller dramas.
