Michael has more than 18 years of experience in employment law, representing individuals and companies in PAGA cases, wage-and-hour class actions, and matters involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination in state and federal courts. Michael began his career in a general litigation firm, where he represented companies in employment and business cases, and went on to found his own law firm that focused 100 percent on employment litigation. Michael has successfully brokered numerous eight-figure settlements, represented parties in hundreds of arbitrations, argued in state and federal courts of appeal, and received plaintiff and defense verdicts. During his legal career, Michael earned a reputation with opposing counsel and mediators for his fair and respectful negotiation style.
In 2022, Michael became a settlement officer with the Los Angeles County Superior Court’s Resolve Law Virtual MSC program and now also serves on the court’s Mediation Volunteer Panel and the U.S. District Court, Central District of California’s Mediation Panel. In 2023, Michael turned his attention to being a full-time mediator. In this short time, he has mediated over 120 cases. Attorneys who have worked with him attribute his success to his preparation, patience, and persistence. One attorney stated, “My client and I were impressed by how much Mike prepared for the mediation. He has an excellent knowledge of PAGA and we truly enjoyed his easygoing demeanor.”
- All types of employment disputes including class actions, PAGA, wage-and-hour, FEHA, Trade Secrets, Wrongful Termination, Defamation, and Privacy
Michael can speak (and mediate!) in Spanish. He is an avid mountain biker and coached an interscholastic mountain biking race team. He also coaches youth soccer at the club level.
- Full-time Neutral, Judicate West (2025-Present)
- Mediator and Arbitrator, Michael Strauss Mediation and Arbitration (2023)
- Founder, Strauss & Strauss, APC; Employment Litigation (2016-2024)
- Attorney, Strauss Law Group, APC; General and Employment Litigation (2006-2010)
- J.D., Wake Forest University School of Law (2006)
- B.A., University of California, Berkeley (2001)
- Certificate in Dispute Resolution, Straus Institute at Pepperdine School of Law (2022-2023)
- Los Angeles Superior Court Resolve Law Settlement Officer (2022-2024)
- Los Angeles Superior Court Mediation Volunteer Panel Mediator(2024-Present)
- USDC, Central District of CA, Panel Mediator (2023-Present)
- Ventura County Bar Association; Board of Directors (2008-2010), Member (2006-Present)
- Association of Business Trial Lawyers Member (2023-Present)
- Los Angeles County Bar Association Member (2023-Present)
- Southern California Mediation Association Member (2023-Present)
- California Employment Lawyers Association Member (2014-2023)
- Represented the plaintiff before the U.S. Supreme Court to expand the reach of California wage-and-hour law to offshore oil platforms (2019)
- Authored numerous articles in legal publications including: PAGA reforms will change the ADR landscape, Daily Journal (2024); 3 Employer strategies to streamline mass arbitrations, Law360 (2023); Tips for mediating your next wage and hour case, Daily Journal (2023)
- Super Lawyers Magazine Top-Rated Employment Litigation Attorney (2020-2021,2023-2025)
- Super Lawyers Magazine Rising Star, Employment Litigation (2011-2019)
- Received commendation from the city of Lancaster, CA for his achievement in resolving a wage-and-hour class action (2014)
Breach of Contract
- Mediated a trade secrets dispute involving a former employee who joined a new employer in the same industry.
Disability and Wrongful Termination
- Mediated a case involving race harassment by a co-worker, failure to accommodate disabilty, and wrongful termination/retaliation.
Discrimination
- Mediated many FEHA claims regarding disability discrimination, sexual harassment and discrimination, whistleblower retaliation, and religious accommodation.
- Mediated a case in which the plaintiff alleged sexual harassment and failure to accommodate a workplace injury.
PAGA
- Mediated many PAGA cases regarding meal periods, rest periods, regular rate issues, overtime, minimum wages, and all other wage-and-hour issues.
Pregnancy Discrimination
- Mediated pregnancy and other leave-related claims.
Sexual Harassment
- Mediated a sexual assault case.
- Mediated a case involving alleged sexual harassment and retaliation after reporting the incident a to supervisor.
Wage and Hour
- Adjudicated employment cases regarding independent contractor misclassification, FEHA, and wage-and-hour claims
- Was appointed as class counsel in over 40 state and federal class actions involving wage-and-hour claims.
Wage and Hour Class Action
- Mediated many class action and individual claims involving wage-and-hour claims.
Wrongful Termination
- Mediated a case involving disability discrimination, failure to accommodate, failure to engage in the interactive process, and wrongful termination brought by a former employee who was terminated while recovering from an illness.
Employment Issues
- Mediated many class action and individual claims involving wage-and-hour claims under federal law.
- Was appointed as class counsel in over 40 state and federal class actions involving wage-and-hour claims.
