New Attorney Announcement - Michael Douglass

Michael Douglass Joins Lydecker to Open California Market

Attorney Spotlight

Richard Lydecker, senior partner at Lydecker, announced today that experienced civil litigation attorney Michael C. Douglass has joined the firm and will be a key part of the California legal team representing corporate and municipal clients in complex, high-exposure general liability claims, as well as in professional, employment and municipal liability matters.

Lydecker is a Full-Service AV-rated national law firm with offices throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida. In bringing Michael on board, Lydecker now extends its footprint across America to the state of California.

Michael has tried cases to verdict in California and also has successfully argued before the California Court of Appeal, most notably in a malicious prosecution case that resulted in a reported decision [Paiva v. Nichols, (2008) 168 Cal.App.4th 1007].

“Michael is a legal giant in the area of general liability. His experience defending high-exposure personal injury cases arising from accidents makes him a perfect fit for the insurance professionals we serve, and I am honored to have him as part of our California litigation team,” Lydecker said.

Mr. Douglass’ professional liability practice includes the defense of errors and omissions claims against medical professionals, insurance agents and brokers, and real estate agents and brokers.

Mr. Douglass is pragmatic, seasoned, and well-versed, and will provide the firm’s insurance clients with strategic counsel to help them make better-informed decisions to assist in managing their legal risks and protecting their clients.

Douglass’ immediate focus will be growing Lydecker’s general liability cases in California; however, he is joining the Lydecker team as a partner who can handle wide-ranging legal issues based on his vast experience and community involvement.

Mr. Douglass has experience representing clients in a variety of commercial disputes, including breach of contract, unfair business practices, and real property disputes. He has also defended corporate clients in consumer matters including TCPA, improper credit reporting, and improper debt collection claims.

Prior to joining the firm in 2021, Mr. Douglass was a litigation partner with a national civil litigation law firm. Before that, he was in-house managing attorney for the San Francisco and San Jose staff counsel offices of Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company.

A member of the California Bar, Douglass is also involved with the Defense Research Institute, Claims Litigation Management Alliance, the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

Douglass has also served on the Board of Directors of Centinela Youth Services.

Attorney Spotlight: Forrest Andrews, Board-Certified Appellate Attorney

Appellate Law, Attorney Spotlight

Forrest Andrews is a Florida Board-Certified Appellate Attorney and Partner with Lydecker, a full-service law firm with more than 80 attorneys and with offices in Florida, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. 

As one of only about 200 Board-Certified Appellate Attorneys in Florida, Forrest brings deep and broad experience in appellate, commercial, and state and federal litigation in high-profile cases. 

Forrest provides litigation support services to trial counsel by developing effective strategies at the trial level in anticipation of an appeal. He is often brought in at the beginning of a case to guide insurance clients, identify the issues to raise, the arguments to make, and the procedures to navigate. 

Before coming to Lydecker in 2018, Forrest served as an assistant city attorney for the City of Miami. He began his career in 2005 with the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office as an assistant state attorney before moving on to the Florida Office of the Attorney General as an assistant attorney general.

When working with clients, Forrest provides them with the right guidance, strategy, and recommendations to move their case forward and resolve cases quickly and successfully. He helps them anticipate issues, see possibilities, and go beyond winning the case to securing rulings that bring clarity for future cases. 

Comprehensive preparation is a hallmark of Forrest’s approach. He understands how an issue is likely to play out in front of a jury or judge, develops contingency plans, and has an answer for every possible development. He operates outside of conventional thinking, has cultivated a highly respected reputation among appellate judges, and knows how to write motions and briefs that educate and influence on behalf of his clients. 

Forrest earned his Juris Doctorate from Albany Law School in 2005 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Delaware in 2002.

He enjoys sports, particularly baseball, and loves playing basketball. He likes to travel and spend time outdoors.

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Please note that submitting a message to us using this website does not create an attorney-client relationship. Therefore, please do not submit to us any confidential or otherwise sensitive information without first speaking to one of our attorneys and receiving confirmation that a conflicts check has been performed, conflicts cleared, and the firm has agreed it will accept the engagement. Any information submitted prior to establishing an attorney-client relationship may not be protected. Thank you.

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