Michael S. Burg
Michael Burg was admitted to the Colorado Bar in May, 1976 and founded Burg Simpson in 1977. Today, Burg Simpson comprises 62 attorneys with offices in six states. Mr. Burg has tried over 185 trials and obtained over 15 verdicts in excess of $1M. In total, his clients have received settlements, judgments, and verdicts in excess of $500M.
Mr. Burg has annually been named among America’s 50 Leading Trial Lawyers by the U.S. Legal 500 since 2012, and the U.S. Legal 500 also acknowledged him as a Leading Lawyer nationally in representing individuals in Pharmaceutical Mass Tort and Class Action Litigation. The Legal 500 is a worldwide guide to legal services providers in over 100 countries, and widely regarded as offering the definitive judgement of law firm capabilities.
Mr. Burg was inducted to the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame in 2016, joining such legendary trial lawyers as John Adams, Clarence Darrow, Johnnie Cochran, and Thurgood Marshall. Additionally, he was named by Best Lawyers® in America as the 2016 Denver Lawyer of the Year for Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs. Law Week Colorado named Mr. Burg the Lawyer of the Decade (2000 – 2010), and in 2015 he was chosen as Barrister’s Best People’s Choice, Best Civil Litigator, also by Law Week Colorado.
In October, 2013, Mr. Burg received the prestigious Clarence Darrow Award, presented by Mike Papantonio at a gala luncheon attended by more than 250 leading trial lawyers in Las Vegas, NV. The Clarence Darrow Award is regarded as one of the most prestigious and highly-coveted awards in the realm of trial litigation.
Judicial Appointments
The Honorable Jack Weinstein, United States District Judge, Eastern District of New York – Plaintiff Steering Committee for the Zyprexa Multi-District Litigation;
The Honorable Eldon Fallon, United States District Judge, Eastern District of Louisiana – State Liaison Committee for the Vioxx Multi-District Litigation;
The Honorable David A. Katz, United States District Judge, Northern District of Ohio – Co-Lead Counsel, Ortho Evra Products Multi-District Litigation;
The Honorable David Herndon, United States District Judge for the Southern District of Illinois – Co-Lead Counsel, Yaz/Yasmin Multi-District Litigation.
- Heavy Lifting Award, American Association for Justice (AAJ), 2011
- AV Preeminent® Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- Colorado Lawyer of the Year, Law Week Colorado, 2008
- Barrister’s Best, Mass Tort Lawyer, Law Week Colorado, 2011 and 2012
- Barrister’s Best, Personal Injury, Law Week Colorado, 2009 – 2011
- Barrister’s Best Overall Litigator, Law Week Colorado, 2010
- “Best of the U.S.” 2006 – 2011
- President, the National Trial Lawyers, 2010
- Denver Business Journal Power Book, 2011, 2013
- Local Litigation Star, Benchmark Litigation, Colorado – Plaintiffs, 2012 and 2013
- Litigation Star, Benchmark Litigation, United States – Plaintiffs, Mass Tort/Product Liability, 2013
- Wiedemann and Wysocki Award, American Association for Justice, 2014
- 5280 Magazine Top Lawyer, 2015-2016
- Colorado Super Lawyers®, 2006 – 2016 and Top 100 Super Lawyers® 2014
- Best Lawyers® in America, 2007 – 2016
- Top 100 Attorney (Colorado), the National Trial Lawyers
- Top 100 Most Influential Attorneys (National), the National Trial Lawyers
- Outstanding Alumni Award, The University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 2013
- Clarence Darrow Award, 2013
- Barrister’s Best People’s Choice, Best Civil Litigator, Law Week Colorado, 2015
- Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year 2013,” Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs, Denver
- Lawyer of the Decade, Law Week Colorado, 2000-2010
- Recommended Attorney, Mass Tort, The U.S. Legal 500, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015
- America’s 50 Leading Trial Lawyers, The U.S. Legal 500, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015
- Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year 2016,” Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs, Denver
- Lawyer of the Year, Law Week Colorado, 2015
- Inducted to the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, 2016
Englewood, Colorado 80112
