Michael L. Kitchen’s practice focuses on business litigation, including partnership disputes, real estate matters, business torts, and employment contracts, as well as estate and trust litigation.

Education

  • J.D., James E. Rogers College of Law, University of Arizona 1999; Editor: Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law
  • B.A., University of Arizona (History) 1995

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Arizona 1999
  • U.S. District Court, District of Arizona 1999
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Honors & Awards

  • Best Lawyers in America®: Commercial Litigation, 2024

Professional & Industry Memberships

  • State Bar of Arizona

Representative Court of Appeals Decisions

  • Prevailed on appeal concerning a claim against the Arizona Attorney General, overcoming the defense of absolute executive immunity. 214 Ariz. 175 (Div. 1, 2007)
  • Prevailed on appeal in the defense of a racketeering claim relating to labor dispute. 615 F.3d 312 (4th Cir., 2010)
  • Prevailed on appeal in a real estate purchase contract matter. 2019 WL 4793123 (Div. 1, 2020)
  • Prevailed on appeal in a business dispute. 2020 WL 6140626 (Div. 1, 2020)
  • Prevailed on appeal in a business purchase contract matter. 2020 WL 1862376 (Div. 1, 2020)
  • Prevailed on appeal in a contract and business tort case relating to a real estate utility dispute. 2 CA-CV 2004-0042 (Div. 2, 2005)
  • Prevailed on appeal in a partnership contract dispute. CA-CV 2005-0321 (Div. 1, 2006)

Representative Trial Experience

  • Successful resolution during jury trial in a multimillion-dollar accounting liability case. 2002-CC-0869 (La. 2003)
  • Successful verdict in a jury trial concerning a complex partnership dispute. CV2004-018733 (2005)
  • Successful verdict in a jury trial concerning a complex partnership dispute. CV2008-052857 (2011)
  • Successfully defended a company from multimillion-dollar claims in a jury trial. CV2008-000141 (2012)
  • Prevailed in a bench trial concerning a trust dispute. PB2012-051133 (2014)
  • Prevailed in a jury trial concerning the breach of a commercial property contract. CV2014-052598 (2015)
  • Successfully defended a client from multimillion-dollar claims in a partnership dispute. 76-122-Y-000037-13 (2016)
  • Prevailed in a jury trial concerning claims asserted in the context of a partnership dispute. CV2013-002402 (2018)
  • Prevailed in two successive bench trials concerning a partnership dispute. CV2019-054728 (2020)

Language Fluency

  • English
  • German