Michael Connelly

As an active trial lawyer for over four decades, Michael Connelly has litigated scores of cases to juries and judges in various courts in Texas and other states.  Mr. Connelly has extensive trial experience in a wide variety of areas and is well known for his work in commercial and environmental cases.  The commercial cases include professional liability, tax shelters, breach of contract, tortious interference with contracts, international sales of goods, oil and gas disputes, and claims arising out of divestiture of corporate assets.  The environmental cases include mass community suits, government cost recovery actions, contaminated property and sediments claims, and contribution suits.  He has handled mass toxic tort cases which include workplace chemical exposure, asbestos, silicosis, and he has handled a number of catastrophic accident cases, including multiple fatalities, plant explosions and OSHA workplace investigations.  Mr. Connelly has also had many years of experience in handling medical liability cases that include hospital, nursing and physical liability, medical staff issues, medical device and pharmaceutical claims.  He currently focuses his practice on commercial litigation and mediation/arbitration. 

Mr. Connelly has been extremely active in legal and charitable community activities as well, having been elected President of the Houston Bar Association for 2003–2004, following and extensive service commitment and long history of leadership positions in the Bar.  He has also served as President and Chairman of the Houston Lawyer Referral Service, the Houston Volunteer Lawyer’s Program, and the Dispute Resolution Center.  Mr. Connelly was elected to the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors and served from 2004 – 2007.  While on the State Board, he served as Chair of the Finance Committee for two years. Michael Connelly currently serves as Chairman of Insuralex, a global network of over 43 law firms with a special emphasis on insurance/reinsurance, insurance coverage, insurance defense, and litigation.

Special Certifications

Certificate for Mediation Training (University of Houston / A.A. White Dispute Resolution Center)
Certificate for Commercial Arbitration (Domestic and International (University of Houston / A. A. White Dispute Resolution Center)
Commercial Litigation Panel Member, American Arbitration Association

Offices and Appointments

State Bar of Texas, 1969–Present:

• Director, State Bar of Texas Board of Directors, 2004–2007
• Chairman, State Bar of Texas Finance Committee, 2006–2007
• Co-Chairman, State Bar of Texas Finance Committee, 2005–2006
• Co-Chairman, State Bar of Texas Disaster Response Committee, 1992–1993
• State Bar of Texas Administration Justice Committee, 1990–1991
• Member, State Bar of Texas, Litigation Section
• Member, State Bar of Texas, Environmental Section
• Speaker, State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Trial Institute
• Texas Bar Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow

Houston Bar Association:

• Immediate Past President, Houston Bar Association, 2004–2005
• President, Houston Bar Association, 2003–2004
• President-Elect, Houston Bar Association 2002–2003
• Second Vice-President, Houston Bar Association 2001–2002
• Treasurer, Houston Bar Association, 1999–2000
• Director,  Houston Bar Association Board of Directors, 1995–1999
• Houston Bar Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow

American Bar Association

• American Bar Association of Tort and Insurance Practice Section, 1969–1992, 1995–2009
• Chairman, American Bar Association Medicine and Law Committee, 1981–1983
• American Bar Association Litigation Section, 1975–1992, 1995–2009

International Association of Defense Counsel, 1981–present:

• Secretary/Treasurer, 2008–2011
• Secretary/Treasurer Elect, 2007–2008
• Chairman, National Membership Committee, 2005–2007
• Chairman, Texas State Membership Committee
• Toxic and Hazardous Waste Substances Committee
• Drugs and Medical Device Committee
• Business Litigation Committee
• Faculty, Trial Academy, 1987
• Foundation of the International Association of Defense Counsel Board of Directors, 1993–2006
• Secretary/Treasurer, Foundation of the International Association of Defense Counsel, 1999–2003, 2005–2006

Insuralex

• Chairman, Insuralex, 2014–2016
• Vice-Chairman, Insuralex, 2012–2014
• Secretary, Insuralex, 2011–2012

American Board of Trial Advocates, 1987–present