Attorney Mike Stephenson, Indianapolis

Mike Stephenson brings 40 years of experience as a trusted advisor to numerous individuals and companies. His practice primarily involves civil litigation in state and federal courts. He dedicates much of his time to handling catastrophic injury cases resulting from various accidents, such as motor vehicle and trucking accidents, workplace injuries, product liability, and fires. Additionally, he has extensive experience in dealing with construction accidents.

“I enjoy thinking outside of the box and finding new or novel ways to hold the responsible parties accountable and to maximize the recovery for our clients.”

Mike believes that a thorough and detailed investigation is required to determine all possible legal theories which may be available to fully protect the client’s interests and to identify the total extent of the damages. He recognizes that a thorough analysis often requires hiring experts in all types of fields, including medical, visibility, engineering, reconstruction, and wood science. He has retained experts from around the world, including a gentleman who obtained the first patent for a specific tool when the product design and function was at issue. He has also retained an expert from Europe when the design of another product was in question.

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More often than not, the first thing Mike Stephenson does before cross-examining a witness is offer him or her a glass of water.

“I want to be the nicest guy in the room. People help those they like. If they don’t like me, they may punish my client. So I try to do everything I can to be pleasant, professional and polite to everyone in that courtroom.”

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Mike is a proven advocate and trial attorney. He has served as lead trial counsel in more than 100 civil jury trials, and has handled litigation in 18 states. He uses the most advanced technology available to most effectively demonstrate and aid in the presentation of his client’s position. The firm uses state-of-the-art software to integrate sound, still photos, and moving images to illustrate to juries critical information that words cannot accurately describe. Mike has worked extensively with High Impact Litigation, Inc. and other similar companies to provide detailed animations to demonstrate and allow a jury to visualize significant evidence.

“When we represent people horribly injured, we meet our clients in their homes and spend time talking with them and their family members. This is how we see firsthand how devastated our clients are by the actions of the defendant. After we see the terrible devastation caused to our clients, it becomes very easy to be aggressive and hold the responsible party accountable.”

Mike takes great pride in compassionately listening to the personal needs of his clients, whether helping individuals and their families whose lives have been devastated or tragically altered as a result of an accident, or when he advises an individual who has been sued and is frightened by the legal process and potential consequences of an adverse jury verdict.

State and local polls of attorneys have listed Mike as one of Indiana’s top lawyers, and in a poll of 14,000 Indiana attorneys from 2004-2016, he has been identified as one of the top 5% of the attorneys in his area of practice. He is one of few attorneys recognized with this distinction for thirteen consecutive years. Martindale-Hubbell has rated him as an AV attorney, the highest possible rating.

Outside of work, Mike enjoys spending time with loved ones. Mike and his wife have a large family, including 6 grandsons under the age of 8! Mike’s wife is an excellent cook, and they love to have all the family over for dinner. Mike also enjoys golf and skeet shooting.

Partnering With Injury Firms Across the Country

Stephenson Rife often works in partnership with other law firms, adding its experience, legal acumen and resources to the effort to bring compensation and justice to those injured by negligent individuals or businesses. For example, we currently are working closely with a renowned national personal injury law firm on a double-fatality accident caused by a trucker for a large multinational corporation who fell asleep at the wheel after having worked too many hours in the oilfields. Our reputation and track record in trucking accident cases and other personal injury situations extends past the borders of Indiana, resulting in significant wins for injury victims countrywide.

Areas of Practice

• Product Liability
• Personal Injury Litigation
• Vehicle Accidents
• Wrongful Death Litigation

Bar Admissions

• Indiana, 1982
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, 1982
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana, 1982
• U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1993

Education

• Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis, Indiana J.D.
• Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, Kentucky, 1979 B.S.
• Honors: Magna Cum Laude / Major: Criminal/Police Administration

Honors and Awards

• Indiana Super Lawyer, 2003 – 2013
• Award of Distinguished Fellow, Indiana Bar Association – in recognition of philanthropy, education and service

Professional Associations and Memberships:

• Litigation Counsel of America Trial Lawyer, Honorary Society
• American Board of Trial Advocates
• Indiana State Bar Association, Member
• American Association for Justice, Member
• Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America (APITLA). Member
• Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, Member
• Attorney’s Information Exchange Group, Member (by invitation only)

Fraternities/Sororities

• Sigma Chi