About Michael J.
Michael J. Boyle earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Management from Albion College in 1999 and completed his Juris Doctor at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in 2002. He moved into criminal defense soon after law school, building a practice around impaired-driving and related cases. He has maintained steady involvement in legal education and professional groups since the early 2000s.
Boyle’s early work included roles that combined courtroom practice and teaching. In 2009 he served as a teaching assistant to Patrick T. Barone and began instructing at CDAM’s Criminal Defense Trial College. He returned as faculty for CDAM’s Advanced Criminal Defense Practice Conference in 2010. Those experiences deepened his familiarity with trial strategy and the practical tools defense lawyers use in contested hearings.
Technical training is a notable element of Boyle’s background. He holds ARIDE certification in advanced roadside impairment detection and is a certified Drug Recognition Expert through NHTSA/IACP. He also completed Standard Field Sobriety Test training and coursework in whole drug testing, liquid chromatography and gas chromatography through the National Chemical Society. That combination of courtroom experience and scientific training informs how he evaluates evidence and cross-examines expert witnesses.
His career advanced inside the Barone Defense Firm, where he became a partner in 2015. He has been active in specialized professional organizations for nearly two decades. He has held officer roles in the Michigan Association of OWI Lawyers, serving as secretary and later as vice president. His memberships include the State Bar of Michigan, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National College for DUI Defense, the Michigan DUI Lawyers Association, and the Criminal Defense Lawyers of Michigan.
Beyond legal societies, Boyle has participated on advisory and oversight boards for behavioral health providers and counseling organizations. Those appointments reflect an interest in how substance use, treatment and counseling intersect with criminal justice outcomes. He has also been a member of the Incorporated Society of Irish American Lawyers.
Colleagues describe him as a practitioner who combines courtroom experience with technical training in impaired driving matters. He handles contested hearings, plea negotiations and trials for people charged with operating while intoxicated, drug-impaired driving and related criminal charges. He is a partner at Barone Defense Firm and handles criminal defense matters including OWI and related cases.
