About Michael
Michael Stephenson earned his bachelor’s degree from Brown University in 2001 and went on to receive a J.D. from the University of Oregon School of Law. His academic path combined a liberal arts background with formal legal training. The law school setting in Oregon shaped his early interest in public service and courtroom work.
He began his legal career in public defense. In 2007 he served as a defense lawyer at Public Defender Services of Lane County. That year in courtrooms handling criminal matters offered him direct trial experience and exposure to the day-to-day pressures of trial practice. The following year he moved into private practice, joining Davis Wright Tremaine LLP in 2008, where he worked on a variety of matters and learned the operational side of larger firm practice.
In 2010 Stephenson shifted toward litigation centered on cyclists’ rights when he joined Bay Area Bicycle Law. He handled cases arising from bicycle collisions and related personal injury claims. Over time he developed courtroom strategies and investigative routines tailored to crash reconstruction, witness handling, and negotiating with insurers. In 2018 he began work with Los Angeles Bicycle Law, bringing similar litigation experience to Southern California. That move expanded his practice geography and exposed him to a different mix of urban collision dynamics.
Throughout his career Stephenson has balanced trial work with case preparation and client counseling. He has experience taking matters through depositions, expert engagement, and trial. His background in public defense and in larger-firm practice informs his approach to factual investigation and courtroom presentation. He is licensed to practice in California and has developed a practice profile that crosses both the Bay Area and Los Angeles legal markets.
Colleagues describe his litigation style as straightforward and focused on evidence. He has represented clients at various stages of litigation, from initial claims through settlement negotiations and trials when necessary. Outside the courtroom he has been involved in professional circles related to traffic safety and bicycling law, maintaining connections across practice communities.
As of 2026 he practices at offices associated with Bay Area Bicycle Law and the Los Angeles office, representing cyclists and handling civil injury claims and related legal matters across California.
