About Michael W.
Michael W. Horst began his legal path with study at Miami University of Ohio, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts and Science in 1998. He moved on to Wake Forest University School of Law and earned his J.D. in 2001. Those early years set a steady pace for a career spent largely in courtrooms and conference rooms.
He was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 2001 and remains a current member. Over time he secured admission to the federal benches that serve the state: the United States District Court for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Georgia. Those credentials allowed him to carry cases beyond state court dockets and into federal forums when circumstances required.
Horst's practice grew through a sequence of firm roles that tracked upward responsibility. He started as an associate at Freeman Mathis & Gary in 2001, then moved to Dennis, Corry, Porter & Smith, L.L.P. in 2003. In 2008 he joined Hall Booth Smith & Slover as an associate. Two years later he became a shareholder at Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, a role he held beginning in 2010. In 2015 he worked as a trial lawyer at Van Sant Law, LLC. In 2019 he took the lead at Horst Shewmaker, LLC as a trial attorney and managing partner.
Those postings add up to more than two decades of litigation work. He has handled matters from initial pleadings through jury selection and verdict. He prepares witnesses, argues motions, and tries cases. His background includes both state and federal litigation, and his career shows a steady involvement in trial-level advocacy.
Colleagues and opposing counsel describe him as methodical at trial and pragmatic in settlement talks. He balances courtroom readiness with attention to case detail. He also draws on experience from larger firm settings and smaller litigation shops, a combination that has shaped how he staffs and runs cases.
He currently practices at Horst Shewmaker, LLC, where he concentrates on trial litigation in Georgia and in the federal districts where he is admitted.
