Michael Danko

Of Counsel
Biography

Michael Danko is a renowned trial lawyer with more than 25 years of legal experience. He represents individuals who have suffered catastrophic personal injuries as well as families of wrongful death victims in cases involving product defects, defective medications and medical devices, airplane and helicopter accidents, and dangerous structures. He has tried cases in state and federal courts throughout the country and has won numerous eight-figure verdicts on behalf of his clients.

Michael represents dozens of victims of a Pacific Gas & Electric gas explosion and serves on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in a California state coordinated proceeding San Bruno Fire Cases, JCCP No. 4648. He also serves on the Science Committee for Plaintiffs in In Re Yasmin and Yaz (Drospirenone) Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2100.

In 2009, Michael won a $15 million jury verdict for a client injured by a defective aircraft part, which earned him a nomination for 2009 “California Trial Lawyer of the Year” by the Consumer Attorneys of California.

Michael’s trial advocacy has helped bring about significant reforms and changes to corporate policies as well. As lead counsel in In Re Deep Vein Thrombosis Litigation, MDL No. 04-1606 (N.D. Cal.), he represented more than 100 air travelers who had suffered strokes, pulmonary emboli, or heart attacks as a result of airline-induced blood clots. He developed theories of liability and proof regarding the cause of his clients’ injuries that led to virtually every major air carrier warning air travelers about the risks of deep vein thrombosis and the steps that can be taken to mitigate those risks. Michael also represented parents of children who were injured or killed by a popular candy made by an international manufacturer. His work in proving that the candy’s unusual ingredients and consistency made it a choking hazard resulted in the candy being removed from Costco and Albertson’s stores nationwide and helped lead the FDA to ban the candy from further import into the United States.

J.D., University of Virginia School of Law, 1983

A.B., magna cum laude, Dartmouth College, 1980

Community & Professional

  • American Association for Justice
  • Lawyer Pilots Bar Association
  • Consumer Attorneys of California