Michael Masuda

Of Counsel

mmasuda@nheh.com

Areas of Emphasis

Litigation & Mediation

Construction

Employment Law

Bar Admissions

California

U.S. Supreme Court

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern Districts of California

Education

JD, with distinction, University of North Dakota, 1981

MA, University of California at Berkeley, 1984

BA, University of North Dakota, 1978

About Michael

Practice

Mike Masuda has over 40 years’ experience in civil litigation, trial and appellate practice, arbitration and has served as a mediator in over 100 cases. Mike has tried over 90 cases before juries and judges in both state and federal courts throughout California where he has obtained numerous million dollar plus verdicts and settlements, including a Daily Journal Top 100 Verdicts. Mike holds the highest rating, “AV”, from Martindale-Hubbell, has been selected as a Northern California Super Lawyer every year since 2014, and was also recently selected as a Top Rated Lawyer in Appellate Law by Martindale-Hubbell. Mike has been appointed by the Monterey County Superior Court as a mediator in the Superior Court Directed Mediator Program and a Discovery Facilitator. Mike received the 2014 Lewis L. Fenton Award for Excellence for Advocacy from the Monterey Bar Association.

Super Lawyers employs a patented process to recognize top attorneys nationwide, spanning various practice areas and firm sizes, providing a trusted resource for legal representation seekers with a three-decade presence in print and online media. NHEH is happy to announce that Michael Masuda has been recognized as a 2023 Super Lawyer. 2023 is the ninth year he has been named to the Northern California Super Lawyers list.

Background

Mike grew up in North Dakota, where he attended college and law school and clerked for the North Dakota Supreme Court. He and his wife Jackie then moved to California (much nicer climate) and Mike received his Master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley. Mike and Jackie moved to Monterey in 1986 when Mike joined the firm.

Mike has long been involved in education and is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Monterey College of Law and has taught and lectured at Chapman University, the University of California, Santa Cruz, California State University, Monterey Bay, the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, and for numerous bar associations. He regularly writes articles on litigation for the Daily Journal.

Mike has served as a coach to high school students in mock trials and provided pro bono services to the Alliance on Aging, Monterey Jazz Festival, Monterey Film Commission, Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, Habitat for Humanity, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, and the Episcopal Church. Mike and Jackie enjoy hiking, traveling, traditional Irish music (Jackie is a fiddler), and their new dog.