Michael D. Sargent
Partner
Michael D. Sargent is a partner working in the firm’s Riverside office primarily working with public entities on a wide range of legal issues. Mike has also worked extensively with contractors on various civil liability claims including construction defect and breach of contract. Mike received his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration from San Diego State University in 1995. He received his Juris Doctorate in 2002 from the University of La Verne – College of Law.
Mike is a member of the California Bar and is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the State of California, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States District Court, Central District of California. Mike has successfully tried and arbitrated several cases and mediated hundreds more. Additionally, Mike has helped the firm’s clients successfully navigate the appeals and the writ process.
In 2016, Mike was honored by Martindale Hubbell with its highest possible peer rating of AV Preeminent for both legal ability and ethical standards. Mike continues to maintain his AV Preeminent rating. In 2019, Mike was honored by America’s Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators for Southern California. Mike is a member of the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel.
Mike is Board Member of the one hundred thirty-two home homeowner’s association where he resides. He enjoys helping his neighbors maintain their neighborhood by heading various association construction improvement projects. He is also a coach for the Canyon High School Mock Trial Team. The team, made up entirely of high school students, competes each year in a mock trial competition against other high schools in Orange County, California. Mike enjoys traveling with his wife and attending local sporting events.
-
Professional Experience
- 2007-Present, Partner, Graves & King LLP
- 2003-2007, Associate Attorney, Graves & King LLP
- 2003, Office of the City Attorney, Deputy City Attorney, Riverside, CA
- 2002, Office of the City Attorney, Externship, Anaheim, CA
- 1995, Citizen’s Law Enforcement Review Board, Externship,
San Diego, CA
-
Professional Affiliations
- State Bar of California
- Association of Southern California Defense Counsel
- Orange County Bar Association (Construction, Real Estate & Insurance Sections)
- Licensed California Real Estate Broker
- California Professional Association of Specialty Contractors (CALPASC)
- Los Angeles Magazine’s Super Lawyer Publication – 2011 & 2010 Southern California Rising Star
-
Professional Activities
- 2010, Canyon High School Mock Trial Team Coach
- 2009, CALPASC Webinar – Construction Defect Claims Management
- 2009, West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar – The Practical and Ethical Problems Presented by Gaps in Coverage Due to Self Insured Retention Obligations
- 2008, West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar – New Technologies for Reducing Construction Defect Claims & Investigative Costs
- 2007, West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar – Cross Defendant’s Trial Exposure: Assignment of Rights by Developer, Managing Offsets, Allocations, Special Verdicts & Developers’ Pay and Chase Claims
-
Bar Admissions
- Supreme Court of the State of California
- United States District Court, Central District of California
- United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal
-
Education
- Juris Doctor, University of La Verne College of Law, Ontario, California 2002
- Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice Administration, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 1995