Michael J. Baker, Partner at our Orange County, and Los Angeles law offices
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Michael J. Baker

Partner
Biography

Mike Baker serves as co-chair of the firm’s nationally ranked Construction Industry Practice Group. With more than 25 years of experience dedicated to the area of construction law, Mike focuses his practice on the representation of design professionals, engineers, general contractors, and public and private owners. His experience includes providing representation for business and contractual matters, as well as disputes before arbitration panels, mediators, and trial courts. He has also acted in the capacity of mediator, arbitrator, and served on project dispute resolution boards on selected building programs and projects.

Mike’s transactional experience in both construction and design-related matters includes drafting contracts related to project delivery methods, as well as drafting building program management agreements and construction management agreements for building programs ranging from $200 million to over $1 billion on behalf of contractors, design teams, and owners. His experience as a trial lawyer is shown by having brought 20 cases to trial for decision or verdict, including venues in 11 different counties in the State of California, and trials in multiple federal circuit court districts in California and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Additionally, Mike has arbitrated numerous cases in private arbitration on behalf of contractors, owners, engineers, architects, construction managers involving building, and civil works.

Credentials

Bar Admissions

  • California


Court Admissions

  • Supreme Court of California
  • United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • United States District Court, All Districts of California
  • United States Supreme Court


Education

  • Pepperdine University School of Law (J.D.)
  • DePaul University, Chicago (B.S.)
Experience

Awards & Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Construction Law (2023-2026)
    • Litigation – Construction (2023-2026)
  • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business®, Construction Law (2008-2019)
  • California Super Lawyers®, Construction Law (2009, 2011)
  • Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Service, State Bar of California (2020)

Professional Memberships and Activities

  • State Bar of California
  • Construction Management Association of America (CMAA)
    • Southern California Chapter (2009-Present)
      • Past Chapter President (2013)
      • Board Member (2007-Present)
  • CMAA, Southern California Foundation Board
    • Founding Member
    • Board Member (2010-Present)
    • Past Treasurer
  • Engineering Contractors Association (ECA)
    • Board of Directors (2019)

Community Involvement

  • CMAA Southern California Chapter Foundation, Vice Chair of Charity Golf Event

Representative Presentations and Publications

Presentations

  • “California Construction Law Update,” Presenter, CMAA Southern California Chapter Webinar (February 17, 2026)
  • “California Construction Law Update,” Presenter, CMAA Southern California Chapter Legal Webinar (January 24, 2023)
  • “Contract & Project Issues in the Post COVID-19 Environment,” Co-Presenter, CMAA Southern California Chapter Educational Webinar (May 17, 2022)
  • “Limiting Liability and Exposure,” Co-Presenter, Structural Engineers Association of Arizona’s Risk Management and Ethics for Engineers Seminar (May 14, 2022)
  • “Construction Cost Impacts Post COVID-19: Cost Escalation and Delay,” Presenter, Engineering Contractors’ Association (May 11, 2022)
  • “Construction Law Round-Up – What’s New for 2022,” Presenter, CMAA Southern California Construction Law Round-Up 2021 Webinar (February 1, 2022)
  • “Last Chance Last Minute CLE: Alternative Project Delivery,” Co-Presenter, California MCLE Webinar hosted by Arcadis and Snell & Wilmer (January 27, 2022)
  • “Awards and Protests,” Presenter, American Society of Professional Estimators (December 15, 2021)
  • “Construction Costs Impacts Post COVID-19: Cost Escalation and Delay,” Presenter, Engineering Contractors’ Association (October 28, 2021)
  • “Rising Construction Material Costs – State of the Industry,” Co-Presenter, Nevada Contractors Association Diversity & Inclusion Council (August 17, 2021)
  • “Effective Management of Construction Projects for Owners/Construction Managers,” Presenter,  Construction Management Association of America Webinar (June 23, 2021)
  • “Construction Costs Impacts Post COVID-19 Cost Escalation and Delay,” Presenter, American Society of Professional Estimators Webinar (June 9, 2021)
  • “COVID-19 Aftermath, Construction Issues Impacting Project,” Panelist, Engineering Contractors’ Association (May 6, 2021)
  • “California Construction Law Update – What’s New for 2021?” Co-Presenter, Snell & Wilmer Webinar (March 3, 2021)
  • “Annual Construction Law Update – What’s New for 2021,” Presenter, Engineering Contractors’ Association Webinar (February 19, 2021)
  • “2020 Legal Roundup – New Laws and Cases of Interest,” Presenter, CMAA Southern California Annual Construction Law Update – What’s New for 2021 Webinar (February 5, 2021)
  • “COVID-19 Schedule Delay and Disruption: Navigating the Process,” Panelist, CMAA Southern California (San Diego) Chapter Educational Webinar (June 25, 2020)
  • “COVID-19 Schedule Delay and Disruption: Navigating the Process,” Panelist, CMAA Southern California Chapter Educational Webinar (June 9, 2020)
  • “Dealing with Coronavirus Impacts to Your Construction Project,” Presenter, Orange County Bar Association Construction Section Webinar (May 6, 2020)
  • “Everything You Need to Know About CARES Act,” Presenter, CMAA Southern California Chapter Webinar (May 5, 2020)
  • “COVID-19 Panel Discussion on Construction, Labor, and Cal/OSHA for Construction Managers, Owners, and Contractors,” Panelist, CMAA Southern California Chapter Educational Webinar (April 7, 2020)
  • “Coronavirus: Impact on Construction,” Co-Presenter, Snell & Wilmer Webinar (March 24, 2020)
  • “2020 California Construction Law Update,” Presenter, CMAA Southern California Chapter Legal Seminar, Long Beach, CA (January 28, 2020)
  • “The Dynamex Decision Revisited,” Presenter, CMAA Southern California Chapter Legal Seminar, Long Beach, CA (August 29, 2019)
  • “How Far is Too Far? Politics in Public Works Contracting,” Presenter, Engineering Contractors’ Association Legal Seminar, Anaheim, CA (April 19, 2019)
  • “2019 Construction Law Update,” Co-Presenter, CMAA Southern California Chapter Legal Seminar, Long Beach, CA (March 7, 2019)
  • “DiD Dynamex Destroy the Independent Contractor Model? How Dynamex Affects Your Project,” Co-Presenter, CMAA Southern California Chapter Legal Seminar, Long Beach, CA (October 4, 2018)
  • “Expanded Contractor Liability for Subcontractor Wages & Benefits – Private Works Construction,” Brown & Streza, Irvine, CA (February 16, 2018)
  • “Construction Law Update: What You Need to Know,” CMAA Southern California Chapter Legal Seminar, Long Beach, CA (February 8, 2018)
  • “Keys of Negotiation,” CMAA Southern California Chapter Legal Seminar, Long Beach, CA (October 26, 2017)
  • “Alternate Project Delivery Under California Law,” CMAA Southern California Chapter Legal Seminar, Long Beach, CA (October 19, 2017)
  • “Mechanics Liens – Stop Notices – Bonds: Tools and Concepts to Get Paid,” CMAA Southern California Chapter Legal Seminar, Long Beach, CA (October 20, 2016)

Publications

Publications
Feb 25, 2026
Under Construction

Under Construction – February 2026

Nov 26, 2025
Under Construction

Under Construction – November 2025

Feb 06, 2025
Under Construction

Under Construction – February 2025

Nov 08, 2024
Under Construction

Under Construction – November 2024

May 09, 2024
Under Construction

Under Construction – May 2024