Michael “Mickey” Ley is a Burns, Figa & Will shareholder. Mr. Ley is a trial lawyer who represents businesses and individuals in all forms of commercial disputes, including construction, suretyship, officer and director liability, company ownership, employment, wage and hour, trade secrets, contracts, business torts, and post-acquisition. He also assists for-profit and non-profit companies as their “outside general counsel”—helping these companies with ongoing needs such as risk management, compliance, best practices, contract drafting, and litigation avoidance. Mr. Ley’s litigation and arbitration practice is nationwide, having handled cases from Oregon to New York and Delaware. Mr. Ley has also successfully handled appeals in the Colorado Court of Appeals, Colorado Supreme Court, and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Active in the community, Mr. Ley’s volunteer and philanthropic causes include the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the World Wildlife Fund, his church, and numerous pro bono clients. In his free time, Mr. Ley is an avid golfer, runner, hiker, and fan of Colorado sports teams. He especially enjoys spending time with his wife, son, and daughter.
Areas of Expertise
- Commercial Litigation
- Arbitration
- Surety and Fidelity
- Construction
- Commercial Transactions
- Non-Profits
- Class Action Defense
- Partnership, Corporation, and LLC Disputes
- Officer and Director Liability
- Personal Injury
- Contract Disputes
- Business Torts
- Employment Discrimination
- Wage Disputes
- Trade Secrets/Non-Competition Agreements
Education
- University of Colorado Law School, J.D. (2011)
- University of Colorado Law Review
- Texas Christian University, B.A. (2008)
Bar Admissions
- Colorado
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
- 10th Circuit Court of Appeals
Articles, Publications, and Speaking Engagements
- Contributing Author of Colorado Chapter to “Schor: Fifty State Construction Lien and Bond Law” (Wolter Kluwer, 2024 ed. & yearly updates).
- Contributing Co-Author, Colorado Chapter to: “Dodd and Findlay, State-By-State Guide to Construction Contracts and Claims” (Wolter Kluwer, 2014 ed. & yearly updates).
- Author, Application of Colorado’s Pro Rata Liability Statute to Contract Damages, published in the June 2016 issue of the Colorado Lawyer.
- Assistant Editor, The Contract Bond Surety’s Subrogation Rights (George J. Bachrach, James D. Ferrucci & Dennis J. Bartlett eds., Am. Bar. Ass’n 2013).
- Timely Presentation of Lien and Bond Claims, presented at the August 13, 2013, meeting of the Rocky Mountain Surety Association.
- Expedited Trial Programs, moderated panel discussion at the March 7, 2013, Marsh Inn of Court.
- Coauthor, Green Building Projects, AIA Sustainable Agreements and Their Impact on the Surety, presented at the Surety & Fidelity Claims Institute Conference on June 27-29, 2012
Recent Representative Litigation and Arbitration Successes
- Full award for client in New York arbitration to recover finder’s fee for financial services industry client (2023)
- Defense of multi-million-dollar arbitration claims (2023)
- Full award for client and defense of counterclaims in post-acquisition dispute arbitration in Delaware (2022)
- Successful Colorado Court of Appeals appeal in business tort/ownership action (2022)
- Full dismissal of claims in defense of professional negligence action (2022)
- Full dismissal of claims in breach of contract action (2021)
- Prevailing party in a 2-week jury trial in theft of trade secret/business ownership case (2020)
- Reported Colorado Court of Appeals victory in business tort action (2020)
- Reported Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals victory in business tort action (2019)
- Reported Colorado Supreme Court victory in water rights action (2018)
- Defended two oil field service companies in contested receivership hearings (2017)
- Successful motion to dismiss claim by former employee for equity ownership in drilling company (2017)
- Numerous summary judgment victories for sureties against indemnitors
- Numerous successful actions for eviction of commercial tenants and recovery of unpaid commercial rent
