Meet Michael Rooney, our Attorney of the Year

Michael Rooney joined ALRP as a Panel Attorney in 2007 and has accepted 36 referrals since that time, often going above and beyond to support clients on multiple matters.

In 2023, he contributed over 200 hours of pro bono time to ALRP, including work on two affirmative housing cases for ALRP clients.

On October 24, ALRP will be recognizing Mike as Attorney of the Year at our 41st Anniversary Annual Reception.

You joined ALRP as a Panel Attorney in 2007. How did you hear about us, and what inspired you to get involved?

I went to Golden Gate University School of Law and participated in the Honors Lawyering Program. And during law school, I did a clerkship over the summer and worked on some ALRP matters. One of those was a landlord-tenant matter where I managed to force a landlord to provide a reasonable accommodation and withdraw an eviction. Things basically went from night to day for the client, all based on a letter. Especially as a law student just starting out, it felt very noble, like I was doing the right thing and helping people. So when I got my license in 2007, I joined ALRP as a Panel attorney, and I’ve been involved ever since.

Almost 20 years later, what keeps you involved today?

The continuing need, first, I would say. And the ALRP cases just remain so worthy to me. As you become disillusioned with a profession that can sometimes have its priorities in the wrong place, ALRP and its clients have really given me things to work on that I find very rewarding professionally.

Can you share any highlights from your work with ALRP?

One of the most rewarding cases for me was a few years ago. I managed to get a personal injury client a very good settlement—which, I would say, required overcoming a systemic bias that a lot of our clients face.

We went to mediation, and it didn’t go well whatsoever. Luckily, I had a very good relationship with my opposing counsel in that case. We talked afterwards, and she told me that the mediator had specifically told her not to go over a certain sum that he had determined, in his mind, the client’s case was worth—less than what she was authorized. She basically told me that the mediator killed our settlement.

My client and I knew that amount wasn’t sufficient, and we didn’t accept it. So then we had to fight for another 14 months after that mediation, to get to the eve of trial, at which point we went to San Francisco’s mandatory judicial settlement conference—and we got a large multiplier of what the mediator had ingrained in the defendants was an appropriate amount.

And so I felt like that was a huge victory, because I do still see a lot of bias toward our clients. Anytime you deal with an insurance company, as compared to my other personal injury cases, there’s a discrepancy in the settlement values on comparable injuries. It’s never equal.

I’m so glad you were able to have a successful outcome in that case and get the client what he deserved.

We’re still friends. I attended his wedding in New York!

Anything else you’d like to share?

I’m grateful for ALRP, and it’s been a rewarding experience all the way through. I’m looking forward to continuing to help our clients.