Ording, Michael K.

EXPERIENCE

More than twenty five years experience in ethics/professional responsibility/risk management advising senior law firm management and partners. Over thirty years experience preparing and trying complex cases before federal and state courts and administrative agencies throughout the United States.

George R. Clark Jan. 2004-present
Attorney at Law
910 17th Street, N.W., Suite 800
Washington, D.C. 20006

Solo practice exclusively representing law firms, lawyers, and their clients in all aspects of professional responsibility, ethics, and risk management. Act as expert witness on professional responsibility and standard of care issues.

Render advice and opinions and consult regularly with law firms and individual lawyers on all issues related to professional responsibility and ethics including, e.g., business intake decisions, conflicts of interest, lateral hiring, attorney-client privilege, disqualification, fee disputes, Rule 11, dissatisfied clients, bar complaints and admissions, lawyers changing firms, insurance coverage, attorney discipline, attorney client privilege, advertising, risk management policies and procedures, engagement letters, subpoenas, mergers, and business subsidiaries.

Reed Smith LLP, Partner 1989 – Dec. 2003
Washington, D.C.

• Ethics/professional responsibility/risk management partner for Reed Smith D.C. with extensive firmwide duties for 1000 lawyer firm with 18 U.S. offices and U.K. (ALAS Loss Prevention partner until firm withdrew from ALAS).
• Claims investigation and management, including selecting, supervising and actively working with outside counsel and insurers, in claims and suits nationwide.
• Insurer audits and annual and loss prevention meetings with insurers.
• Design, develop, and implement law firm ethics training and counseling program.
• Prosecute and defend as first-chair, trials (up to 10 weeks and 100 or more depositions) of numerous complex and protracted civil cases, with recoveries ranging up to $200 million. Appeals argued in several U.S. Courts of Appeal and various state Supreme Courts.
• Extensive experience mentoring/training lawyers during 10 years as Assistant Litigation Group Head; developed and implemented a 2 year long trial training program.

Pierson, Ball & Dowd, Partner 1980-89, Associate 1973-80 1973-1989
Washington, D.C.
(Merged into Reed Smith 1989)

• ALAS Loss Prevention partner for malpractice insurance and in-house counsel on ethics/conflict of interest and related issues.
• Prepared and tried complex cases in federal and state courts across U.S., on health care, communications, libel and invasion of privacy, antitrust, and business tort issues.
• Served on Executive Committee during Reed Smith merger negotiations; negotiated final agreement.
• Head of Litigation Practice Group (5 years).

Law Clerk for the Honorable William B. Jones 1972-1973
United States District Court for the District of Columbia