Michael J. Aguirre

  • Partner
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Location:

San Diego, CA

Phone:

Fax:

619-876-5368

Email:

Michael J. Aguirre is part of a family with a deep history in the legal community in San Diego. Both of his brothers practiced law in San Diego and Michael Aguirre has practiced law in San Diego for over 30 years. He served as an Assistant United States Attorney in San Diego after graduating from UC Berkeley School of law in 1975. He was then called to serve as an Assistant Counsel to the United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Michael Aguirre began his career prosecuting fraud cases and that has remained a staple of his practice ever since. He has won judgments against law firms, accounting firms, investment advisers, a major national broker dealer, and one of the largest international accounting firms.

Mr. Aguirre took up the representation of the United Farm Workers Union in a case personally managed by Cesar Chavez. After Mr. Chavez passed away the night following the second day of his testimony, Mr. Aguirre assembled a team of lawyers and together they won the case. Mr. Aguirre has represented members of Congress, a Superior Court judge, a San Diego Mayor, thousands of fraud victims, and municipal governments. Mr. Aguirre is deeply committed to scholarship. He holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

The Los Angeles Daily Journal selected Mr. Aguirre as one of the top 100 trial attorneys in the State of California. He is a Certified Fraud Examiner.

Areas of Practice

  • Business Fraud 40%
  • Franchise Fraud 10%
  • Unlawful Business Practices 15%
  • Public Pensions 10%
  • Taxpayer Litigation 5%
  • California Public Utilities Proceedings 10%
  • Fraudulent Claims 10%
  • Agribusiness
  • Antitrust Law
  • Mortgages & Foreclosures
  • Public Finance
  • State & Municipal Bonds & Financing
  • Reorganizations & Restructuring
  • Corporate Governance
  • Directors' & Officers' Liability
  • Shareholders' Rights
  • Gay & Lesbian Rights
  • Race Discrimination
  • Freedom of Information
  • Freedom of Press
  • Voting Rights
  • Criminal Fraud
  • Federal
  • Government Relations & Lobbying
  • Legislative Practice
  • Public Law
  • Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) -- Employee
  • Pensions, Benefits & Compensations -- Employee
  • Electric Power
  • Environmental Law
  • Insurance Law
  • Errors & Omissions Insurance
  • Fidelity, Guarantee & Surety
  • Insurance Malpractice
  • Collective Bargaining
  • Unfair Labor Practices
  • Bankruptcy Litigation
  • Complex Litigation
  • Federal Trial Practice
  • Multidistrict Litigation
  • State Trial Practice
  • US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • US Supreme Court

Litigation Percentage

95% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

  • California, 1974
  • New York, 1991
  • U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1974
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of California, 1974
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of California, 1974
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1974
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1974

Education

  • University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, Berkeley, California
    • J.D.
  • Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, Massachusetts
    • M.P.A. - 1989
    • Major: Public Administration
  • Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
    • B.S. - 1971
    • Major: Political Science

Representative Cases

  • Lubin v. Sybedon Corp., 688 F.Supp. 1425, 1988, SD Cal.
  • Alpha Group v. Bear Steams, 119 F.3d 5, 1997, 9th Cir.

Classes / Seminars

  • History of Organized Crime in America, University of Southern California, 1979 to 1980
  • History of the Presidency of John F. Kennedy, University of Southern California, 1980 to 1980

Past Employment Positions

  • United States Department of Justice, Assistant United States Attorney, 1975 to 1976
  • U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigation, Assistant Counsel, 1976 to 1977

Pro Bono Activities

  • Voting Rights Cases, 1989 to 2004
  • Public Interest Cases before Local, State, Federal Government, 1980 to 2011

Fraternities / Sororities

  • Phi Gamma Delta

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