Milwaukee Attorney Michael Karp Named Outstanding Young Trial Lawyer

December 20, 2024 (Madison) The Wisconsin Association for Justice (WAJ) is proud to announce that Attorney Michael Karp of Milwaukee has been named Wisconsin’s Outstanding Young Trial Lawyer for 2024. Karp was also elected by his peers to join the WAJ’s Board of Directors.

Karp is the co-founder of Trial Lawyers of Wisconsin, a firm specializing in jury trials against billion-dollar insurance companies, mega-corporations, and the government. The firm’s mission is to make the world a safer and better place for everyone by holding the powerful accountable. It limits its practice to a small number of complex injury cases including wrongful death, premises liability, insurance bad faith, medical malpractice, negligent security, and class action cases.

The right to a civil jury trial, embedded in the U.S. (7th Amendment) and Wisconsin (Article I, § 5) constitutions, is one of our oldest consumer safety nets. The frequency of jury trials, however, has long been in decline, making Michael’s skill and record all the more impressive. For example, in 2023, there were only 69 civil jury trials in the state of Wisconsin (for tort cases).

“Michael has, at a young age, proven himself to be a dedicated and fearless advocate for his clients,” said Noah Domnitz, who will serve as WAJ President for 2024-25 and who was honored alongside Karp at WAJ’s President’s Dinner and Reception at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee on December 6.

“As a past winner of this award and somebody who believes it is important for lawyers to try cases to right wrongs, make products safer, and most importantly to ensure that injured people obtain a full measure of justice, I could not be more honored for Michael to win this award during my tenure as WAJ President. He has absolutely earned this recognition.”

In the past two years alone, Michael has taken 4 cases to verdict, winning large awards for his clients, even when taking on challenging cases with “bad facts.”

• In 2024, Michael and his partner, Attorney and fellow WAJ Member Robert Welcenbach, obtained a record-breaking eight-figure pain and suffering award for a man who developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) after an injury caused by a dangerous condition on the defendants’ property. The jury’s verdict soared past the defense’s $25,000 recommendation.

• In 2023, Michael secured a seven-figure pain and suffering award for young woman with a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in a case where the defendant’s final offer was $150,000.

Michael enjoys spending time collaborating, mentoring, and consulting with top trial lawyers across the country in hopes of protecting and improving the civil justice system.

Michael’s success would not be possible without the love and support of his wife, Megan, and their two daughters, Kennedy (2) and Quinn (4 months).

About the Outstanding Young Trial Lawyer Award: This award recognizes a trial lawyer who has shown exceptional dedication to their craft and reflected WAJ’s mission of protecting access to the courts. WAJ’s mission includes promoting the administration of justice for the public good, upholding the honor and dignity of the profession of law, and protecting and exercising the right of trial by jury.

To be eligible, a nominee must be a licensed attorney under 40 years of age or in practice less than 10 years who has shown outstanding dedication to the WAJ mission or demonstrated significant legal skill and accomplishment.

About WAJ: WAJ was founded in 1957. As the largest statewide voluntary bar association, WAJ’s mission is ensuring a fair and effective judicial system and the protection of the Constitutional right to a civil jury trial.

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NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.