Michael Norris

Attorney & Founder

A former Los Angeles County Ocean Lifeguard, having served from Santa Monica to Portugese Bend, and throughout the entire South Bay, Michael never spent one day working for the government as a prosecutor. He has always been a criminal defense lawyer, working in private practice, and he successfully tried his first murder trial to a Not Guilty verdict before the age of 30.

He grew up in Manhattan Beach, and played varsity water polo at the University of California, San Diego, before attending UCLA Law School, where he was the Vice President of the Student Bar Association in his final year.

His office has been "one hundred yards from shore" at the end of the Redondo Beach Pier, for over 45 years, and his windows look out at the Pacific Ocean shoreline where he spent many summers protecting the public.

Michael's children attended Chadwick School, overlooking the Palos Verdes Peninsula, from kindergarten through high school. One is a PhD and a professor, and the other is a litigation attorney. His wife is a professor at LMU.

He has been lead counsel of record in more than 60 murder, and attempted murder, cases during his career. He is a recognized expert in the area of Search and Seizure law, having taught the subject to various civilian and law enforcement groups; Served as a Contributor to James Publishing; And, Honored as a Contributor to Bell's Search and Seizure Compendium, at one time the bible of Search and Seizure law in California.

His peers and colleagues have bestowed him with a Preeminent Rating (The highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards) by Martindale-Hubbell, Lexis Nexis, and Lawyers.com. His fellow criminal defense bar with the California DUI Lawyer's Association (CDLA), has also awarded him the highest rating of Specialist, and he is the longest-tenured member with that rating in Los Angeles.

He personally and actively handles cases throughout California, and throughout the country. He has been attorney of record in courtrooms from Otay Mesa and San Diego, to Humboldt and Shasta. And he has defended clients in Spokane, Washington, Arizona, Miami, New Orleans, Louisville, St. Louis, Texas, and New York.

Michael has also been an appellate specialist since his law school days, when he authored 3 briefs to the Hawaii Supreme Court. He authored the published decision in People v. Tuttle (1981) 120 Cal. App. 3d 320, a case that established new guidelines for the issuance and service of search warrants for allege narcotics charges. He is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.

Michael also has the distinction of never having lost a federal trial.

Credentials & Affiliations

Professional Recognition & Organizations

Peer-Rated Specialist: member of the California DUI Lawyer's Association (CDLA), their highest ranking.
Peer-Rated Preeminent rating: by Martindale-Hubbell, Lexis Nexis, and Lawyers.com, their highest ranking.
Contributor: James Publishing, the legal publishing leader in California.
Contributor: Bell's Search and Seizure Compendium, at the time, the bible of Search and Seizure law in California.
Member: Inns of Court.
Admitted to Practice: before the United States Supreme Court.
Admitted to Practice: before the United States District Court for the Central District of California, the District Court of the Southern District of California, and the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
Member: California Attorneys for Criminal Justice.
Member: Criminal Courts Bar Association.
Member: National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Member: National College of DUI Defense
Member: Los Angeles County Bar Association.
Member: South Bay Bar Association.

Leadership & Service

Community Involvement

Formerly counsel: to the Pacific Coast Pop Warner Football Conference
Formerly President: of Palos Verdes Pop Warner Football & Cheer
Former Board Member: of the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program (RSVP)
Former Board Member: Switzer Center
Member: Kiwanis International
Former Member: of the Executive Committee of the Campaign for Chadwick
Former Member: Princeton University Parents Fund
Former Member: Princeton University Aspire Campaign
Lifetime Donor: Miller's Children's Hospital
Member: Dean's Circle, UCLA Law School
Member: Chancellor's Associates, University of California, at San Diego
Graduated with High Honors: University of California, San Diego
Youth coach: in soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and water polo
Lifetime of Martial Arts training: advancing to Black Belt in 2 separate disciplines
Avid cyclist: having ridden alongside the Tour de France 4 different years.

Awards

AV Preeminent (Peer Review Rated) by Martindale Hubbell

The National Trial Lawyers (Top 100 Trial Lawyers)

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

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Helping clients throughout the South Bay Beach communities and the Los Angeles area.

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The Law Offices of Michael Norris is proud to be your trusted local criminal defense attorney serving Redondo Beach, Torrance, Manhattan Beach, Lawndale and all of the South Bay Communities.

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120 Fishermans Wharf
Redondo Beach, CA 90277

310-376-0922

mnorris@mminternet.com