About Mike
Mike is a seasoned trial lawyer and mediator whose nearly 40-year career has been devoted to medical malpractice, elder abuse, medical device, and general tort cases. As an attorney, he participated in more than 2,000 mediations, and he has served as the mediator in over 100 matters. Colleagues routinely call on him to mediate their most difficult medical malpractice and elder abuse cases, and he is frequently selected for complex, high-stakes, high-value, multi-party disputes.
He began his career at Baker, Silberberg & Keener, where he became a partner, and in 1994 he co-founded Carroll, Kelly & Trotter (now Kelly, Trotter & Franzen). He has tried more than 100 jury trials, handled over 50 binding arbitrations, and served on the trial panels of leading healthcare systems and insurers, including Kaiser Permanente, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and The Doctors Company. He has also defended healthcare providers in major class actions, including the Breast Implant, Phen-Fen, and Talc litigation.
That depth of experience gives Mike a clear understanding of how these cases are valued, tried, and resolved, along with the credibility to help parties reach realistic outcomes in cases where the medicine, the damages, and the emotions are all complex.
Mike is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a Diplomate of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and holds Martindale-Hubbell’s AV Preeminent rating. He has been named a Super Lawyer and one of the Best Lawyers in America every year since 2005, and was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of the Top 10 Medical Malpractice Defense Attorneys in Southern California. He is also a frequent speaker on risk management, informed consent, trial advocacy, and elder abuse.
I truly believe in mediation. Over the years it has provided my clients the unique ability to manage risk, to exert some control over the outcome of the litigation, and more often than not, to do the right thing.
Areas of Focus
- All Types of Medical Malpractice
- Elder Abuse
- Personal Injury
Career
- 2026–presentFull-time Neutral
- 1994–2026Co-Founder, Carroll, Kelly & Trotter (now Kelly, Trotter & Franzen)Medical malpractice, pharmacy malpractice, elder abuse, products liability, general liability, and medical device defense, including the reproductive and fertility space
- 1993–1994Partner, Baker, Silberberg & Keener
- 1988–1993Associate, Baker, Silberberg & Keener
Education & Admissions
- J.D., University of Southern California Gould School of Law (1988)
- B.A., History & Political Science, Georgetown University (1985)
- Admitted, State Bar of California (1988)
- Admitted, United States District Court, Central District of California
Professional Affiliations
- American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
- American Board of Trial Advocates, Diplomate
- Association of Southern California Defense Counsel
- California Medical Legal Committee
- International Association of Defense Counsel
- 8th Street Lawyers, Founding Member
Achievements & Awards
- AV Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- Super Lawyers (2005–2026)
- Best Lawyers in America (2005–2026); “Lawyer of the Year,” Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Orange County (2014)
- Lee B. Wenzel Civility Award, Los Angeles Chapter of ABOTA (2020)
- “Top 10 Medical Malpractice Defense Attorneys in Southern California,” Los Angeles Business Journal (2005)
- “Defense Trial Lawyer of the Year,” Verdictum Juris (2000)
Speaking & Media
- Invited speaker on risk management, informed consent, trial advocacy, and elder abuse
- Featured in Verdict magazine’s “Name of the Game” and the Los Angeles Daily Journal’s “Litigator Profile”
Outside the Office
Mike grew up in Orange County and lives in Rossmoor with his wife, Mary. They have four children. In his free time, he enjoys skiing, golf, and Mater Dei football.