Michael S. Burg

Michael S. Burg J.D. is one of America’s leading trial lawyers, a best-selling author, legal expert, and founding shareholder of Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine. A legal champion for victims of corporate and individual malfeasance, negligence, overreach, and abuse, Burg began his career fighting for the underdog and has gone on to successfully litigate some of the country’s most high-profile cases of the past four decades. Under Burg’s leadership, Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine has expanded to more than 65 attorneys across seven states. A national leader in mass tort and class action litigation, the firm has won more than $1 billion in verdicts, judgments, and settlements on behalf of its clients.

During his 43-year career, Burg has been a vigilant consumer watchdog, representing thousands of individuals and helping their families overcome catastrophic injuries and immense hardship. He has taken on big pharma in multiple dangerous drug mass tort cases including Fen-Phen, Yaz/Yasmin, Ortho Evra, and Pradaxa. Burg stood up to corporate greed fighting against UBS for knowingly selling risky mortgages to investors, creating the blueprint for many similar actions by states, municipalities, government regulators, and other aggrieved investors. More recently, Burg filed a sweeping action against 28 California wineries to stop them from selling toxic wine contaminated with arsenic. In 2019, Michael Burg secured a $58.5 million dollar verdict in compensatory and punitive damage for families who had donated bodies of their deceased loved ones to the Biological Resource Center.  He represented the victims of a fraudulent scheme to illegally sell human body parts of their loved one’s bodies that were supposed to be donated for scientific and medical education and research. The verdict is one of the largest civil case results in Arizona history.

Burg is a member of the Arizona, Colorado, and Nebraska bars and is an inductee into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, an honor that recognizes his lifelong dedication to representing clients at the highest level. Michael Burg is a recipient of the Clarence Darrow Award, and was inducted into the 2019 US Legal 500 Hall of Fame for Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices-Plaintiff. He was also recognized by Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year”  in 2018, for Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs, Denver.  In 2021, Law Week Colorado named Michael Burg as Barrister’s Choice (Editorial Selection) and People’s Choice for Best Overall Litigator  In 2022, 5280 Magazine recognized Michael Burg as a Top Lawyer in two categories: Civil Litigation and Personal Injury Plaintiff.  Also in 2022, Michael Burg received the Kenneth Norman Kripke Lifetime Achievement  Award, presented by the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association.  Mike Burg has been consistently recognized by Colorado Super Lawyers every year since 2006.

Burg is the author of the best-selling book, Trial by Fire: One Man’s Battle to End Corporate Greed and Save Lives, (BenBella Books 2016), a harrowing and moving account of his lifelong battle against corporate greed and corruption played out in a high-stakes courtroom drama.

Burg was admitted to the practice of law in 1976 after receiving a J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and a B.A. from the University of Denver. He’s an Advocate and Life Fellow of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, a Sustaining Fellow of the Roscoe Pound Institute and serves on the board of Denver’s Mizel Museum.

An active and committed member of his community, Burg is a noted supporter of Craig Hospital, Food Bank of the Rockies,  Toys for Tots, Make A Wish Colorado, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and the Denver Bar Association Community Action Network.

PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA 

Publications / Books

Trial by Fire: One Man's Battle to End Corporate Greed and Save Lives, Mike Burg, 2016.

"Anatomy of a Personal Injury Lawsuit," Co-Author – Chapter 29, Damages: Punitive Damages. February 2015.

Media

3/26/2022: Michael Burg is interviewed by The Damage Report with John Iadarola on the topics of body donation and the ongoing investigation of the stolen heads.

3/16/2022: Michael S. Burg is featured in The National Law Review for his reception of the Kenneth Norman Kripke Lifetime Achievement Award.

3/14/2022: 'Michael Burg founder of Burg Simpson on Stolen Heads" - Michael Burg is interviewed by 850 KOA  

3/11/2022: Michael Burg is interviewed by SiriusXM's The Laura Coates Show regarding body donation and the ongoing investigation of Science Care.

Part 1  | Part 2  | Part 3  

3/10/2022: "Stolen Box of Human Heads: More Questions and Answers." - Michael Burg is interviewed by Westword

3/7/2022: "Stolen human heads property of Aurora company." - Michael Burg interviewed by KDVR Fox 31 Denver  

3/7/2022: "Michael Burg to Receive CTLA Lifetime Achievement Award." -  Michael Burg is interviewed by Law Week Colorado

2/17/2022: "Appellate Court Reinstates $58.9M Judgment in Case over Black-Market Body Parts." - Michael  Burg interviewed by Law.com

11/10/2021: Michael Burg is interviewed by Cheddar's News anchor Jill Wagnor regarding the deadly Astroworld concert.

 11/8/2021: Michael Burg is interviewed on SiriusXM’s The Laura Coates Show regarding the tragic events that occurred at Astorworld's Travis Scott Concert in Houston, TX

11/8/2021: Michael Burg talks about the tragic deaths at Astroworld Concert in Texas on the Ross Kaminsky Show on KOA - iHeart Radio  

10/18/2021: "Golden woman suing after being hit in the head with rocks falling from railroad bridge" - Michael Burg is interviewed by Denver Channel TV 7  

10/11/2021: Michael Burg talks about possible lawsuits against Facebook on the Ross Kaminsky Show on KOA - iHeart Radio  

10/8/2021: "Thinking of Starting Your Own Firm? Mike Burg of Burg Simpson Offers Advice"
Michael Burg interviewed by Law Week Colorado  

9/10/21: "Managing Partners Talk DEI Initiatives, Common Pain Points and the Growing Need to Support Attorney Wellness to Retain Diver Talent," Law Week Colorado Managing Partner Roundtable

9/10/2021: "In Colorado, waiver law  limits legal options for amusement park riders." - Michael Burg interviewed by the Glenwood Springs Independent  

9/9/2021: "Glenwood Caverns has been sued before. Here’s what their liability waiver meant for the case." — Michael Burg interviewed by Fox31 regarding amusement part liability waivers.  

8/6/2021: "Denver woman severely burned by pressure cooker device that was later recalled due to injuries" - Michael Burg is interviewed by Denver Channel TV 7  

7/29/2021: Michael Burg is interviewed by WJAC TV News regarding the massive home explosion in Tyrone, PA.  

6/29/2021: Michael Burg is interviewed by WBAP News Dallas Fort Worth regarding the Texas gas explosion.  

12/21/2020: "Litigation Logjam Puts Plaintiffs at Risk" - Michael Burg is interviewed by Law Week Colorado

8/11/2020: Baltimore Gas Explosions - Michael Burg Interviewed by Fox TV News - Baltimore, MD.

8/11/2020: Baltimore Gas Explosions - Michael Burg Interviewed by Washington Post

7/23/2020: Nearly 2 years after fatal Heather Gardens explosion, victim's son speaks out for the first time"
Michael Burg is interviewed by Denver Channel TV 7

7/23/2020: "How Legal Practices Are Embracing Technological Change In The Workplace"
Michael Burg is interviewed by Advisor TV

6/1/2020: "A Triumph for Justice"
Michael Burg is interviewed by Colorado Lawyer about the "Body Parts Case"

3/30/2020: "Colorado Body Part Scheme Results in Indictment, Burg Simpson Continues Cases"
Michael Burg interviewed by Law Week Colorado about the Sunset Mesa Body Broker Case

3/18/2020: Michael Burg interviewed by Westword about the Sunset Mesa Body Broker Case

12/19/19: Burgsimpson.com. Michael Burg Weighs in on the Battle Against "Big Vape".

12/12/19: Burgsimpson.com. “There is More Work to be Done to Protect Consumers from Body Brokers."

12/11/ 2019: Michael Burg interviewed by The Daily Show regarding the $58 million verdict in the Biological Resource Center case in Arizona.

11/26/ 2019: Michael Burg interviewed by Westword regarding the $58 million verdict in the Biological Resource Center case in Arizona.

11/20/2019: Michael Burg interviewed by Contact 7 Chief Investigative Reporter Tony Kovaleski regarding $58 Million Verdict in the "Body Parts Case"

11/19/19: CBS TV News 5- Arizona, Jury Awards a $58.5 Million Verdict in the "Body Parts Case"

9/10/2019: Michael Burg is interviewed on KOA NewsRadio's Colorado Morning News about the harm associated with vaping as an alternative to cigarettes for teenagers

8/1/2019: Michael Burg discusses the Opioid Epidemic Litigation

7/29/2019: Michael Burg is interviewed by HNL regarding human body parts cases

7/29/2019: Michael Burg discusses the human body parts case on the Andy Caldwell Radio Show

5/10/2019: Michael Burg interviewed by Contact 7 Chief Investigative Reporter Tony Kovaleski regarding Sunset Mesa Funeral Home

10/16/2018: Michael Burg featured on 9 News with Kyle Clark to discuss the need for legislation to regulate the body broker industry.

12/20/2017: Sirius XM “The Morning Briefing” feature in which Michael Burg discusses repeal of net neutrality.

12/27/2017: KOA Radio Denver interviews Michael Burg on the topics of the Equifax Breach and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s anti-arbitration rule.

12/17/2017: Michael Burg discusses the repeal of net neutrality on CNN “New Day Weekend”

12/13/2017: Michael Burg provides insight into the issue of net neutrality as a HuffPost contributor.

11/28/2017: Michael Burg sounds off on Mick Mulvaney in a HuffPost article.

11/17/2017: Michael Burg authors an article for The HuffPost about Roy Moore.

10/30/2017: Michael Burg discusses the Equifax breach and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s anti-arbitration rule with Law Week Colorado.

10/29/2017: ABC 7 Denver interviews Michael Burg on the topic of the Equifax breach and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s anti-arbitration rule.

9/26/2017: Digital news outlet, Reuters TV, discusses the Equifax breach as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s anti-arbitration rule with Burg Simpson founder Michael Burg.

9/23/2017: Michael Burg discusses the Equifax Breach + Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s anti-arbitration rule on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal”.

8/14/17: Michael Burg provides an op-ed piece to STAT News on the Supreme Court ruling in the Bristol Myers-Squibb case.

6/5/2017: Michael Burg takes a closer look at Trump’s FDA Commissioner nominee Scott Gottlieb in an article in the MedCity News.

5/10/2017: As Scott Gottlieb prepares to take the reins at the FDA, Michael Burg provides some insights in a Law360 article.

4/28/2017: Michael Burg's Letter to the Editor is featured in the Wall Street Journal.

4/7/2017: BBC Radio's "Up All Night" features a phone interview with Mike Burg as they discuss President Trump's selection of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. 

4/4/2017: In an interview on the P.O.T.U.S (Politics of the United States) channel on the Sirius XM Radio network, Michael Burg discusses Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch and a potential Democratic filibuster.

3/20/2017: Michael Burg contributes an Op-Ed submission featured in U.S. News & World Report, weighing in on Neil Gorsuch and his critics.

2/7/2017: Business Insider provides an in-depth look at the effects of Neil Gorsuch's Supreme Court nomination on the business community. The article features an interview with Michael Burg.

2/1/2017: Internet TV station, Cheddar, interviews Michael Burg (1:31:40) as they discuss Washington's reaction to Neil Gorsuch's Supreme Court nomination. 

1/31/2017: The Denver Post interviewed several prominent attorneys and politicians after the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, including Michael Burg.

1/31/2017: CBS News 4 showcases potential Supreme Court Nominee Neil Gorsuch. Michael Burg is interviewed.

4/28/2016: Michael Burg is featured on CBS4 Denver for his induction into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame

4/28/2016: Michael Burg is featured on 850KOA for his induction into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame

4/19/2016: Michael Burg is featured in the Denver Post for his induction into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame

2/29/16: Ring of Fire host Farron Cousins talks with Michael Burg about taxes and the government's resistance to upgrade America's infrastructure.

2/18/16: Michael Burg talks with Ring of Fire host Farron Cousins about the nationwide problem of contaminated water. Despite a ban on lead pipes, nothing has been done to replace those pipes in many communities across the country.

2/1/16: Michael Burg talks with Ring of Fire host Farron Cousins about the regulations that are good for business, the public, and our families.

1/11/2016: Michael S. Burg talks with Farron Cousins about what to expect from the Republicans in 2016, on Ring of Fire.

12/17/2015: Michael Burg talks with Farron Cousins about big pharma's new ripoff.

10/5/2015: Through predatory lending and investing, Wall Street banks are now effectively driving some cities into bankruptcy. Michael Burg explains on this episode of Ring of Fire what is happening with variable rate demand bonds in many municipalities.

9/28/2015: Michael Burg will tell us how, and why, the Republican Party is holding President Obama’s judicial nominees hostage, on this episode of Ring of Fire.

9/21/2015: AT&T has been helping the U.S. spy on its own citizens, and Michael Burg explains, on Ring of Fire, how the telecom giant became the U.S. government’s number one data miner.

7/10/2015: Michael Burg joins host Mike Papantonio on Ring of Fire as they discuss the disparity between wages that CEOs earn and what the common worker earns.

3/26/2015: The Big Picture® TV show interviews Michael Burg about the arsenic found in certain wines, and the implications for consumer health, truth in labeling, and ethical considerations.

3/25/2015: Michael Burg discusses the recent findings of dangerous levels of inorganic arsenic in certain low-cost wines, on Ring of Fire.

3/19/2015: On March 19, 2015, Burg Simpson filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court alleging that certain California wineries are violating state law by knowingly producing, marketing and selling arsenic contaminated wine, and failing to warn consumers about the potential danger. Michael Burg, along with shareholder David TeSelle, represents Burg Simpson at the press conference announcing this lawsuit.

12/7/14: Michael Burg speaks with Mike Papantonio on Ring of Fire TV about big box stores such as Walmart and the war over fair wages.

7/27/14: Michael Burg and Ring of Fire guest host, Farron Cousins, discuss the multi-billion dollar Citigroup settlement after the Obama administration began investigating potential criminal activities from banks.

6/26/14: In a Ring of Fire interview, Michael Burg explains why the Department of Justice continues to fail to protect consumers from financial fraud.

6/2/14: Corporate America turns a profit, but burns the average citizen on taxes. Ring of Fire’s Mike Papantonio and Michael Burg explain.

4/8/14: Ring of Fire guest host Farron Cousins and Michael Burg discuss fraud within the largest mortgage servicing company in the country.

4/4/14: Michael Burg discusses the motives behind voter suppression in the upcoming election on the latest Ring of Fire segment.

11/04/13: Recently, President Obama weakened the rules for defense contractors, and they are now allowed to sell deadly weapons to countries that are less than friendly to the United States. Michael Burg discusses on Ring of Fire.

10/10/13: Michael Burg was recently presented with the Clarence Darrow Award at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Watch his acceptance speech.

9/26/13: America is starting to resemble a banana republic. Michael Burg speaks with Ring of Fire host Mike Papantonio about this issue.

9/17/13: Michael Burg speaks on Ring of Fire about the de-evolution of the GOP.

8/27/13: Michael Burg speaks with Ring of Fire host Mike Papantonio and attorney Howard Nations about how labor unions could have prevented worker deaths and other atrocities around the world.

8/19/13: The Republican Party is suffering from a severe identity crisis, but rather than trying to solve their problems, they’ve decided to attack members of their own party. Ring of Fire guest host, Farron Cousins, talks about the GOP's circular firing squad with attorney Mike Burg.

8/11/13: Wall Street is raking in billions by manipulating the commodities market, and Michael Burg shares the details about this scam on Ring of Fire Radio.

6/28/13: The effects of corporate money are just as apparent in the judiciary as they are in the other branches of our government. Ring of Fire guest host Farron Cousins discusses this with attorney Michael Burg.

6/10/13: The drug industry has evolved into one of the most corrupt and dishonest industries in America. Michael Burg speaks on the Ring of Fire Radio show.

5/16/13: Michael Burg speaks with Mike Papantonio and Joe Cotchett about what corporate money is doing to academic research.

5/08/13: Billionaire Koch Brothers are trying to buy media outlets across the country. Michael Burg discusses the dangers with Mike Papantonio and Howard Nations.

4/24/13: Ed Schultz Show: Michael Burg discusses the dangerous gambling on Wall Street that’s putting the public’s money at risk.

4/21/13: Michael Burg discusses the threat that derivatives and other Wall Street “garbage” poses to our savings accounts.

4/10/13: People don’t understand how important unions are to this country. Watch Michael Burg on the Ring of Fire TV show.

4/2/13: Watch Michael Burg with Mike Papantonio discuss how big pharma is ripping off the Federal Government.

3/25/13: Michael Burg speaks with Mike Papantonio about immunity afforded to the makers of generic pharmaceutical drugs and the role of the FDA.

3/25/13: Michael Burg was recently quoted in a Wall Street Journal securities fraud article.

3/12/13: Ed Schultz Show: Guest host Mike Papantonio and Michael Burg discuss the Justice Department's failure to act when it comes imprisoning those to blame for the economic crisis.

2/24/13: Ring of Fire TV show – Michael Burg speaks about defense contractors stealing billions of dollars from the federal government.