Michelle Burton, Esq

Michelle Burton is the Managing Partner of Burton Kelley LLP, a boutique trial litigation firm specializing in complex insurance coverage issues, bad faith defense, insurance fraud and defense, professional liability, and regulatory compliance.

 

Ms. Burton is a seasoned and respected trial lawyer who has obtained numerous jury trial defense verdicts for her clients against multi-million dollar claims throughout California. In addition to her trial practice, Ms. Burton held her Appellate Specialist Certification from 2013 to 2023. Ms. Burton has authored and argued numerous appeals addressing insurance-related matters including application of the grow house exclusion to fire claims and rescission. She frequently provides webinars on claims handling, coverage issues and litigation strategies. She has acted as counsel and an Umpire in numerous insurance appraisal matters. Ms. Burton jointly argued Lee v. California Capitol Insurance Co. in a joint appeal which clarified the law in appraisal proceedings. She has been a speaker at the DRI on emerging coverage issues for the Cannabis industry.

 

The Combined Claims Conference on Property Appraisals and the ABTL on jury selection and use of technology in the court room and insurance issues. Ms. Burton has served as the President of the San Diego Chapter of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers (2018) and has been recognized as a Lawyer of Distinction in Civil Litigation (2015-2022), Super Lawyer (2018-2024), AVVO Top-Rated Lawyer (2018-2023) and in Lawyer Monthly’s Women in Law Awards (2018). She sits on the Statewide Civility Task force and has been nominated for the Hon. David H. Batick Award for Civility and Professionalism. She is also a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, an honor open to only one percent of lawyers, for her commitment to the legal profession and her community.