Mr Michael Traynor

Michael Traynor is a senior counsel in the Cooley Godward Litigation department. Resident in the San Francisco office, he has been with the Firm since 1963 and served as a partner for over 35 years (1969-2004).

Mr. Traynor specializes in appellate, intellectual property, business, and First Amendment litigation, in internal corporate investigations, and in product liability and risk management counseling. Varied cases at the trial and appellate level have involved him in appearances before state courts and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, and also before administrative agencies and arbitrators. He is a member of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers. He also serves as a mediator for the U.S. District Court in San Francisco.

Mr. Traynor is President of the American Law Institute.

In 2004, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit awarded him its outstanding lawyer award. The award, given in the name of John P. Frank, recognizes a lawyer who has "demonstrated outstanding character and integrity; dedication to the rule of law; proficiency as a trial and appellate lawyer; success in promoting collegiality among members of the bench and bar; and a lifetime of service to the federal courts of the Ninth Circuit."

In 2002, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences elected him a Fellow.

In 1995, the American Association for the Advancement of Science named him a Fellow “for research and publication on issues at the intersection of science and law in biotechnology, the environment, and information technology.”

Prior to joining Cooley, Mr. Traynor served from 1961 to 1963 as a deputy attorney general of the State of California, engaging in public law practice and litigation.

Mr. Traynor attended Harvard Law School, where he received a J.D. in 1960. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1955 with a B.A. in Economics.

He is a member of the American Law Institute, American Academy of Arts & Sciences, California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Bar Association of San Francisco, Environmental Law Institute, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the American Bar Association

For a list of publications:

http://www.cooley.com/attorneys/content.aspx?id=Michael_Traynor_Publica…

BAR ADMISSIONS: The State Bar of California

COURT ADMISSIONS: United States Supreme Court;U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit;U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia; U.S. District Court, Northern, Central, Southern and Eastern Districts of California; U.S. Tax Court and U.S. Court of Federal Claims