Michael D. Carter

Of Counsel

Michael D. Carter is an experienced litigator and represents a wide variety of parties in environmental and toxic tort cases in state and federal courts. In addition, he is a long-time policy advisor on workers’ compensation issues in the state of Oklahoma.

Contact

Michael D. Carter
Of Counsel

mdcarter@phillipsmurrah.com

Oklahoma City
405.235.4100 Main
405.606.4715 Direct
405.235.4133 Fax

Practice Areas

Product Liability Litigation
Labor and Employment
Insurance Defense and Coverage
Workers Compensation

Profile

BIOGRAPHY

Michael D. Carter is a member of the Firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group and Chair of the Toxic Torts Practice Group. He represents both privately-held and public companies in a wide range of employment, environmental and litigation matters, with a strong emphasis on toxic tort defense. Michael has many years of experience in the field of workers' compensation and has served as both a member and chair of the Oklahoma Advisory Council of Workers' Compensation.

Michael has defended multi-party asbestos, talc, respirable dust, silica and benzene exposure cases in multiple jurisdictions across the United States, including state courts, federal district courts and federal multi-district litigation. His clients in toxic tort litigation have included equipment manufacturers, distributors, contractors, premises owners, manufacturers of industrial talc, manufacturers of products containing cosmetic talc, manufacturers of joint compound, manufacturers of fire brick, felt, gaskets and kiln-entry suits, manufacturers of motor oil, grease, fuel and lubricants, and manufacturers of welding rods and brazing rods.

In addition, Michael represents management in all areas of the employment relationship, including representation before the EEOC and other federal and state regulatory agencies, mediation and arbitration and litigation in federal and state courts. He also counsels clients in employment matters, including development of employment policies, absence-management, employer immigration compliance, employment contracts, employee handbooks and issues involving professional employer organizations and human resources outsourcing.

Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, and raised in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Michael resides in Norman, Oklahoma.

EDUCATION

University of Oklahoma (B.A., 1979)
University of Oklahoma College of Law (J.D., 1982)

ADMISSIONS

1982, Oklahoma
1982, U.S. District Court, Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Oklahoma
1988, U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
1991, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
1994, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Oklahoma Bar Association
Oklahoma County Bar Association
Oklahoma Association of Defense Counsel (President, 2017; Director,1998-2001; 2010-2012; Legislative Director, 2012-2014)
Defense Research Institute (Board of Directors, 2021-present; State Representative 2018-2021; State Membership Chair 2017-2018)
Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
American Bar Association
Oklahoma Advisory Council on Workers’ Compensation (Member, 2007-present; Chair, 2011-present)
Oklahoma Indigent Defense System (Board Member, 1999-2001)
Luther Bohanon American Inn of Court XXIII (President, 2016-17; Master)
Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Self-Insurance Guaranty Fund (Board Member, 2012-2018)

Experience

EXPERIENCE

Represented Georgia Talc Company as co-national counsel during National Tire Workers’ Litigation
Defended, coordinated and directed the defense of asbestos cases involving over 2,000 plaintiffs in Oklahoma, Ohio, Arkansas, Pennsylvania and Texas
CRST Van Expedited, Inc. v. J.B. Hunt: 2006 WL 335765 (Oklahoma counsel for CRST in case involving intentional interference with employment contracts)
Hider v. Valero Energy: Obtained unusual dismissal of race discrimination case for Valero in arbitration before JAMS
Jackson v. Anchor Packing Co., 994 F.2d 1295 (8th Cir. 1993), (summary judgment for Georgia Talc affirmed)

EXPERTISE

Represents product manufacturers, distributors, contractors and premises owners in asbestos exposure/mesothelioma litigation
Represents product manufacturers in talc litigation
Represents companies in environmental cleanup/hazard matters
Represents product manufacturers in silica/silicosis litigation
Represents product manufacturers in benzene exposure/AML litigation
Represents employers before the EEOC, and represents of employers in litigation brought by EEOC
Represents employers in litigation and arbitration of matters involving breach of employment contracts, wrongful termination, non-compete agreements ADA, and race, sex and age discrimination
Represents employers in workers’ compensation matters

Recognition

RECOGNITION

Defense Research Institute (DRI) Kevin Driskill Outstanding State Representative Award (2021)
Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™
Best Lawyers®: Lawyer of the Year in OKC - Insurance Law (2021)
Best Lawyers®: Lawyer of the Year in OKC - Workers' Compensation Law - Employers (2017, 2020)
Best Lawyers®: Litigation - Insurance (2022-present)
Best Lawyers®: Insurance Law (2021-present)
Best Lawyers®: Litigation – Labor and Employment (2020-present)
Best Lawyers®: Labor Law – Management (2019-present)
Best Lawyers®: Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers (2012-present)

Publications

Michael D. Carter

Of Counsel

BIOGRAPHY

EDUCATION

ADMISSIONS

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

EXPERIENCE

EXPERTISE

RECOGNITION

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