Michael Schafer
Mike is the founder of The Schafer Law Office. He has been licensed in the state of Kentucky since 1986, graduating from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law. Mike has over 25 years of practical yet innovative experience dealing with personal injury cases. Unlike many attorneys who use paralegals to manage cases, write briefs, motions and meet with clients, Mike makes it his personal goal to be personally involved in all of those things. He gives a great deal of personal attention to each and every case. In his free time, Mike enjoys skiing, making as many trips to Big Sky and Snow Bird as he can in a year, as well as rooting for the University of Louisville Cardinals at sporting events.
Auto Injury Settlement Offer Calculations: Not That Unfair If You Know the Rules
Our recent webinar covered these settlement topics:
- An overview of claims management software programs
- A behind-the-curtain look at how these programs work
- The ‘rules’ software programs follow when determining your client’s initial settlement offer
- What we’ve learned from former insurance adjusters and national lawsuits
- An actual case study from start to finish
Auto insurance companies have a responsibility to their shareholders to be as profitable as possible. Over the past 20 years we have seen the industry move away from using medical professionals in the settlement process, replacing them with a number of claims management software programs. Class action lawsuits and former insurance adjusters have helped show us what ‘rules’ those software programs follow when they are used to determine what your client’s initial settlement offer will be.
Mike Schafer and Jack Sells took a look behind the curtain to see how these programs work. You may find, as we have, that the process can be fair when you know the rules. Contact us to give you an overview of these programs and what information we consider to be important (Hint: is the injury permanent or not?).
Professional Honors & Activities
- Kentucky Justice Association District Vice-President
- Kentucky Justice Association Board Member of the Year for 2018
- Academy Of Justice, Past President
- Louisville Bar Association – Young Lawyers Section, Past Secretary
- Kentucky Bar Association
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- Kentucky Association of Trial Attorneys
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels
- Admitted to practice in the Kentucky United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky
- The United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit
- The United States Supreme Court
- Louisville Law Examiner – Associate Editor
- Sigma Delta Kappa Law Fraternity – Chancellor
- International Law Society – Treasurer
- 1985 Phillip Jessop Moot Court Competition
- American Justice Association (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyer of America)
- Kentucky Justice Association
- Louisville Bar Association
- Student Bar Association
Speaking Engagements
- Auto Injury Settlement Offer Calculations: Not That Unfair If You Know the Rules, 2024
- Auto Injury Settlement Offer Calculations: Not That Unfair If You Know the Rules – Part 2, 2022
- Auto Injury Settlement Offer Calculations: Not That Unfair If You Know The Rules – Part 1, 2022
- Getting the Most Out of Settlement Brochures, 2022
- Minimal Injury Soft Tissues Case: How to Maximize the Value, 2021
- Getting the Most Out of Settlement Brochures, 2021
- Colossus Presentation at the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Annual Convention, 2020
- Settlement Brochures Made Easy: Understanding Colossus-Style Programs, 2020
- Kentucky Justice Association Webinars: Minimal Injury Soft Tissues Case: How to Maximize the Value, 2020
- Kentucky Justice Association Webinars: Settlement Brochures and Colossus, 2020 & Minimum Impact Soft Tissue Cases, 2020
- Litigating in 2020 and Beyond, 2020
- Maximizing the Value of M.I.S.T. Cases 2019
- Transportation Network Companies Litigation Issues 2018
- Montana Trial Lawyers: Demand Brochures and Colossus 2018
- Kentucky Justice Association’s Personal Injury from Start to Finish 2018
- Kentucky Justice Association Webinar – Demand Brochures and Colossus 2017-2018
- Kentucky Bar Association: Continuing Legal Education Commission – Colossus, the AMA Guides, and Permanent/Surgical Soft Tissue 2015
- How to Deal with Complications in Personal Injury Cases – How to Maximize the Value of Minimal Impact Soft Tissue Cases (MIST) 2015
- Demands, Negotiations, and Bad Faith – Demand Brochures and Colossus 2015
- Settlement Brochures and COLOSSUS – Settlement Brochures, Demands, and Negotiations 2014 & 2017
- Jeffersontown Optimist Club Car Accidents and Car Insurance 2012
- Anti-Bullying Parent Education and Awareness – Anti-Bullying 2012
- BDB Group – Attorney Marketing 2011
- Louisville Police Department Training – Search Warrants 1988
- Kentucky Academy of Justice – Defense of a Drug Case 1987
Court Admissions
- Commonwealth of Kentucky
- United States Supreme Court
- United States Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
- United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
Experience
- 12/1990 – Present: Michael A. Schafer, Attorney at Law
Sole Practitioner specializing in Civil Litigation including car accident, slip and fall, dog bite accident, pedestrian accident, and wrongful death cases. Also specializing in Criminal Defense including DUIs, felonies, misdemeanors, traffic, and capital cases. - 06/1989 – 11/1990: The O’Bryan Law Firm
Insurance Defense Litigation specialized in negligence and tort liability, contract disputes, and workers’ compensation. Also specialized in Criminal Defense including all aspects of discovery and all court appearances including jury trials. - 04/1989 – 06/1989: Deputy Division Chief, Trial Division B
Assistant Division Chief in the supervision of six prosecutors and two secretaries. - 11/1986 – 06/1989: Prosecutor, Trial Division A
Prosecuted felony cases by preparing pleadings, motion, discovery responses, and briefs. Circuit Court appearances including bond hearings, competency hearings, revocation hearings, suppression hearings, pretrial conferences, guilty pleas, sentencing, and jury trials. - Special Assistant Attorney General – Appointed to brief and to argue appeals in the Kentucky Court of Appeals and certifications of law in the Kentucky Supreme Court.
Fatal Accident Support Team – Responded to a fatal accident where alcohol or drug involvement was suspected to assist police in drafting search warrants and advise on legal issues.
Sealed Indictment Team – Worked with undercover detectives in preparing and prosecuting drug and fencing cases.
08/1986 – 04/1989: Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, 30th Judicial District
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney. - 08/1986 – 11/1986: District Court, Felony Division/Grand Jury
Reviewed, conferenced and evaluated felony cases, conducted preliminary hearings, screened, prepared and presented cases to the Grand Jury. - 04/1984 – 05/1985: Crull, Meers, and Ryan
Law Clerk – Researched and wrote pleadings, memoranda, and briefs for general practice firm. - 08/1984 – 01/1985: Jefferson County Attorney, Juvenile Division
Intern – Represented the County in juvenile proceedings under the supervision of an Assistant County Attorney.
Education
- Keenan Trial Institute Undergraduate Degree 2020
- Keenan Trial Institute Graduate Degree 2021
- National College of District Attorneys, Houston, Texas
1988 Graduate of Career Prosecutors Course - University of Louisville School of Law, Louisville, Kentucky
Juris Doctor, May 1985
Honors:
- Top Grade – Law and Psychology Seminar
- Top Grade – Administrative Law
- University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
- Bachelor of Science in Commerce, May 1981
2021
2022
Testimonials
He Made Me Feel Comfortable In Handling Case
From the first day I met with Mike Schafer, he made me feel comfortable in handling my case.Dewayne M.
Honest and Truly Understanding
I am very pleased with this firm. Mr. Schafer was honest and truly understanding. Also, with how I felt talking with him was like a family member. Great guy to work for you.Nicola D.