About Michael
Michael P. McDonald has more than 35 years of experience in personal injury law. He is a well-respected litigator in Lancaster and throughout Southeastern and South Central Pennsylvania. Attorney McDonald has obtained one of the largest non-death trial verdicts in a personal injury case in the history of Lancaster County, leading to precedent-setting, third-party excess/bad faith liability. Attorney McDonald has also obtained one of the largest arbitration awards in the history of Lancaster County. He is a lecturer of automobile insurance law to attorneys in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Area’s of Practice
- Personal Injury
- Workers’ Compensation
Education
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Bucknell University
- B.A. – 1980
- Honors: National District COSIDA Academic All-American, 1980
- Honors: National Associated Press 1-AA Football, First Team Athletic All-American, 1980
- Honors: National 1-AA American Football Coaches Association First Team, Athletic All-American, 1980
- Honors: Top Male Scholar-Athlete, Bucknell University, 1980
- Honors: Bucknell University Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee, 2002
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Temple University Beasley School of Law, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- J.D. – 1985
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Lancaster Catholic High School
- Honors: Alumni Citation Award – Outstanding Professional Achievement, 2018
- Honors: Athletic Hall of Honors Inductee, 2005
Honors And Awards
- National Association of Distinguished Counsel, 2015 – 2024
- Top 100 Trial Lawyer, The National Trial Lawyers, 2011 – 2024
- National Board of Trial Advocacy, Board Certified Civil Trial Expert, 2002 – 2024
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Lifetime Member
- Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Lifetime Member
- Pennsylvania SuperLawyers – Personal Injury, 2011, 2014 – 2024
- Distinguished by Best Lawyers® – 2024
- Trial Masters, Entered 2015 – Lifetime Member
- Martindale-Hubbell Highest Rating – AV Preeminent
- Platinum Membership, The Verdict Club
- AVVO Rating – Highest Rating – 10, Superb
- Top 50 Personal Injury Verdict in Pennsylvania, Legal Intelligencer, 2016
- Elite Lawyers of American, 2016 Lifetime Member
- Top 10 Motor Vehicle Verdict, Legal Intelligencer, 2017
Professional Associations
- Charter Fellow, American College of Board Certified Attorneys, 2013-2024
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation, 2012-2024
- American Association for Justice
- Pennsylvania Association for Justice – Champion of Justice
- Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association
- Lancaster Trial Lawyers Association
- American Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Lancaster Bar Association
Classes/Seminars
- Lecturer of Automobile Insurance Law, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- Contributor/Writer, Lancaster Bar Association Civil Practice Manual, Lancaster Bar Association, 1998
- Writer and Lecturer, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Law in Pennsylvania, National Business Institute, 2003
- Writer and Lecturer, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Law in Pennsylvania, National Business Institute, 2004
- Writer and Lecturer, Successfully Litigating the Motor Vehicle Accident Case, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, WITF-TV, 2006
- Writer and Lecturer, Winning Your First Civil Trial, National Business Institute, 2008
- Writer and Lecturer, Winning Your First Auto Accident Case, National Business Institute, 2009
- Bar Representative, Committee Revising Lancaster County Civil Rules, 2015
- Writer and Lecturer, How to Get Your Social Media, Email and Text Evidence Admitted (And Keep Theirs Out), Expert Witness Evidence, National Business Institute, 2017
Certified Legal Specialties
- Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 2002 – Present
Bar Admissions
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1985
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1985
- U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 1989
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Pennsylvania, 2019
Highlighted Cases
- Settlement, 5.1 million dollar total settlement for injuries sustained because of negligence and strict liability.
- Verdict, 2.6 million dollar verdict for injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident.
- Verdict, 2.5 million dollar verdict for injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
- Settlement, 1.6 million dollar total settlement for injuries sustained in a trucking accident, including verdict requiring insurance company to provide coverage.
- Verdict, 1.5 million dollar verdict for injuries sustained in a police excessive force case.
- Settlement, 1.4 million dollar settlement for injuries sustained in a trucking accident.
- Arbitration Award, 1.3 million dollar arbitration award for injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
- Arbitration Award, 1 million dollar arbitration award for injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
Reach Out to Us And Learn More about How We Can Help
If you or someone you love was injured in an accident, McDonald At Law is here to help. Reach out to us at our Lancaster law office today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a member of our team. We are flexible with appointment scheduling and are happy to meet you elsewhere if you are unable to come to our office.
“Highly Recommended” is the epitome of an understatement when it comes to the firm of McDonald At Law!! Michael McDonald’s genuine pleasant, and empathetic demeanor masks his legal astuteness, and the level of aggressiveness he implements in pursuit of a victim’s right and the monetary compensation legally entitled to us. I was involved in a motor vehicle accident at the hands of an intoxicated driver in York County. In my case I suffered what I described as an atypical injury, Mr. McDonald offered to be my Lawyer immediately after explaining to him the events leading to and after being struck in turn causing me to have a heart attack, when another law firm seemed hesitant. McDonald At Law secured a sizable monetary compensation that not only met my expectation but exceeded it. Mr. McDonald’s wealth of experience, and legal prowess is priceless and never did he act as the case was beneath his practice. In the end my family and I were well compensated, but also felt justified. Thank you McDonald At Law!!
- Miguel Lopez
Back in 2014 I was injured didn’t know what to do but my wife suggested I call Mike McDonald at law I’m not going to say that I really believe in luck but I will say it was the greatest blessing of my entire life that I had the opportunity to pick the best lawyer in Pennsylvania and maybe all of America in Mike McDonald. I needed surgery and Mike came to my home just to make sure that I was OK personally, and he told me not to worry about anything but to just get well he really cares about people and that is something you can’t pay for. Mike’s firm was the most professional operation I have ever had the opportunity to witness over the last 3 1/2 years . All I can say is this if you’ve been injured and you need help there’s only one person that you should call and that’s McDonald at law. From my experience is that when I arrived at his office the first time I met a lawyer and when I left his office the last time I felt like I had a friend. For superior service and expert litigation, remember there’s only one number to call if you ever get hurt it’s McDonald at law.