Michael Marin
Partner
Listed in the Best Lawyers in America in Commercial Litigation (2009-present), Michael is a former Vinson & Elkins litigation partner representing clients in business, technology, trade secrets, non-compete, and employment litigation matters. In addition, his practice includes internal investigations, employment contracts, non-compete and non-disclosure agreements, federal and state agency compliance, counseling, and training. Michael also maintains an active local counsel practice for national law firms in high-stakes litigation in the Texas Business Court, the Western District of Texas, and in Travis and surrounding Central Texas counties.
In 2026, Michael served as lead trial counsel for the plaintiff in the first trade secret case tried to a jury verdict in Third Division of the Business Court of Texas. The jury unanimously found that the defendants misappropriated the plaintiff’s trade secrets — its proprietary software, sales methodology, buyer compilation, and historical pricing data — and that the misappropriation was willful and malicious. The jury also found breach of fiduciary duty, civil conspiracy, and fraudulent transfers under the Texas Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act. The court rendered judgment on the verdict totaling more than $61 million, including $44.3 million in actual damages and $9 million in exemplary damages, and entered a permanent injunction barring further use of the misappropriated software and trade secrets, avoiding the defendants’ fraudulent transfers, and requiring a court-supervised forensic protocol to log, return, and destroy plaintiff’s materials. Post-judgment and appellate proceedings pending.
As a trial lawyer, Michael has first or second chaired over a dozen jury and bench trials, secured and defeated motions for injunctive relief, argued dozens of dispositive and other significant motions, presented oral argument and assisted in appellate matters, and resolved numerous high exposure litigation matters. His litigation experience includes business and technology, healthcare and managed care, covenants not to compete, trade secrets, oil, gas, and mineral interests, construction and real estate, personal injury, public finance, and employment litigation.
Michael’s clients come from a broad spectrum of industries, including e-commerce, media, biotechnology, healthcare, medical, pharmaceutical, semiconductor, retail, computer, telecommunications, government contracts, public finance, finance, construction, insurance, real estate, energy, oil and gas, and professional services.
In addition to being listed in Best Lawyers in America for more than a decade, Michael is recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer by Law & Politics Magazine (2007-present) in Business Litigation, and he is rated AV® Preeminent™ (2005-present) by the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings system. A well-respected leader in the legal profession, Michael has held prominent positions in local, state, and national bar associations, and he has lectured and authored numerous articles on the American Jury System, litigation, and employment law. In 2001, Michael was presented the Outstanding Young Lawyer Award by the Austin Young Lawyer’s Association, and in 2006, Michael was honored by the American Bar Association with its prestigious Spirit of Excellence Award.
