Mike’s practice includes a broad range of environmental litigation and regulation, as well as natural resource experience. He has tried cases in both federal and state courts, and has handled regulatory matters involving natural resource damage claims; Endangered Species Act matters; matters related to salmon and steelhead, as well as other fish resources; toxic tort suits, including class actions; and state and federal Superfund, RCRA, Clean Water Act, water rights, and issues dealing with natural resources owned or claimed by Indian Tribes.

• Natural Resource Damage Litigation: Representation of major mining companies in natural resource damage litigation filed by the United States and an Indian tribe in federal district court in Idaho. The trial concluded after 76 trial days, 88 witnesses, and 2,000-plus exhibits.
• Federal Superfund Cost Recovery Litigation: Representation of a major U.S. mining company in a Superfund cost recovery action involving a former uranium mine. Successfully recovered one-third of the cost of remediation on a counterclaim against the United States.
• State Superfund Cost Recovery Litigation: Representation of the City of Seattle, Washington in state Model Toxics Control Act litigation regarding portions of the Duwamish Waterway.
• Federal and State Superfund Sites: Participation in over 50 state and federal Superfund sites around the United States, including negotiation of orders and consent decrees.
• Natural Resource Damage Actions: Representation of companies in natural resource damage actions across the country, including New York, Idaho, Washington, California, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and Oregon.

• Michael R. Thorp, Handbook of the Law of Natural Resource Damages (2004)
• Barbara J. Goldsmith & Michael R. Thorp, “Digging Up NRD: Issues in the Application of CERCLA’s Natural Resource Damages (NRD) Provisions to Historic Mining Sites,” 50 Rocky Mt. Min. L. Inst. 15-1 (2004)
• Michael R. Thorp & Kristen Bamford Wynne, “The Coeur d’Alene Case: Breathing New Life into Old Defenses,” 17 Natural Res. & Env’t. 158 (Winter 2003)
• Annual speaker at Law Seminars International’s Annual Conference on Litigating Natural Resource Damages, Santa Fe, New Mexico

• “Super Lawyer” for environmental litigation and natural resource law

• Gonzaga University School of Law (J.D., 1974, magna cum laude)
• University of Washington (B.A. history, 1968)

• Currently certified as having completed the 40-hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training course consistent with WAC 296-62-30425 and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120
• Captain, United States Marine Corps (1968–71)

• Washington State
• New York
• United States Supreme Court
• United States Courts of Appeal for the Eighth, Ninth, District of Columbia, and Federal Circuits
• United States Claims Court
• United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington