Mike Traher, Jr.
National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Attorney Recipient - The National Trial Lawyers
Top 10 Criminal Defense Attorney for Arizona Recipient - American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys
Most Outstanding Attorney Performance for 2010 - Arizona Public Defender Association
Top Lawyers in Arizona - The Legal Network
Best DUI Lawyers in Phoenix - Expertise.com
LICENSED TO PRACTICE
United States Supreme Court
Federal Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
Federal District of Arizona
All City, Counties, and Towns in Arizona
EXPERIENCE
Mike Traher has handled dozens of jury trials, ranging from multiple 1st Degree Murder cases, to DUI, and petty theft. He has presented at various legal conferences throughout the years regarding DUI issues, Death Penalty issues, Domestic Violence allegation cases, and Professionalism with Prosecutors. He has testified before both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees for the Arizona State Legislature on juvenile criminal matters. He is recognized by multiple associations as being one of the top lawyers in the state. Though he tends to avoid the spotlight, he has provided limited interviews with National Public Radio (npr) and some news reporters throughout the years.
As a young attorney, Mike worked for the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office, handling major felony offenses. In his last few years at that office he exclusively represented juvenile offenders charged as adults for major felony offenses. Many of these cases involved the most serious types of charges and a heightened level of media scrutiny. While at the Public Defender’s Office, the Arizona Public Defender’s Association honored Mr. Traher with the 2010 Most Outstanding Attorney Performance award. Mr. Traher entered private practice in 2010 and started the Law Office of J. Michael Traher, Jr.
EDUCATION
Mike Traher graduated from Arizona State University with both a B.A. in Spanish and B.S. in Psychology at the age 21. On academic scholarship, he then attended St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas, where he joined his older sister who was also studying law at St. Mary’s.
Mike graduated law school with honors, in the top 6% of his class in 2003. While in law school, he served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Emilio M. Garza for the United States Federal Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Media outlets listed Hon. Garza as one of the 5 finalists for the United States Supreme Court vacancy when Justices Alito and Thomas were appointed. Mike served as a Staff Writer and later Associate Editor (with distinction recognition) for the St. Mary’s Law Journal. His law school hired him to tutor Criminal Law and several other subjects to approximately 75 incoming law students.
His wife is a criminal defense attorney. His father is an international tax attorney in Tucson. His older sister is a civil litigation attorney in San Diego. His younger sister is a staff attorney for the Los Angeles courts. Mike is a competitive person who takes a lot of pride in his work.
EXPERIENCE
2010—Present Criminal Defense Attorney; Solo Practioner 2010—Present
• Represented criminal matters ranging from criminal speeding to
death penalty
2004-2010 Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office, Arizona
• Twenty-five felony trials including 1st degree murder to major assault and sex assault cases,
Special Defense Unit: Representing minors charged as adults
armed robbery, aggravated assault & sexual assault
• Motion practice resulting in dozens of felony and misdemeanor dismissals
2002 United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, San Antonio, Texas
• Judicial Intern for Honorable Emilio M. Garza
• Authored legal memorandums addressing torts, contracts, property, constitutional criminal
procedure, and constitutional law
• Extensive analysis of appellate files, including trial records and amicus briefs
2001-2003 St. Mary’s University School of Law, San Antonio, Texas
• Teaching Assistant for first-year Legal Research & Writing Course (paid)
• Criminal Law, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure & Contract Law Tutor for 75 first-year law
students (paid)
EDUCATION
St. Mary’s University School of Law, San Antonio, Texas
Juris Doctor, Cum Laude, May 2003
• Top 6% of class
• St. Mary’s Law Journal, Associate Editor (distinction recognition), 2002-2003
• St. Mary’s Law Journal, Staff Writer, 2001-2002
• John M. Harlan Society Member (School’s Order of the Coif equivalent)
• Dean’s List, Recipient, Fall 2000, Fall 2001 and Spring 2002
• Dean’s Leadership Award, Recipient, 2001-2002 and 2002-2003
• Phi Delta Phi Academic Honor Society Member
• Dean’s Scholarship, 2000; Eric J. Spielhagen Memorial Endowed Scholarship, 2001-
2002; Gardere & Wynne Endowed Scholarship, 2002-2003
Arizona State University, Tempe Arizona
Bachelor of Arts, May 2000 (Spanish); and
Bachelor of Science, May 2000 (Psychology)
• Dean’s List, Recipient, Fall 1998, Spring 1999, Fall 1999, Spring 2000