Mike Terry handles complex commercial and appellate matters, as well as class actions.
In August 2022 Mike was part of a trial team that obtained a $1.7 billion verdict, the largest in Georgia history, in the case Hill v. Ford. His cross-examination of the defense’s engineering expert was referred to in the closing argument as the crux of the case.
Over the past 20 years, his practice has focused heavily on appellate litigation, particularly in the areas of class actions and punitive damages. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, an organization founded to advance the highest standards and practices of appellate advocacy and to recognize outstanding appellate lawyers. Mike has published three books and numerous articles on appellate practice.
Mike was recognized as the Lawyer of the Year for Georgia (2021) by American Lawyer Media and by the Fulton County Daily Report. Mike has been recognized as a Georgia “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers five times, most recently in 2021, in three subject matter areas (Appellate Litigation, Antitrust Litigation, and Banking Litigation). He has been a Top 100 Georgia “Super Lawyer” for the last 15 years.
Mike argued and achieved a 7-0 victory before the Georgia Supreme Court in a landmark challenge to the constitutionality of the state’s caps on pain and suffering damages in medical malpractice cases. In 2020, Mike argued and achieved a victory before the Georgia Supreme Court in a $46 million dollar medical malpractice case. In 2018, Mike argued and obtained a unanimous victory before the Georgia Supreme Court for a class of 12,000 teachers alleging improper elimination of retirement plan contributions from the school district. In 2016, Mike argued and achieved a 7-0 reversal of the denial of class certification for a class of 800,000 consumers alleging they had been charged usurious fees by their Bank. In 2015, Mike was selected by the Council of State Court Judges of Georgia to represent that body in a successful Georgia Supreme Court challenge to actions taken by Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission. Mike received the inaugural “Guardian of Justice” Award from the Council of State Court Judges in 2017.
Mike served as President of the Atlanta Bar Association in 2010-2011, where he set a focus on judicial funding and services for lawyers in transition. In 2019, Mike received the Charles Watkins Award for lifetime service to the Bar, the highest award given by the Atlanta Bar Association. Mike also served as President of the charitable Atlanta Bar Foundation in 2018-2019. Mike is currently on the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Bar Association, the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia, and the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association.
Mike is a frequent lecturer and author on business litigation topics including class actions, punitive damages and appellate issues. He is also often asked to moderate debates and panel discussions involving judges.
Representative Work
Co-counsel for successful plaintiffs in a 2022 case that resulted in a $1.7 billion verdict, the largest in Georgia history.
Co-counsel for successful plaintiffs in a breach of fiduciary duty case which resulted in a $454 million jury verdict that was affirmed on appeal.
Appellate counsel for defense that successfully reversed a $457 million judgment against one of the world’s largest forest product companies, Weyerhaeuser Co.
Appellate counsel for plaintiffs in Bogle v. McClure, which affirmed an award of $16.6 million to seven employment discrimination plaintiffs.
Appellate counsel for defense in obtaining reversal of an intermediate appellate decision certifying a class action to pursue a $110 million claim under the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
Obtained dismissal of four putative class actions against not-for-profit hospitals challenging the hospitals’ pricing policies, and appeared as lead appellate counsel for the hospitals in having those cases affirmed on appeal.
Appellate counsel on behalf of a major peanut processor in obtaining a new trial following a $20 million jury verdict.
Appellate counsel for a class of policyholders in upholding class certification of a case involving credit life insurance.
Retained to submit amicus curiae briefs (and at times to present oral argument on behalf of amicus) on behalf of the Democratic Party of Georgia, the ACLU of Georgia, the Medical Association of Georgia, the Hospital Authority of Clarke County, and the Georgia Canoe Association.
Professional Activities
Immediate Past President and Executive Committee Member, Atlanta Bar Association; Past Chair, Litigation Section; Past Chair, Continuing Legal Education Board of Directors; Past Chair, Judicial Campaign Conduct Committee
Member, Board of Governors, State Bar of Georgia
Sustaining Member, Lawyers Foundation of Georgia
Member, Georgia Trial Lawyers Association
Member, American Association for Justice
Member, Lawyers Club of Atlanta
Member, American Constitution Society
Member, Executive Committee and Chair, Program Committee, Lumpkin Inn, American Inns of Court
Chair, Standing Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law, Supreme Court of Georgia, also Member, Emergency Management Committee
Former president, Druid Hills Civic Association
Board of Directors, Atlanta Youth Soccer Association
Publications/Speaking Engagements
Honors and Awards
Georgia Lawyer of the Year (2021) by American Lawyer Media
Fellow, American Academy of Appellate Lawyers
Best Lawyers’ 2016 Atlanta Appellate "Lawyer of the Year"
Leading Business Lawyer, Chambers USA
Best Lawyers in America
Top 100 Georgia Super Lawyer, Atlanta Magazine
Georgia Local Litigation Star, Benchmark Plaintiff
Case of the Year award, Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Newsletter
News
- April 25, 2023Daily Report
- February 10, 2023
- August 25, 2022
- April 11, 2022
- March 9, 2022Law.com
- February 17, 2022
- December 2, 2021
- August 26, 2021Fulton County Daily Report
- August 19, 2021The Best Lawyers in America
- June 25, 2021Law.com
- May 21, 2021Chambers USA
- February 23, 2021Super Lawyers
- January 6, 2021
- September 30, 2020Law.com
- September 21, 2020Law.com
- August 20, 2020The Best Lawyers in the USA
- August 14, 2020Atlanta Journal Constitution
- August 14, 2020
- July 24, 2020
- July 15, 2020Law.com
- June 12, 2020Law.com
- May 7, 2020
- May 4, 2020James Magazine
- April 1, 2020
- August 15, 2019The Best Lawyers in America 2020
- August 15, 2019The Best Lawyers in the USA
- May 21, 2019
- May 14, 2019Chambers USA 2019
- March 11, 2019Law.com
- February 16, 2019Super Lawyers
- August 15, 2018
- May 8, 2018Chambers USA 2018
- May 1, 2018Fulton County Daily Report
- February 21, 2018
- May 26, 2017
- February 21, 2017Super Lawyers
- August 15, 2016The Best Lawyers in the USA
- February 19, 2016Super Lawyers
- October 7, 2015Best Lawyers in America
- August 18, 2015The Best Lawyers in the USA
- May 20, 2015Chambers USA 2015
- August 18, 2014The Best Lawyers in the USA
- May 27, 2014Chambers USA 2014
- September 19, 2013
- August 15, 2013The Best Lawyers in the USA
- May 28, 2013Chambers USA 2013
- February 21, 2013Super Lawyers
- August 24, 2012The Best Lawyers in the USA
- August 9, 2012
- June 2012Chambers USA 2012
- February 21, 2012Super Lawyers
- January 4, 2012
- November 2011Best Lawyers
- June 2011Chambers USA 2011
- March 10, 2011
- February 22, 2011Atlanta Magazine
- November 10, 2010dBusiness News
- 2010Atlanta Magazine
- 2010Best Lawyers
- June 2010Chambers USA 2010
- 2009Atlanta Magazine
- 2008Atlanta Magazine
- March 28, 2008
- October 12, 2004Fulton County Daily Report

Education
University of Georgia School of Law, J.D., 1987, magna cum laude
University of Georgia, A.B., 1982, magna cum laude
Admissions
- State Bar of Georgia
- Supreme Court of Georgia
- Georgia Court of Appeals
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan