What Michael Sullivan & Associates does

Michael Sullivan & Associates LLP is a California-based defense law firm founded in 1996 by Michael W. Sullivan to represent employers in workplace-related legal matters. The firm operates 10 offices across the state (headquartered in El Segundo) with 100+ attorneys and hearing representatives, providing representation in five core practice areas: Workers' Compensation, Employment Law, General Liability, Audit Defense & Consulting, and Subrogation. Coverage extends to 80+ California jurisdictions, and the firm reports that 31% of cases are closed within the first year. The firm serves enterprise clients that include Costco, Tesla, Starbucks, Kaiser Permanente, UPS, McDonald's, CVS, Whole Foods, T-Mobile, Marriott, Southwest Airlines, Kroger, Cargill, Hertz, and Rite Aid.

The business model is professional services revenue earned through hourly billing and alternative fee arrangements negotiated directly with corporate employer clients, typically under multi-year engagements. Go-to-market relies on direct enterprise sales, client and case referrals, content marketing (MS&A Blog, Sullivan on Comp portal, Employers' Legal Lounge podcast), and participation in industry associations including PIHRA, SHRM, CCWC, CAJPA, and PARMA. The firm is founder-owned and governed as an LLP with no external private equity, venture, or parent-company ownership. Leadership includes Michael W. Sullivan as Founder and General Managing Partner, Eric De Wames as Managing Partner, and Megan Sullivan as Senior Partner. There is no proprietary technology platform; the offering is human legal expertise delivered across a statewide physical footprint, supplemented by thought-leadership content used to drive inbound demand from HR and risk-management buyers.

Name

Michael Sullivan & Associates

Legal name

Michael Sullivan & Associates LLP

Website

https://sullivanattorneys.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Michael Sullivan & Associates LLP is a California-based defense law firm founded in 1996, with 100+ attorneys across 10 offices, representing employers in workers' compensation, employment law, general liability, audit defense, and subrogation matters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defense Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Litigation & Dispute Resolution (BPAHAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employment & Labor Law (BPAHAAAD), Personal Injury & Insurance Defense (BPAHAAAM)

Keywords

• Workers compensation defense
• Employment law representation
• General liability defense
• Audit defense consulting
• Subrogation recovery services

Headquarters

HQ city

El Segundo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Defense Services: Professional legal services providing defense representation for California employers in workers' compensation claims, employment disputes, general liability cases, audit defense, and subrogation matters. Revenue is generated through hourly billing or alternative fee arrangements with corporate clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Michael Sullivan & Associates is a California defense law firm providing legal representation for California employers in five practice areas: Workers' Compensation, Employment Law, General Liability, Audit Defense & Consulting, and Subrogation. Services are delivered through 10 California offices with 100+ attorneys and hearing representatives covering 80+ jurisdictions. Revenue is generated through hourly billing or alternative fee arrangements negotiated with corporate employer clients.

Product overview

Michael Sullivan & Associates LLP is a California defense law firm offering comprehensive legal services through five core practice areas: Workers' Compensation, Employment Law, General Liability, Audit Defense & Consulting, and Subrogation. The firm provides representation for California employers across 80+ jurisdictions through 10 offices. In addition to core legal services, the firm operates complementary educational resources including the Employers' Legal Lounge Podcast (featuring attorney Eric De Wames), the MS&A Blog providing legal commentary, and the Sullivan on Comp online resource for workers' compensation practitioners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Employers' Legal Lounge Podcast: Podcast hosted by attorney Eric De Wames discussing California employment law developments, featuring guest experts and monthly discussions on cases, legislation, and trends.
• Sullivan on Comp

Products and services

• Workers' Compensation Practice Legal defense services for California employers handling workers' compensation claims, including claims defense, risk management, industrial disability retirement, and fraud defense.
• Employment Law Practice Legal representation for California employers in employment-related matters including wage and hour disputes, discrimination cases, PAGA claims, and OSHA standards compliance.
• General Liability Practice Defense services for general liability claims including bodily injury, property damage, product liability, and defamation of character cases brought against California employers.
• Audit Defense & Consulting Practice Pre-PAR audit preparation, audit complaint process handling, and appeals proceedings for California employers facing workers' compensation premium assessments.
• Subrogation Practice Recovery services for property damage, workers' compensation recovery, government torts, and fire loss claims pursued on behalf of California employers and insurers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 31% of cases closed within first year

Named customers15 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PIHRA (Professionals in Human Resources Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMS&A actively participates in PIHRA conferences including CELU conferences in San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles, and Irvine. Managing Partner Eric De Wames co-hosts sessions on AI technology and employment law with PIHRA leadership.
• Lockton (Insurance Broker)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMS&A co-sponsors events with Lockton including happy hours at PIHRA conferences. Lockton is a national insurance broker.
• CAJPA (California Association of Joint Powers Authorities)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMS&A participates in CAJPA annual conferences to connect with public agency risk professionals and share insights.
• CCWC (California Chamber of Workers Compensation)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMS&A maintains booth presence at CCWC conferences and has attorneys presenting sessions on workers' compensation topics.
• PARMA (Public Agency Risk Management Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMS&A participates in PARMA events including SoCal Chapter Holiday Events and conferences for public agency risk management professionals.
• AAWCP (Alliance of Women in Workers' Compensation)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMS&A supports and participates in AAWCP events including 'All In Summer Mixer' and annual golf tournaments.
• EWC&R (Educational Workers' Compensation Roundtable)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMS&A connects with colleagues at EWC&R events and training sessions for workers' compensation professionals.
• SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMS&A attorneys attend SHRM conferences including SHRM25 in San Diego, connecting with HR professionals on employment law topics.
• SD RIMS (San Diego Risk and Insurance Management Society)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMS&A participates in SD RIMS events including holiday socials and networking gatherings.
• Langston Bar AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMS&A attorneys attend Langston Bar Association awards events recognizing excellence in the legal community.
• Central California SHRMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMS&A shares insights at Central California SHRM events and conferences.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sedgwick LLP: California-headquartered defense firm with significant workers' compensation, employment, and general liability practices. Directly overlaps MS&A's practice mix and California employer base.
• Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP: California-based defense firm with established workers' compensation, employment, and general liability practices. Closely comparable to MS&A in geographic focus and employer-defense service mix.
• Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP: Large California-headquartered defense firm with significant employment, general liability, and workers' compensation practices. Among the most direct head-to-head competitors for MS&A's California employer-defense mandate.
• Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani: California-rooted full-service defense firm with strong employment, workers' comp, and general liability practices. Comparable in scale and California employer-defense orientation to MS&A.

Broad incumbents

• Fisher & Phillips LLP: National labor and employment defense firm with California offices. Comparable to MS&A in employer-side employment litigation and workplace law counseling; competing for similar enterprise employer relationships.
• Jackson Lewis P.C. One of the largest U.S. employment and labor law defense firms with broad multi-state coverage. Directly comparable to MS&A in employment law defense for employers, with overlap on workers' compensation-adjacent matters but far larger geographic footprint.
• Seyfarth Shaw LLP: Large full-service firm with one of the deepest U.S. employment-law defense benches. Overlaps with MS&A on wage/hour and class-action employer defense for California-based enterprise clients.
• Littler Mendelson P.C. Largest U.S. employment and labor law firm exclusively representing employers. Closely comparable to MS&A on workplace defense including wage/hour, discrimination, and PAGA-style claims, with strong California presence.
• Ogletree Deakins: Major national employment-law defense firm serving employers across all 50 states. Directly comparable to MS&A's employment law practice and overlaps in workers' compensation defense; competing for the same enterprise employer panel work.
• Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete LLP: National management-side labor and employment firm with California offices. Comparable to MS&A's employment defense practice for employer clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sullivanattys
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SullivanAttorneys
• Facebookfacebook.com/sullivanattorneys
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/michael-sullivan-%26-associates
• Instagraminstagram.com/sullivanattorneys

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Michael Sullivan & Associates