- Profile
- Credentials
- Case Results
- Associations
Nominated as Attorney of the Year by The Legal Intelligencer and Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Philadelphia, PA by Forbes Advisor
As founder of the firm, Michael T. van der Veen effortlessly combines accessibility, experience, negotiation, collaboration, and compassion to achieve results. He is the rare trial attorney who excels in both civil litigation and criminal defense. Known for his unwavering commitment to serving as the voice of the victim and advocate for the accused, he has established his reputation by winning multimillion-dollar jury verdicts in State and Federal Courts, as well as winning major criminal trials across the country.
![Michael van der Veen Video Thumbnail](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/7t539qcw/production/b96877d38ef8e52c666643830924282a98168c7a-3024x1704.png?w=3024&h=1704&q=100&fit=max&auto=format)
In recent years, Michael T. van der Veen has lived up to his status by accepting and successfully representing multiple high-profile clients that most other legal practitioners had considered too difficult or controversial. Mr. van der Veen has been retained and appeared Pro Hac Vice in numerous jurisdictions throughout the country, including Massachusetts, New York, Washington D.C., Delaware, Texas, and Alabama. He successfully represented former President Donald Trump in the fourth presidential impeachment trial in American history by securing an acquittal. Recently, attorney van der Veen represented the Trump Organization in New York where he tried a two-month-long tax fraud trial brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. Other high-profile clients include Brandon “Bam” Margera, Joe “Cole” Barletta, Phil Nordo, the estate of Fanta Bility, and numerous defendants in the January 6th investigation. In fact, much of his work has been featured on major news broadcasts including CNN, CBS, MSNBC, Washington Post, Fox News, NPR, New York Times, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. (See ‘More About Michael T. van der Veen’ below for more information.)
Michael T. van der Veen started his legal career focused solely on criminal defense in Chicago where he successfully represented the founder of the National AIDS Brigade in a landmark case. At that time, state statutes criminally punished individuals for possessing hypodermic needles. Securing an acquittal by employing the necessity defense, attorney van der Veen helped change the law not only in Chicago but throughout the country. After spending six years exclusively doing criminal defense litigation, attorney van der Veen moved to Philadelphia. At that time, he began integrating personal injury and commercial litigation into his repertoire. Attorney van der Veen has secured numerous multimillion-dollar settlements and jury verdicts in both State and Federal Courts. Further, he has saved many corporations from unfair and oppressive government regulations and has won outright victories for small companies and owners embroiled in complex corporate litigation.
Always a serious student, Michael T. van der Veen graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall in 1981 and earned a B.A. in political science from Ohio Wesleyan in 1985. He earned his first law degree, a J.D., from Quinnipiac School of Law in 1988. He is a 1992 graduate of the National Criminal Defense College and earned an LLM in Trial Advocacy with the highest honors from Temple University School of Law in 1995.
Underscoring his legal abilities and reputation, Michael T. van der Veen has been named to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® list for twenty consecutive years from 2005 to 2024. In 2024, the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® named attorney van der Veen as Philadelphia’s top 100 lawyers. He was named a Finalist for the 2022 Pennsylvania Legal Awards Attorney of the Year. In 2024, Michael was named in Forbes Advisor's "Best Criminal Defense Lawyers Philadelphia, PA Of 2024" List. He was also chosen by his peers as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only honorary society for accomplished trial lawyers. He also often serves as an independent legal expert for print and television news media.
A resident of Chester County, he has two daughters with his wife, Marion.
In the News
- Will Trump testify? History shows us he is his own worst enemy under oath — USA Today, May 16th, 2024.
- New: Michael Cohen Testimony To Pick Up Monday In Trump's Hush Money Trial — CNN, May 16th, 2024
- Source: Defense May Call Cohen's Former Attorney As A Witness — CNN, May 16th, 2024
- Trump Lawyers Work To Undercut Cohen's Credibility — CNN, May 16th, 2024
- Panel of attorneys tell Jake Tapper why Alvin Bragg's case against Trump is doomed: 'The prosecution hasn't met its burden' — Blaze Media, May 15th, 2024
- Trump Defense Cross-Examines Michael Cohen — CNN, May 15th 2024
- Trump Team Grills Cohen During Cross-Examination — CNN, May 15th, 2024
- Extraordinary Trump Trial Analysis with William J. Brennan, Michael van der Veen, Elie Honig, Danny Cevallos and Michael Smerconish — The Smerconish Podcast, May 15th, 2024
- ‘Weaker And Weaker’: Attorneys Tell CNN Just How Badly Alvin Bragg’s Case Against Trump Is Going — Daily Caller, May 14th, 2024
- Michael van der Veen, Esq. Appearing On The Lead With Jake Tapper Friday, May 10 | 5:00PM Live | Trump Criminal Trial — The Lead, May 10th, 2024
- Former Trump attorney Michael van der Veen on Newsline with Bianca DLGarza — Newsline, April 22nd, 2024
- Attorneys who represented Trump during his 2nd impeachment trial speak out — 10 Philadelphia, April 22nd, 2024
- Attorneys Who Represented Trump's Payroll Corporation Analyze Current Hush Money Case — 10 Philadelphia, April 19th, 2024
- Philly-Based Attorneys Reflect On Representing Trump In His 2nd Impeachment Trial — NBC10 Philadelphia, April 19th,2024
- Donald Trump's former lawyers are supporting Philly Democrat Sean Dougherty — The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 5th, 2024
- In Sanctions Motion, Bosworth Accuses Counsel for Kline & Specter of 'Mob-Style Behavior' During Deposition — Law.com, March 26th, 2024
- Trump's Mystery Docket: Inside NY's Secretive Filing System — Law360, March 21st, 2024
- Charges Against Bam Margera Are Dropped in Delco Intoxication Case — The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 20th, 2024
- Charges Withdrawn For Former TV Star Bam Margera Following Incident Outside Radnor Hotel — 6abc Action News, March 20th, 2024
- Charges Dropped Against Bam Margera in Incident at Radnor Hotel — NBC Philadelphia, March 20th, 2024
- Bam Margera Public Intoxication Case/ All Charges Withdrawn After Arrest at Pennsylvania Hotel — FOX 29, March 20th, 2024
- Charges Against Bam Margera Withdrawn in Radnor Hotel Incident — Patch, March 20th, 2024
- Judge Dismisses Multiple Criminal Charges Against Kendall Stephens — Philadelphia Gay News, February 28th, 2024
- Shoppers sue Target, saying they were rammed by kids on scooters in Cherry Hill — The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 18th, 2024
- Trump’s Defense Closes Its Case By Saying Impeachment Trial Is A ‘Complete Charade’ — NPR
- Impeachment Is An 'Act Of Political Vengeance,' Trump Lawyer Says : Trump Impeachment Aftermath: Updates — NPR
- Sex assault trial of ex-Philadelphia police detective opens — AP News
- The sexual assault trial for a former Philly detective opened with clashing visions of his time on the force — inquirer.com
- Ex-Philadelphia Police Detective Goes on Trial in Sex Assault Case — NBC10 Philadelphia (nbcphiladelphia.com)
- Former ‘Jackass’ star Bam Margera has turned himself in, pleads not guilty to assault charges — inquirer.com
- ‘Jackass’ star Bam Margera to stand trial on assault charges in fight with brother, judge rules — NBC10 Philadelphia (nbcphiladelphia.com)
- Bam Margera, formerly of 'Jackass,' ordered to rehab in Pennsylvania — inquirer.com
- Tax fraud trial: Trump Org. attorneys point fingers at Allen Weisselberg in closing arguments — CNN Politics
- In closing arguments, Trump Organization lawyers blame former CFO Allen Weisselberg — CBS News
- The Trumps Are the Real Victims in the Trump Organization Fraud Case, Defense Lawyers Argue — Mother Jones
- Michael van der Veen: Not Afraid to Ruffle Feathers — The Legal Intelligencer (law.com)
- Michael van der Veen, a Philadelphia lawyer, to defend Trump Organization in Manhattan criminal case — inquirer.com