Trial Experience and Transparency Set Portland Attorney Apart in Personal Injury Law

With more than 30 years of courtroom experience, Michael Colbach limits his caseload to prepare every case for trial and prioritize client outcomes.

PORTLAND, OR, UNITED STATES, September 4, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In an era where many personal injury firms focus on volume, Portland attorney Michael Colbach is taking a different approach: limiting his caseload in order to prepare every case for trial. With more than 30 years of courtroom experience and over 140 jury trials, Colbach has built a reputation for individualized client service and results.

“As a lawyer, my job is to believe in the cases I take,” Colbach said. “That means investing the time, effort, and resources necessary to achieve the best possible outcome for my clients.”

Colbach has practiced personal injury law exclusively for 23 years, securing results through both settlements and verdicts. He notes that trial preparation is central to his work, even if most cases resolve before reaching a jury. “Most of the time I spend on my cases is preparing them for trial, talking to doctors, expert witnesses, my investigator, and others, to make sure I can prove your case.” Colbach explained. “If that work isn’t done, clients are stuck taking whatever the insurance company offers.”

A Different Fee Model
One of the distinguishing features of Colbach’s practice is his fee structure. Unlike many attorneys who raise fees for filing lawsuits, attending mediation, or litigating motions, Colbach’s rate remains consistent throughout the litigation process. His fee only increases to 40 percent if a case proceeds to trial or arbitration—an outcome in fewer than 10 percent of his cases.

Colbach also does not charge clients for the recovery of past medical expenses, a departure from the standard one-third fee model. His fees are instead based solely on the additional compensation secured beyond those expenses.

Why Trial Experience Matters
In Portland’s legal community, insurers are well aware of which attorneys are prepared to try cases. According to Colbach, this factor can significantly affect settlement negotiations. “If the insurance company knows you’re serious about going to trial, they’re more likely to pay a fair amount,” he said.

Colbach cautions clients to be wary of attorneys who market themselves as “trial lawyers” without having substantial courtroom experience. “Trial verdicts prove a lawyer’s ability to win in court. You can’t buy them, and you can’t fake them,” he said. “If your lawyer doesn’t try cases, insurance companies know—and they pay less.”

Questions for Prospective Clients
Colbach advises individuals seeking representation to ask direct questions before hiring an attorney:

What percentage of your practice is personal injury?

How many years have you practiced personal injury law?

How many cases have you filed, and how many have gone to trial?

When was your last jury trial, and what was the verdict?

Do your fees increase for filing a lawsuit or going to mediation?

Do you charge for recovering medical expenses?

By encouraging transparency and trial readiness, Colbach says his goal is to ensure clients feel supported in a system that can often seem overwhelming.

About Colbach Law Firm
Colbach Law Firm, based in Portland, Oregon, focuses exclusively on personal injury cases. Led by attorney Michael Colbach, the firm emphasizes individualized client service, thorough trial preparation, and a transparent fee structure. With over three decades of courtroom experience and more than 140 jury trials, Michael Colbach is dedicated to achieving fair outcomes for his clients through both settlements and verdicts.

Michael Colbach
Michael Colbach Attorney at Law PC
+1 503-243-1900
email us here
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