Michael J. Steinle

Michael J. Steinle is a veteran trial attorney at MacGillis Law Group who brings more than 40 years of experience handling complex criminal matters and representing clients when the stakes are at their highest.

Mike has significant experience representing law enforcement officers and fire fighters facing critical incidents, criminal investigations, prosecutions, and other matters that can put their careers, reputations, and personal freedom at risk. At MacGillis Law Group, that experience makes him an important part of the firm’s First Responders practice, particularly when officers need experienced legal counsel in the aftermath of a critical incident or during a criminal investigation.

Since graduating from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1985, Michael has handled a broad range of state and federal criminal matters, including complex and multi-defendant prosecutions. He has represented law enforcement officers in some of Wisconsin’s most highly publicized cases and has extensive experience navigating matters involving intense scrutiny, complicated investigations, and significant media attention.

Mike also represents individuals, businesses, government employees, and elected officials during state and federal investigations before charges are filed. His decades of courtroom experience give him an understanding not only of how to defend a case, but of the decisions that need to be made long before a case ever reaches a courtroom.

Mike’s work has earned longstanding recognition from both his peers and the legal community. He has been included in The Best Lawyers in America since 2005 and recognized by Wisconsin Super Lawyers since the recognition began. In 2005, he became one of only two Wisconsin attorneys at the time certified as a Fellow of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers. He has also maintained an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell for more than two decades.

Throughout his career, Mike has been deeply involved in Wisconsin’s legal and civic communities. He served with the State of Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation, including as Vice Chair and Chair, and spent more than two decades serving as a Milwaukee County Judicial Commissioner. He also served for 10 years on the Elm Grove Police and Fire Commission and has been a longtime member of the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Mike earned his bachelor’s degree from Marquette University and his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin and the Northern District of Illinois and has been admitted pro hac vice in courts throughout the country.

Despite the depth of his experience, Mike’s approach remains highly personal. He understands that people often need a lawyer most when circumstances are moving quickly and the consequences are uncertain. He believes every client deserves individual attention and representation grounded in preparation, integrity, honesty, and compassion—particularly when the decisions made in the first hours and days can have lasting consequences.