Principal

Primary Office: Pleasant Hill
Email: MRains@RLSlawyers.com
Phone: 925.609.1699
Fax: 925.609.1690

Education
• B.A., magna cum laude, California State University at Long Beach
• J.D., summa cum laude, Golden West University School of Law

Mike Rains is a principal and founding member of Rains Lucia Stern St. Phalle & Silver.  He heads the firm’s Criminal Defense and Legal Defense of Peace Officers Practice Groups. Mike is one of California’s top trial attorneys.  He has over 35 years of experience representing peace officers and other high-profile clients in civil and criminal litigation. Mike’s practice focuses on criminal trial work in both state and federal courts. Over the course of his career, Mike has defended peace officers in some of the most complex and controversial criminal trials in California history, including the successful defenses of the “Corcoran 8” and the “Oakland Riders.” Mike also represented former BART Officer Johannes Mehserle, who was accused of murder by the Alameda District Attorney.  Mike also handles civil and labor-related actions, and has served as both defense and plaintiff’s counsel in state and federal court employment cases.

Before founding what is now Rains Lucia Stern, PC in 1999, Mike was a partner with the San Francisco firm of Carroll, Burdick and McDonough. He joined the Carroll, Burdick firm in 1982 after several years representing police officers in Los Angeles.

Mike enthusiastically shares his knowledge and expertise in police disciplinary matters by teaching at numerous criminal justice academies and at POST-approved seminars, addressing topics such as internal affairs investigations, the handling of critical incidents, and sexual harassment.

After graduating from the California State University at Long Beach, summa cum laude, Mike served in Vietnam with the United States Marine Corps. He joined the Santa Monica Police Department after his military service. While a member of the Santa Monica P.D., he was awarded a scholarship to attend Golden West University School of Law. He was also president of the Santa Monica Police Officers’ Association at this time. Attending classes at night, he graduated magna cum laude and was valedictorian.

He is licensed to practice in the state courts of California and the Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals.