Mishell B. Kneeland

Mishell B. Kneeland is a trial lawyer and Chair of CM Law’s Litigation Practice Group, bringing nearly three decades of experience to complex commercial disputes and employment litigation. Known for her meticulous preparation, straightforward approach, and ability to get to the heart of complicated issues, Mishell helps clients navigate legal challenges with strategies that are both effective and practical. She understands that a successful outcome isn’t always measured by a courtroom victory, but by whether the resolution makes sense for the client’s business.

What distinguishes Mishell’s approach is her ability to quickly understand not just the legal issues, but the business behind them. Before becoming an attorney, she worked as a business systems consultant, helping organizations evaluate their operations and identify opportunities to improve efficiency. That experience remains an invaluable foundation for informing her litigation practice. She takes the time to understand how her clients operate, the relationships at stake, and the broader business implications of a dispute. Whether those relationships need to be preserved or the circumstances call for aggressive litigation, she develops a strategy tailored to the client’s priorities rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.

Efficiency is central to how Mishell handles litigation. She believes in identifying the issues that will drive the outcome, focusing resources where they will have the greatest impact, and avoiding unnecessary legal expenses. She is equally comfortable pursuing an early resolution when it serves the client’s interests or preparing a case for trial when it doesn’t. Her clients benefit from candid assessments, careful attention to detail, and a clear understanding of the potential costs, risks, and benefits of each available option.

Mishell handles the full lifecycle of commercial disputes, from initial assessment through trial, arbitration, or resolution, representing clients in courts across the country. She has obtained complete defense verdicts in complex commercial litigation lawsuits, secured summary judgments eliminating millions in potential exposure, and negotiated settlements that protect her clients’ business interests without unnecessary litigation costs.

In employment litigation, Mishell exclusively represents employers, defending businesses, universities, government entities, and healthcare institutions (to name a few) against discrimination, retaliation, whistleblower, and wage-and-hour claims. Her courtroom results include a complete jury defense verdict in a gender and disability discrimination case, a favorable jury finding in a Fair Labor Standards Act dispute, and multiple summary judgments dismissing employment claims.

In addition to her litigation practice, Mishell conducts independent workplace investigations. Serving as an impartial fact finder, she helps organizations understand what happened, evaluate potential legal exposure, and make informed decisions about how to proceed. Her litigation background gives her a valuable perspective on the importance of thorough, well-documented investigations, particularly when an organization’s response to employee complaints may later be scrutinized in court.

Outside her work representing clients, one of Mishell’s greatest professional commitments is teaching the next generation of trial lawyers. She has spent more than a decade working with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA), where she serves as Faculty and Program Director for trial and deposition skills programs. She dedicates substantial time each year to helping attorneys sharpen their courtroom skills, improve their advocacy, and develop the confidence to represent their own clients effectively. In 2021, she received NITA’s NextGen Faculty recognition for contributions to legal education.

Mishell is also active in the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF), where she serves on the Board of Directors and previously co-chaired the Trials Practice Area Committee. As a partner in a certified women-owned and managed law firm, she is committed to creating opportunities for women and diverse attorneys within the legal profession. She has also held leadership positions with the Austin Bar Foundation and served as an attorney mentor through the Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association. 

Mishell’s foundation in strategic thinking began at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, graduating cum laude with a B.S. in Economics. After earning her J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center, Mishell served as a Senior Assistant City Attorney for the City of Austin and as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas, defending public entities, officials, and employees in complex civil litigation. She is admitted to practice in Texas, New York, and New Jersey, as well as numerous federal district and appellate courts. 

Her work has earned recognition in The Best Lawyers in America® for both Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Labor and Employment in 2025 and 2026. She regularly speaks and writes on litigation strategy, workplace investigations, and employment law, and has contributed to the American Bar Association’s Employment Litigation Handbook. 

Above all, Mishell believes effective litigation starts with understanding what matters most to the client. She combines thorough preparation, candid advice, and a willingness to take a case as far as necessary with the judgment to recognize when a more practical resolution is the better outcome. Her goal is straightforward: protect her clients’ interests, resolve disputes efficiently, and deliver results that make sense for their businesses.