Partner
Mike Hockley is a partner with Spencer Fane, where he is a member of its Environmental Law practice group and has served in a variety of firm management positions, including as a member of the firm’s executive committee. Mike’s practice concentrates on litigation, environmental law, and renewable energy, with an emphasis on environmental litigation, regulatory permitting, and environmental enforcement proceedings.
In addition to representing individual clients in hazardous waste, Clean Air Act, and multi-media enforcement and permitting proceedings, he has chaired Superfund site steering committees, served as group counsel to steering committees and industry groups in environmental litigation, and served as a mediator in complex multi-party litigation. Mike frequently counsels clients on environmental compliance issues. Mike also practices with the Spencer Fane Corporate Investigations Group, specializing in environmental matters.
Mike has served in leadership roles in a variety of civic and professional organizations. He currently serves as the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for Kansas (East). He is Past Chair, Past President, and a Founding Trustee of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College Foundation Board of Trustees. Mike is also Past President of the United Community Services of Johnson County Board of Trustees. He is Past Chair of the United Way of Greater Kansas City and was a charter member of its Board of Directors. He is past Chair of the United Way of Johnson County and the Alliance of Greater Kansas City United Ways. Mike chaired the One United Way Committee resulting in the merger of four area United Ways to form the United Way of Greater Kansas City. Mike also is the past President of the Overland Park Rotary Club Foundation.
Mike is a Fellow and former President of the American College of Environmental Lawyers and serves on its Board of Regents and Executive Committee. He has served as the Chair of the American Bar Association’s Superfund and Hazardous Waste Committee of the Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources and as a Vice-Chair for the Section’s Special Committee on Practice Development. He has also served as a sub-committee chair for the Litigation Section’s Committee on Environmental Law.
Mike is listed in Who’s Who in American Law, The Best Lawyers in America, Madison’s Who’s Who of Professionals, Chambers USA List of Leading Lawyers, the Kansas and Missouri List of Super Lawyers, Missouri and Kansas List of Top Attorneys, and has been recognized in Who’s Who Legal: The International Who’s Who of Environmental Lawyers since 2010. He was named The Best Lawyers Kansas City Environmental Law Lawyer of the Year for 2012, 2016, 2018, and 2021.
Mike graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1973 and the University of Nebraska College of Law in 1980, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif and Order of the Barristers. Mike served 14 years as an active-duty Army officer and completed his service as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. In his Army Reserve capacity, he taught Federal Litigation to Department of Defense lawyers at the Judge Advocate General’s School and advised the U.S. Army Environmental Law Division in Washington, D.C. on environmental compliance and enforcement issues.
He frequently writes and speaks to a wide variety of audiences on environmental law topics.
Community Involvement
- Armed Forces Bank Board of Directors and Audit Committee
- Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for Kansas (East), April 2018-present
- Overland Park Chamber of Commerce Policy and Advocacy Committee, Chair
- Overland Park Rotary Club
- Overland Park Rotary Club Foundation, Past President
- United Community Services of Johnson County, Past President, Board of Trustees
- United States Army Command and General Staff College Foundation Board of Trustees, Past Chair, Past President, and Executive Committee Member
- United Way of Greater Kansas City, Past Chair
Memberships
- American Bar Association
- Enforcement Sub-Committee, Committee on Environmental Law, Litigation Section, Past Chair
- Solid and Hazardous Waste Committee, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, Past Chair
- American College of Environmental Lawyers
- President, 2021-2022
- President-Elect, 2020-2021
- Treasurer, 2017-2020
- Board of Regents and Executive Committee
- Fellow
- Membership Committee Chair, 2012–2017
Distinctions
- Named to the inaugural edition of the 2021 Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental & Energy Lawyers
- Chambers USA, Environment, 2020-2022
- Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year, Environmental Law, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2021
- Best Lawyers in America, 2005-2023
- Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers, 2005-2022
- American College of Environmental Lawyers, Fellow, 2009-present
- Overland Park Rotary Club, Ben Craig Distinguished Service Award, 2014
- United Way, Adele Hall Spirit of Caring Award, 2014
Contact Mike Hockley at 816.292.8233 or mhockley@spencerfane.com.