Michelle L. Cheng

Partner

Overview

Michelle Cheng is a litigation partner in Crowell & Moring’s Health Care Group in the Los Angeles office. Her practice involves defending managed health care companies in high-stakes litigation and arbitrations. Michelle focuses her managed care practice on provider disputes and is regularly involved in defending and counseling managed care plans against claims relating to managed care contracting and disputes involving reimbursements, unfair competition, and breach of contract.

She also has substantial experience defending medical device and pharmaceutical clients facing complex product liability and mass tort litigation. Michelle has handled actions relating to disputes involving collaboration, co-promotion, and licensing agreements among pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

Career & Education

    • University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, J.D.
    • University of California, San Diego, B.A., Political Science and Anthropology
    • University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, J.D.
    • University of California, San Diego, B.A., Political Science and Anthropology
    • California
    • California
    • Honorable Judith Ashmann-Gerst, State Court of Appeals - California
    • Honorable Judith Ashmann-Gerst, State Court of Appeals - California
  • Professional Activities and Memberships

    • Korean American Bar Association (Southern California) – Board of Governors
    • Women's Lawyers of Los Angeles

    Professional Activities and Memberships

    • Korean American Bar Association (Southern California) – Board of Governors
    • Women's Lawyers of Los Angeles

Michelle's Insights

Firm News | 9 min read | 08.21.25

The Best Lawyers in America 2026 Recognizes 49 Crowell & Moring Attorneys, One Selected as Lawyer of the Year

Washington – August 21, 2025: The 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® has recognized 49 Crowell & Moring lawyers as Best Lawyers and 33 lawyers as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. The publication also named partner Jason Murray as Lawyer of the Year for Antitrust Law in Los Angeles....

Representative Matters

  • Defended health plan and health insurer in complex bad faith, breach of contract, and unfair competition cases arising from benefit payments and/or provider disputes.
  • Served on a national defense team on behalf of a medical device manufacturer; successfully asserted federal preemption defenses against plaintiffs who had filed hundreds of suits around the country against the manufacturer for allegedly engaging in “off-label” promotion of a spinal fusion device, which is generally used to treat degenerative disc disease.
  • Represented a leading medical device manufacturer; successfully asserted federal preemption defenses against plaintiffs who had alleged product liability claims with respect to pain infusion pumps, spinal cord stimulators, implantable defibrillator leads, and other Premarket approved Class III medical devices.
  • Defended leading medical device manufacturer in connection with product liability claims related to Resorbable Graft Containment Plating System, diabetes infusion pumps, and other devices.
  • Defended leading pharmaceutical company in multi-jurisdictional dispute with collaboration partner regarding launch and commercialization of a new drug; avoided $250 million claim for damages.
  • Served as member of national trial team for pharmaceutical company engaged in nationwide litigation involving prescription medication for Parkinson’s disease.
  • Obtained summary judgment for SCE on its claim for declaratory relief with respect to MDM software license and services agreement that it had entered into with eMeter Corporation in 2007 over timing, design completion, and implementation of the MDM software and SCE’s right to terminate.
  • Successfully represented former chairman of a bank that was subsidiary to a national mortgage company in securities class action litigation involving SEC risk disclosures with respect to the bank’s mortgage holdings.

Michelle's Insights

Firm News | 9 min read | 08.21.25

The Best Lawyers in America 2026 Recognizes 49 Crowell & Moring Attorneys, One Selected as Lawyer of the Year

Washington – August 21, 2025: The 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® has recognized 49 Crowell & Moring lawyers as Best Lawyers and 33 lawyers as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. The publication also named partner Jason Murray as Lawyer of the Year for Antitrust Law in Los Angeles....

Recognition

  • Los Angeles Journal: Leaders of Influence: Minority Attorneys, 2022
  • Southern California Super Lawyers: Rising Star, 2013-2015
  • Immigrants' Rights – Advocate of the Year Award (Public Counsel)

Michelle's Insights

Firm News | 9 min read | 08.21.25

The Best Lawyers in America 2026 Recognizes 49 Crowell & Moring Attorneys, One Selected as Lawyer of the Year

Washington – August 21, 2025: The 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® has recognized 49 Crowell & Moring lawyers as Best Lawyers and 33 lawyers as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. The publication also named partner Jason Murray as Lawyer of the Year for Antitrust Law in Los Angeles....

Michelle's Insights

Firm News | 9 min read | 08.21.25

The Best Lawyers in America 2026 Recognizes 49 Crowell & Moring Attorneys, One Selected as Lawyer of the Year

Washington – August 21, 2025: The 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® has recognized 49 Crowell & Moring lawyers as Best Lawyers and 33 lawyers as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. The publication also named partner Jason Murray as Lawyer of the Year for Antitrust Law in Los Angeles....