Mike Greenberg is an attorney at the Institute for Justice. He litigates cases to promote individuals’ rights to private property, economic liberty, and free speech in state and federal courts. Mike joined IJ as a Law & Liberty Fellow in 2020 and previously served as a Dave Kennedy Fellow in IJ’s Florida office.
Since joining IJ, Mike has launched cases aiming to curtail civil forfeiture abuse and ensure that people are not held back from earning an honest living because of old and irrelevant criminal records.
Mike earned his law degree from the UCLA School of Law, where he was President of the Federalist Society and a member of the Moot Court Honors Team. He also earned a B.A. in political science from the University of Florida.
Mike's Cases
Economic Liberty | Fresh Start
Virginia Woman Challenges Permanent Punishment Preventing Her from Working as a Substance Abuse Counselor
People who have overcome drug or alcohol addiction often want to help others overcome addiction, too. Their firsthand experience can make them particularly well-suited to guide others through recovery. Melissa Brown is one of those…
4th Amendment Project | Private Property
Michigan Homeowners Fight to Vindicate Fourth Amendment Protections Against Warrantless Surveillance Using Drones
Todd and Heather Maxon live on a five-acre property in rural Long Lake Township, in northern Michigan. Todd spends his free time fixing up and tinkering with cars and other vehicles. He keeps those vehicles…
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech
Entrepreneur Fined $1,000 for Using Public Information to Draw Lines on Maps Files Federal Lawsuit Against California
Do you need a government license to trace a map from publicly available data? It might sound ridiculous, but in California the answer is “yes.” An entrepreneur joined with the Institute for Justice (IJ) to…
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
In many counties, private lawyers prosecute civil forfeiture cases—and take a cut of the money
In Indiana, prosecutors profit off the civil forfeiture cases they prosecute, creating perverse incentives that strips Hoosiers of their basic due process rights. A federal class action lawsuit from IJ seeks to end for-profit prosecutions…
Economic Liberty | Fresh Start | Occupational Licensing
Aspiring Addiction Counselor Sues to End Virginia’s Past-Conviction Discrimination
Rudy Carey wants to help people overcome addiction through counseling, but Virginia has decided he cannot do so because he has a prior criminal conviction. The Constitution protects Rudy’s right to earn an honest living,…
4th Amendment Project | Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Security Deposit Box Owners Demand FBI Return Property Seized Without a Warrant
FBI agents broke into hundreds of private security deposit box without warrants. Holding government officials accountable for violating Fourth Amendment rights is crucial to ensure similar abuses don’t occur in the future.
Code Enforcement | Fines and Fees | Private Property
Homeowner Facing $100,000 Parking Violation Sues Florida Town for “Excessive Fines”
Sandy Martinez received more than $100,000 in fines for how she parked on her own driveway. This excessive fine not only threatens to financially cripple Sandy, it’s also unconstitutional and is the reason she has…
Mike's Amicus Briefs
The People of the State of Michigan v. Armstrong
Michigan Supreme Court
State of Indiana v.Daniel Cespedes-Gomez
Lake County, Indiana, Superior Court
Long Lake Township v. Maxon
Michigan Supreme Court
City of Seattle v. Long
Washington Supreme Court
Nicole K., et. al. v. Stigdon, et. al.
United States Supreme Court