Raised in Cody, Wyoming, Michael Messenger attended undergraduate school at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. After spending three months as a VISTA Volunteer in Chicago, he was drafted in August, 1969 into the U.S. Army. Spending 14 months in South Vietnam, he attained the rank of Acting Sargent/E-5, was awarded the Army Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star Medal and received an honorable discharge.
Graduating from the University of Wyoming College of Law in 1975, Mr. Messenger and his wife moved to Thermopolis and began the practice of law. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association since 1977, held several elective offices and was President in 1984-1985. In addition to serving on the Fee Dispute Committee and as Chairman of the Lawyers Assistance Task Force, Mr. Messenger was elected to serve a three year term as the Fifth Judicial District Commissioner to the Wyoming State Bar. He currently serves on the Lawyers Assistance Committee.
During his first ten years as a sole practitioner, Mr. Messenger served a four year term as the elected Hot Springs County and Prosecuting Attorney and was the first Assistant Public Defender of Washakie-Hot Springs Counties. Although both offices were part-time, it was in these positions that he developed his skills as a trial lawyer, prosecuting and defending many serious criminal cases.
Mr. Messenger was a principal in the formation of Messenger & Jurovich in January, 1985, a firm which has grown to five attorneys and two paralegals. The firm works as a team on large or complex cases and has successfully sued many large and multinational entities, including pharmaceutical giants, oil companies, trucking firms and companies in the energy industry. Messenger & Jurovich is a full service law firm and practices statewide.
