Mike Mandell, known online as Law by Mike, is an American attorney and internet personality based in Los Angeles, California. He produces legal education videos on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram and operates a law firm, Mandell Law APC. In 2025, Law by Mike was listed as one of the top YouTube creators of the year.[2]
Mike Mandell | |
|---|---|
| Born | Michael L. Mandell[1] |
| Education | University of Southern California (BA, 2009) Duke University School of Law (JD, 2012) |
| Occupations |
|
| TikTok information | |
| Page | |
| Years active | 2020–present |
| Genre | Law |
| Followers | 11.5 million |
| YouTube information | |
| Channel | |
| Years active | 2020–present |
| Genre | Law |
| Subscribers | 18.3 million |
| Views | 17.84 billion |
| Last updated: April 22, 2026 | |
| Website | www |
Early life and education
editMandell studied communications at the University of Southern California, graduating from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism in 2009.[3] He has described coming from a family of personal injury lawyers.[4]
He then earned a Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law in 2012.[3] He was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2012, and as of 2026 his license has remained active.[1]
Legal career
editAfter graduating from Duke Law, Mandell worked as an associate attorney at Reed Smith, an international law firm, at its Los Angeles office for approximately eight years, focusing on product liability litigation.[citation needed] He has stated that the firm's policies restricted attorneys from engaging in personal marketing or social media activity during this period.[3]
In 2020, Mandell left Reed Smith and founded Mandell Law APC, based in Woodland Hills.[citation needed] The firm handles cases in personal injury, criminal defense, entertainment law, and sexual abuse.[5] Prior to founding Mandell Law, Mandell was recognized on the Daily Journals list of "Top Verdicts in California" for a 2014 case, Gisvold v. Merck.[6]
Online career
editOrigins
editMandell started his YouTube channel, and also posted his first TikTok video on November 17, 2020. He has said he began posting as a low cost way to attract clients to his newly founded firm.[7] His first public YouTube video, which discusses what to do if pulled over for speeding, appeared on February 26, 2021.[8]
Early videos attracted limited attention, but a clip about what to say during a police traffic stop went viral, accumulating tens of millions of views.[7] By October 2021, one year after creating his YouTube channel, Mandell had surpassed 100,000 subscribers.[citation needed]
Content
editMandell's videos cover legal situations relevant to everyday life, including police encounters, landlord tenant disputes and workplace rights. He has stated that his content shifted over time from a purely business oriented goal toward legal education more broadly: "I went from a lawyer mentality to an educator mentality."[7]
Book
editIn 2024, Mandell published Oops... That's Illegal!: A Handbook for the Wildly Curious (and the Accidental Outlaw) through Balance, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.[5] The book addresses unusual and everyday legal questions in a format consistent with his video content, covering topics such as police interactions, tenant rights, and civil disputes.[9][10]
Podcast
editBibliography
edit| Year | Title | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Oops... That's Illegal!: A Handbook for the Wildly Curious (and the Accidental Outlaw) | Balance / Hachette Book Group |
See also
editReferences
edit- 1 2 "Michael L. Mandell #288513 – Attorney Licensee Search". State Bar of California. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
- ↑ Hayes, Dade (December 2, 2025). "YouTube Unveils Personalized Year-End Recap Feature, Top Overall Trends And Creators Of 2025". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Educating the Public w/ Michael Mandell 372". Maximum Lawyer. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
- ↑ "Mike Mandell: Going Viral with Social Media". Rankings.io. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
- 1 2 "Mike Mandell". Hachette Book Group. October 10, 2025. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
- ↑ "Mike in the Press". LawByMike.com. Retrieved April 20, 2026.[dead link]
- 1 2 3 "Law By Mike: From the Courtroom to TikTok Stardom". Loio. June 13, 2025. Retrieved April 20, 2026.[dead link]
- ↑ Law By Mike (February 26, 2021). "What to do when you get pulled over for speeding #shorts". YouTube. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- ↑ Oops... That's Illegal!: A Handbook for the Wildly Curious (and the Accidental Outlaw). ISBN 0306837617.
- ↑ "Oops... That's Illegal! (Audible Audio Edition)". Audible / Amazon. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
- ↑ "Law by Mike on the Mic". Spotify. Retrieved April 20, 2026.