Michael Morthland
Crisis Communications • Government Relations • Political Consulting • Public Affairs Campaign Management
Senior Vice President
Michael Morthland is a Senior Vice President at Mercury’s Illinois office where he specializes in government and public affairs.
Michael Morthland joined Mercury’s Illinois office after spending nearly a decade at top levels of Illinois Executive and Legislative Government.
As Assistant Counsel to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Michael was charged with writing, negotiating and defending bills through the legislative process including on complicated and sensitive subjects of labor, pharmacy benefit managers and prescription drug supply chain, insurance, $15 minimum wage, environment and energy, and transportation and infrastructure.
In 2020, Michael joined the Governor Pritzker Administration as Chief of Staff at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. While at IDFPR, Michael composed strategies around building the new adult use cannabis infrastructure, fintech oversight and regulation, communications, and professional regulation. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, Michael joined the Department of Public Health as Deputy Chief of Staff. As the Deputy Chief, Michael oversaw efforts around strategic building and communications, government relations, crisis management and communication, medical cannabis, workforce development, strategic procurement, and systems management and construction.
Prior to joining government, Michael obtained his JD from Southern Illinois University—Carbondale. While in Carbondale, Michael specialized in Constitutional Law and Intellectual Property, assisted students as a Teaching Assistant for Constitutional Law and Administrative Processes, was a member of the Journal of Legal Medicine, and played in the SIUC Symphony Orchestra.
Before obtaining his Juris Doctorate, Michael attended the University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign where he graduated with his Bachelor in Music, specializing as an orchestral performer as a bassoonist, with piano as a secondary instrument. In addition, Michael was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity acting as its president and rebuilding the fraternity.
Michael is originally from Decatur, Illinois, and is fourth generation attorney and public servant. Michael’s grandfather was the Honorable Donald W. Morthland and his great-grandfather was the Honorable Martin E. Morthland, both of whom were judges in Macon County and surrounding areas.
Michael is married to Kathryn, who he met in Legislative and Administrative Processes while at Carbondale and father to Walter Everett Morthland. They currently reside outside Springfield.
As Assistant Counsel to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Michael was charged with writing, negotiating and defending bills through the legislative process including on complicated and sensitive subjects of labor, pharmacy benefit managers and prescription drug supply chain, insurance, $15 minimum wage, environment and energy, and transportation and infrastructure.
In 2020, Michael joined the Governor Pritzker Administration as Chief of Staff at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. While at IDFPR, Michael composed strategies around building the new adult use cannabis infrastructure, fintech oversight and regulation, communications, and professional regulation. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, Michael joined the Department of Public Health as Deputy Chief of Staff. As the Deputy Chief, Michael oversaw efforts around strategic building and communications, government relations, crisis management and communication, medical cannabis, workforce development, strategic procurement, and systems management and construction.
Prior to joining government, Michael obtained his JD from Southern Illinois University—Carbondale. While in Carbondale, Michael specialized in Constitutional Law and Intellectual Property, assisted students as a Teaching Assistant for Constitutional Law and Administrative Processes, was a member of the Journal of Legal Medicine, and played in the SIUC Symphony Orchestra.
Before obtaining his Juris Doctorate, Michael attended the University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign where he graduated with his Bachelor in Music, specializing as an orchestral performer as a bassoonist, with piano as a secondary instrument. In addition, Michael was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity acting as its president and rebuilding the fraternity.
Michael is originally from Decatur, Illinois, and is fourth generation attorney and public servant. Michael’s grandfather was the Honorable Donald W. Morthland and his great-grandfather was the Honorable Martin E. Morthland, both of whom were judges in Macon County and surrounding areas.
Michael is married to Kathryn, who he met in Legislative and Administrative Processes while at Carbondale and father to Walter Everett Morthland. They currently reside outside Springfield.
