Attorney Biography
Michael has a Martindale-Hubbell AV “Preeminent” peer rating for ethical standards and legal ability as well as an Avvo-Rating of “Superb”. Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings reflect a combination of achieving a Very High General Ethical Standards rating and a Legal Ability numerical rating. An AV certification mark is a significant rating accomplishment – a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence. Only lawyers admitted to the bar for 10 years or more are eligible to receive an AV rating. At the AV Preeminent level, a lawyer has achieved the highest level of professional excellence.
Michael is a native Floridian who was born in Jacksonville and is a graduate of Orange Park High School. Michael attended Flagler College in St. Augustine on a golf scholarship, where he studied History. He obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of North Florida and attended Florida Coastal School of Law where he obtained a Juris Doctorate in 2002.
During the second year of law school, Michael was selected as one of ten students in Florida to serve as a legal intern for the Florida Supreme Court. In Tallahassee, he worked under the supervision of then Chief Justice Charles T. Wells, gaining valuable insight into the Florida Court Appellate System. Upon graduation, Michael began his legal career as an insurance defense attorney for a state-wide firm handling worker’s compensation and insurance benefit claims. After seeing first-hand the challenges individuals faced against these powerful defendants, he decided to open a solo practice focusing on plaintiff’s rights in 2005.
Prior to attending law school, Michael worked as a golf professional and played professionally throughout the Florida and North Carolina mini-tours. Today he continues to enjoy golf, fishing, traveling and spending time with his family.