About Mike

Mike is an estate planning and probate attorney based in Gainesville, Florida. 

Originally from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Mike moved to Washington, DC for undergraduate studies at American University and then stayed in the DC-metro area for the next decade. During this time, he worked as a police officer in Arlington, Virginia, met his wife, and had his first child.

When his mother-in-law was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2017, Mike and his family moved to Gainesville to help. Mike continued to work as a police officer in Gainesville and simultaneously attended law school at the University of Florida. Because there wasn’t enough on his plate, Mike and his wife then had twins right in the middle of law school. Somehow, they made it through.

Mike began to gravitate towards estate planning while at UF Law. While trying to take care of the generations both before and after him at the same time, and seeing how stressful life planning and leaving a legacy can be, he understood the immense value of a helping hand through these processes. Conditioned and driven to help others through more than a decade in public service, Mike wanted to continue service to others by helping them navigate what are often difficult personal situations. He enjoys working one-on-one with clients to get a complete understanding of their wants and needs and then developing an individually tailored plan for them.

While at UF Law, Mike also worked in both the Mediation Clinic, where he received the training and experience to become certified as a county mediator, and the Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Assistance Clinic, where he assisted clients with petitions for discharge upgrades and appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to establish service connection for combat injuries.

Before starting his own practice, Mike worked for over two years for an estate planning, probate, and elder law attorney in Gainesville, first as a law clerk and then as an associate attorney. During this time he worked with dozens of clients on a wide variety of estate planning, probate, and guardianship matters.

In addition to running his own firm, Mike continues his commitment to public service, volunteering each month with Florida Guardian ad Litem and as a county mediator with the Eighth Judicial Circuit. He also regularly takes on cases pro bono.

Today, Mike lives in Gainesville with his wife and three daughters. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family (near and far), reading, weightlifting, running, and road cycling.

Education:

  • Juris Doctor, cum laude, University of Florida Levin College of Law

  • Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies, summa cum laude, American University

Academic and Professional Awards:

  • CALI Excellence for the Future Book Awards (awarded for highest grade in the class):

    • Trusts & Estates

    • Advanced Trusts & Estates

    • Deposition Strategy & Practice

  • Excellence in Community Service Award, University of Florida (2022)

  • Excellence in Pro Bono Service Award, University of Florida (2022)

  • Police Service Awards (2014, 2015, 2016)

Certifications:

  • Florida Supreme Court-certified County Mediator

  • Florida Guardian ad Litem Volunteer

Professional Association Memberships and Positions:

  • The Florida Bar

  • Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar 

  • Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar

  • Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar

  • Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association

  • Director-at-Large, Young Lawyers Division of the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association