Overview

As a trusted estate planning attorney, Michael frequently contributes to the discourse on crucial topics related to trust and estate planning through publications and presentations.

Michael works with clients through their estate planning needs creating wills and trusts for individuals, healthcare documents, powers of attorney, and estate and gift tax returns. He develops wealth preservation strategies for his clients, which include business owners, professionals, entrepreneurs, and their families, including estate planning for family offices. Through probate, or estate administration, he assists executors and beneficiaries with the necessary tasks. In situations where real estate is involved, Michael assists with due diligence on potential transactions and reviewing trusts used for loan transactions. 

Serving as the Trust & Estates articles editor for Probate & Property Magazine, he provides valuable insights to the legal community. Additionally, Michael reports annually from the Philip E. Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning for the American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust, and Estate Law. 

Courts & Bar Associations

• Ohio Bar (2019)
• Wisconsin Bar (2018)
• Florida Bar (2012)
• American Bar Association, Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law
• Collier County Bar Association
• Florida Bar Association

Professional & Civic Affiliations

• The Florida Bar
  • Florida Probate Rules Committee: Member (2020–Present), Vice Chair (2024–2025), Chair (2025–Present)
  • Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section: Executive Council Member (2016–Present), At-Large Member (2016–2022)
    • Information Technology Committee: Member and Co-Vice Chair (2017–2022)
    • Asset Protection Committee: Member (2014–Present), Co-Vice Chair (2018–2021), Chair (2021–Present)
    • Estate and Trust Tax Planning Committee: Member (2015–Present)
  • Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section of the American Bar Association
    • Asset Protection Planning Committee: Member (2013–Present), Co-Vice Chair (2015–2017), Co-Chair (2017–2018)
    • Generation Skipping Transfers Committee: Co-Vice Chair (2016–2021), Co-Chair (2021–2024)
    • Income and Transfer Tax Planning Group: Vice-Chair (2024–Present)
    • Leadership/Mentoring Task Force: Member (2018–2022)
    • Non-Tax Estate Planning Considerations Group: Group Vice-Chair (2018–2020), Group Chair (2020–2022)
    • Phillip E. Heckerling Institute: Reporter (2013–Present)
    • Publications Committee: Member (2019–Present)
    • Real Property Trust and Estate Law Journal: Digital Transition Editor (2018–2019)
• Probate & Property Magazine: Associate Articles Editor (2013–2018), Articles Editor for Trust and Estate (2018–Present)
• Collier County Bar Association (Naples, FL): Director (2023–Present; reelected for 2025–2027), Member (2015–Present), Chair, Trust and Estates Section (2018–2019)
• Collier County Bar Foundation, Inc. (Naples, FL): Director (2019–2023)
• Estate Planning Council of Greater Miami: Member (2014–2015), Graduate Student Co-Chair of Social Media (2013–2014)
• Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc.: Director (2020–Present), Treasurer (2021–2022), President-Elect (2022–2023), President (2023–2024), Secretary (2024–Present)
• Growing Associates in Naples ("GAIN") / Associate Leadership Collier: Graduate (2019)
• Cleveland Leadership Center (Civic Leadership Institute): Participant (2024)
• Leadership Geauga: Participant, Signature Adult Class Program (2025)
• Champions for Learning: Mentor, Take Stock in Children Program (2022–Present)

Professional Honors & Awards

• Fellow, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)(2025–Present)
• The Best Lawyers in America^® – Trusts and Estates, Litigation – Trusts and Estates (2024–2026)
• At-Large Member of the Year, Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the Florida Bar (2016–2017)
• Fellowship, Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the Florida Bar (2014–2016)

Presentations

• Asset Protection: Hot Sun, Hotter Topics: Asset Protection in Florida, RPPTL Section (August 1, 2025)
• Heckerling Update, Venice Area Estate Planning Council (May 19, 2025)
• Long Term Effects of Compassion Fatigue, RPPTL Section (April 3, 2025)
• Heckerling Update, LCBA RPPTL Section Meeting (February 14, 2025)
• January 2025 Heckerling Update, Martin County Estate Planning Council (January 23, 2025)
• Heckerling Update, Martin County Estate Planning Council (January 18, 2024)
• Succession Planning for Families and Businesses (September 21, 2023)
• Unfamiliar Real Estate Matters in the Estate Administration Process, Fund Assembly (May 20, 2023)
• A Closed Mouth Don’t Get Fed: Conquering Substance Use, Anxiety and Depression in the Asset Protection and Estate Planning Fields, Florida Bar RPPTL Section (February 9, 2023)
• Heckerling Update, Martin County Estate Planning Council (January 19, 2023)
• Did I Do That? UnFamily-iar Real Estate Matters in the Estate Administration Process, Florida Bar RPPTL Section (November 18, 2022)
• Reverse Mortgages: Good v. Evil? Florida Bar RPPTL Section (Audio Webcast, January 27, 2020)
• All I Got Was a Watch: Tips and Techniques for Disposing of the Family Business and Continuing Family Harmony, South Dakota Trust Association 4th Annual Fall Forum (October 8, 2020)
• Mom Liked Me Better and She Will Prove It: Pre-Mortem Validation – Permanent Solution or Fad, ABA/RPTE Spring Conference (Webinar, May 15, 2020)
• Drafting Gun Trusts 101, Federal Bar Association (Live CLE Webinar, March 9, 2020)
• 2020 Heckerling Update, Lee County Bar Association Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section (Feb. 14, 2020)
• Heckerling Update, Estate Planning Council of Lee County (February 13, 2020)
• Gun Trusts: What’s All the Fuss? Coral Gables-South Dade Estate Planning Council (November 19, 2019)
• Advanced Gun Trusts, ProLawCLE (September 19, 2019)
• Estate Planning for Real Estate in Living Trusts, Webcredenza (September 12, 2019)
• Trust and Estate Planning for Cabins, Boats, Vacation Homes & Assets, Webcredenza (August 27, 2019)
• Basics of Asset Protection, CCMS & NCH Healthcare System Resident Series (August 22, 2019)
• Advanced Gun Trusts, LawPracticeCLE (July 19, 2019)
• Trust and Estate Planning for Real Estate, Part 1 and 2, Webcredenza (June 25 & 26, 2019)
• 2019 Trust and Estate Planning Update, Webcredenza (May 14, 2019)
• Gun Trusts: The Complete Guide, LawPracticeCLE (April 25, 2019)
• Uniform Voidable Transactions Act: Sword or Shield (It Depends on Who You Are Talking To...), Estate Planning Council of Lee County (April 18, 2019)
• Trust and Estate Planning for Second Marriages, Webcredenza (March 20, 2019)
• Construction Law Forum (March 20, 2019)
• Trust and Estate Planning for Single Clients, Webcredenza (February 13, 2019)
• Trust and Estate Planning for Divorce, Webcredenza (January 17, 2019)
• Use of Out of State & International Entities & Trusts for Florida Residents, Bonita/Estero Estate Planning Group (November 8, 2018)
• Use of Out of State & International Entities & Trusts for Florida Residents, Lee County Bar Association Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section (November 9, 2018)
• Family Feuds in Trusts: How to Anticipate & Avoid, Webcredenza (March 7, 2018)
• Discretionary Trusts: Risks, Opportunities & Best Uses, Webcredenza (March 2, 2018)
• Choosing the Right Trust, Part 1 and 2, Webcredenza (January 30 & 31, 2018)
• Estate Planning for the Elderly, Part 1 and 2, Webcredenza (December 14 & 15, 2017)
• An In Depth Look at Current Strategies in Asset Protection & Tax Planning for the Modern Estate Plan, Florida Bar RPPTL Section (November 30, 2017)
• The Use of Out of State & International Entities/Trusts for Florida Residents, Florida Bar RPPTL Section (November 30, 2017)
• Planning for the Freeze: Trust & Estate Planning to ‘Freeze’ Asset Values, Webcredenza (November 21, 2017)
• Informa Financial Intelligence Lunch & Learn, Trust Users Group National Education Conference (October 17, 2017)
• Estate Planning for Second Marriages, Webcredenza (October 10, 2017)
• Recent Developments in Estate Planning, South Dakota Trust Association (August 30, 2017)
• Planning with GRATs, Webcredenza (August 1, 2017)
• Hotter Topics in Trust and Estate Planning, Estate Planning In Depth, American Law Institute – Continuing Legal Education (June 26, 2017)
• Funding Trusts: Asset Planning and Financial Distributions, Webcredenza (May 2, 2017)
• Hot Topics in Estate Planning, Estate Planning in Depth 2016 (June 28, 2016)
• There’s No Place Like Home – Domestic Self-Settled Asset Protection Trusts and Inter Vivos QTIP Trusts: Why Do Them and Where To Go When You Do, American Bar Association (December 9, 2014)
• Current Estate Planning/Asset Protection Tricks and Treats, North Dade/South Broward Estate Planning Council (November 19, 2014)

Publications

• “Real Estate and Related Issues in the Estate Administration Process,” Probate & Property Magazine (March/April 2023)
• “Mo Money, Mo Problems: Planning After the Liquidity Event,” The Naples Daily News - Estate Planning Council Supplement (March 12, 2023)
• "Directions to Trust Directors of Directed Trusts," Probate & Property Magazine (May/June 2022)
• "An Introduction to Community Property Trusts," Probate & Property Magazine (November/December 2021)
• “Estate Planning Lessons from Mookie Betts and Fernando Tatis, Jr.,” Wealth Management Magazine (April 21, 2021)
• “Mom Liked Me Better, and She Will Prove It: Pre-Mortem Validation—Permanent Solution or Fad?” Probate and Property Magazine (March/April 2021)
• “Exemptions And Waivers: Kearney Construction – A Whole New Ball Game,” Actionline (Fall 2020)
• “Of Waivers and Exemptions: Protecting Exempt Assets in Florida Following the Kearney Construction Case,” Steve Leimberg's Asset Protection Planning Newsletter (February 27, 2020)
• “The Role of the Physician in Florida’s New Human Trafficking Laws,” The Forum Magazine (November/December 2019)
• “Recent Florida Case Revisits Berlinger Decision,” Real Property Probate & Trust Law Newsletter, Lee County Bar Association (Summer 2019)
• “Second DCA Keeps Berlinger Alive Another Day,” Steve Leimberg’s Estate Planning Newsletter (May 30, 2019)
• “The Case for Trusts as an Alternative to Prenuptial Agreements When Religion Intervenes,” Probate & Property Magazine (May/June 2019)
• “Fiduciary Law Trends: A Roundup of Significant Court Cases,” Trust & Estates (May 2019)
• “Avoiding Tangible Personal Property Disputes,” Naples Daily News (March 3, 2019)
• “Only One Can Win? Property Tax Exemptions Based on Residency Under Florida Law,” The Florida Bar Journal (September/October 2018)
• “Did the Supreme Court’s Legg Denial Just Kick the Can Down the Road?” Tax Management Estates, Gifts and Trusts Journal, Bloomberg BNA (November 9, 2017)
• “Overview of Timely Topics in Trust and Estate Planning,” Estate Planning Journal (October 2017)
• “A duty? Relax, Recent Decanting Case Does Not Give Trustees an Affirmative Duty to Decant,” Estate Planning Newsletter #2561, Leimberg Information Services, Inc. (June 22, 2017)
• “Fiduciary Law Trends,” Trust & Estates (May 2017)
• “Gun Trusts – What’s all the Fuss?” Probate & Property Magazine (March/April 2017)
• “Trusts,” Lexis Practice Advisor - Florida Business & Commercial Module (December 2016)
• “The Tools & Techniques of Trust Planning, 1st Edition,” The National Underwriting Company (December 2016)
• “Disability Planning,” Lexis Practice Advisor - Florida Business & Commercial Module (October 28, 2016)
• “Wills,” Lexis Practice Advisor - Florida Business & Commercial Module (June 16, 2016)
• “Fiduciary Law Trends,” Trust & Estates (May 2016)
• “Creditors’ Rights to Social Security Benefits in Florida,” State-to-State, The Florida Bar Out-of-State Division (Winter 2015)
• “Planning for Second Spouses and First Marriage Children and (Surprisingly) Making Everyone Happy!” Actionline Magazine (Summer 2015)
• “Drafting Attorneys and Litigation Attorneys Need to Collaborate,” eReport, American Bar Association, Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section (August 2014)
• “Asset Protection Planning Without Malpractice Risk,” Daily Business Review (February 18, 2014)