Michael joined KSPR Law as an associate attorney in 2018 and has since become a partner. Michael is an integral part of KSPR’s construction and business litigation practice, as well our land use and development practice. Michael is a skilled trial and appellate advocate having appeared before court ranging from the First Circuit Court of Appeals to both State and Federal trial courts, as well as having appeared before various state and municipal boards in all aspects of land use zoning, planning, and permitting.
Prior to joining KSPR Law, Michael was a member of the Rhode Island Supreme Court Trial Law Clerk Department and also served as a Special Assistant Attorney General to the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General, Civil Litigation Division. He also worked for a national firm where he focused on complex litigation, multi-district litigation and class action litigation in areas of both products liability and consumer protection, as well as business.
Additionally, Michael has cultivated a wealth of knowledge in the licensure and regulation of both medical and recreational marijuana regimes—having successfully licensed and served as in-house legal counsel to several licensees and also served as a consultant to many more.
In his leisure, Michael is a skier and surfer with adoration for the ocean, mountains, travel and great food.
- Served as co-counsel in over forty (40) day bench trial in the Rhode Island Superior Court in connection with claims of defective engineering and construction activities, as well as associated costs and delays, regarding the construction of a major public works project.
- Litigated, mediated and arbitrated numerous disputes relative to defective work and engineering from the construction of residential homes to the placement of commercial asphalt parking lots to major bridge projects.
Served as co-counsel in three (3) week jury trial regarding ownership of successful liquor store business.
- Mediated numerous business disputes relative to breaches of contract, partnership agreement and/or fiduciary duty as it relates to a wide variety of business endeavors and activities.
- Prosecuted and defended receivership proceedings.
- Prosecuted and defended claims of adverse possession and prescriptive easement, trespass, nuisance and other land disputes.
- Prosecuted and defended claims relative to intellectual property rights, as well as non-competition; non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements.
- Successfully obtained a not guilty verdict for a client after trial relative to trespassing and poaching charges in the United Stated District Court for the District of Rhode Island.
- Represented numerous clients in obtaining master, preliminary and final approval for major land development projects, including, conventional, cluster and comprehensive permit (affordable housing) residential subdivisions, as well as mix-used and commercial developments, such as those related to manufacturing and logistics facilities for both national and local developers.
- Represented clients in obtaining approvals and permitting for solar array developments.
- Negotiated with municipalities relative to tax stabilization agreements for major developments.
- Represented numerous client in obtaining zoning relief; creating overlay district and obtaining amendments of both zoning ordinances and comprehensive plans.
- Successfully defended appeals taken relative to permits and approvals obtained by clients.
- Represented clients before various types of municipal permitting authorities.
- Drafted and submitted legal briefs to the First Circuit Court of Appeals and Rhode Island Supreme Court
- Drafted Amicus Curiae submissions to Rhode Island Supreme Court
- Presented oral argument to the First Circuit Court of Appeals in connection with civil litigation regarding violations of federal law in regarding to human trafficking.
Education
University of Vermont, 2007
Roger Williams School of Law, 2013, Magna Cum Laude
Bar & Court Admissions
- Rhode Island, 2013
- United States District Court for District of Rhode Island, 2013
- Massachusetts, 2013
- United States District Court for District of Massachusetts, 2017
- First Circuit Court of Appeals, 2017
