Mike focuses his practice on litigation and resolution of commercial, insurance and maritime disputes. He approaches all matters with a sense of practicality and an appreciation that economic, business and other factors frequently dictate the best course of action for his clients. As a result, several local and national clients recently have asked Mike to represent them in connection with pending or potential litigation over business contracts, claims for health insurance benefits, maritime towage agreements, construction defects and accidental death, among other issues.
In addition to being an assistant instructor of Federal Practice/Commercial Litigation at the Roger Williams University School of Law, Mike is a frequent author and speaker on topics including federal court practice and procedure, admiralty law, and insurance coverage. He is an author and co-editor of a case book, Marine and Coastal Law.
While at Roger Williams University Law School, Mike was a published member of the Law Review and a member of the Moot Court Honor Society. He simultaneously returned to the University of Rhode Island, where he earned a Master of Marine Affairs Degree. Upon graduation, Mike spent two years clerking for Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice, Frank J. Williams (Ret.).
Before going to law school, Mike worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service doing environmental fieldwork throughout the Chesapeake Bay, the Narragansett Bay and the rivers of California's Central Valley Delta.
Recent Experience
Mike’s current and recent matters and accomplishments include:
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Obtained summary judgment on behalf of yacht manufacturer that was sued by a boat owner for alleged design defects and breach of warranty.
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Representation of annuity companies in a series of high-profile lawsuits centering on a secretive Stranger Owned Annuity Transaction scheme.
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Obtained arbitration award for national boat builder in a dispute over its termination of a dealership agreement.
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Representation of plastics recycler in connection with a multi-million dollar dispute over a long term business contract.
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Advised tugboat company in connection with the death of a captain and compliance with U.S. Coast Guard reporting requirements.
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Negotiated prompt release of tugboat that was arrested (pursuant to admiralty Rule B) in connection with ongoing litigation over a maritime towage agreement.
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Representation of marine lender to arrest (pursuant to admiralty Rule C) a vessel and foreclose on a preferred ship mortgage.
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Obtained favorable resolution on behalf of a national bank sued for wrongful repossession of a yacht subject to a preferred ship mortgage.
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Defense of home builder in connection with a series of lawsuits alleging various construction defects and breaches of warranty.
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Defense of gaming company in litigation over an alleged breach of a multi-million dollar royalty agreement.
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Representation of life, health and disability insurers in connection with coverage disputes governed by ERISA and state law.
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Wrote amicus brief in the First Circuit Court of Appeals concerning the constitutionality of Rhode Island's campaign finance and disclosure laws.
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Obtained favorable and fair resolution on behalf of coastal property owners cited for violations of state environmental regulations.
Honors & Distinctions
Mike has been recognized as a 2011 "Rising Star" in
Super Lawyers.
Professional Activities
Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, American Bar Association.
Admiralty Committee (Chair, 2009-2010)
Business Litigation Committee
Insurance Coverage Committee
Editorial Board, The Brief
Member, Defense Research Institute
Member, Maritime Law Association
Member, Rhode Island Bar Association
Speaking Engagements
National Business Institute: Insurance Coverage Law, June 2007, June 2008, March 2012
Defense Counsel of Rhode Island, CLE Seminar: Damages: Legal, Practical and Pragmatic Considerations of Value Assessment, May 2011
Maritime Law Association, Recreational Boating Committee Meeting: Piracy and Recreational Boating, May 2010
American Bar Association/(TIPS), Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Annual Meeting: Insurance Coverage for Maritime Piracy, February 2010
Rhode Island Federal District Court / Federal Practice Series Seminar: Admiralty Law and Jurisdiction, March 2009
Publications
Recent Developments in Admiralty and Maritime Law. Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal (2011). (Co-author).
Marine and Coastal Law, Cases and Materials 2nd Ed. Praeger Publishing. 2010.
Recent Developments in Admiralty and Maritime Law. 45:2 Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal (2010). (Co-author).
Punitive Damages, Rhode Island Chapter. DRI Survey of Punitive Damages Laws. 2009.
Intellectual Property. Chapter, DRI Young Lawyers Form Book. 2009.
Has the Antiquities Act Gone Down With the Ship? A Preemption Analysis of Rhode Island's Shipwreck Laws, 6 Roger Williams U. Law Rev. 539 (2001).
Civic Activities
Legal Committee, Save the Bay, 2008-present
Board Member, Portsmouth Public Education Foundation, 2011-present
Board Member, Friends of the Glen Manor House, 2011-present
Youth Soccer Coach, Portsmouth, R.I., 2009-present