Professional

• | Print |
•  Email

As a trial lawyer, Michael is licensed in state and federal courts in South Carolina.  He is also licensed before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for Veteran Claims, the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.

Michael has served a number of community organizations including serving as a Commissioner on the City of Spartanburg Human Relations Commission, Counsel to the Upstate Fatherhood Coalition, Chief Legal Counsel to the Spartanburg NAACP, Member of the Audit Committee of the Glen Springs Academy, Board Member of the Spartanburg Habitat for Humanity, and Board Member of the City of Spartanburg Board of Zoning and Appeals.  In April 2008, during a special election, Michael was elected to serve as the District One Representative on the Spartanburg County Council and was re-elected on November 4, 2008.

In 2010, Michael was selected to serve as the first ever Community “Ambassador” for Christmas In Action (Spartanburg), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency that, in partnership with the community, repairs homes of low income, elderly, and/or disabled homeowners.  Michael is also a member of a number of local, state, and national bar associations.  He is the past President of the South Carolina Black Lawyers Association, President of the Donald James Sampson Bar Association (a National Bar Association Affiliate Chapter), Member of the American Bar Association Advisory Panel, served regionally as a Past District Justice (District XXV-South Carolina and North Carolina) for the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity and is a past Chair of the Minority Caucus of the American Association of Justice (formerly the American Trial Lawyers Association) and is a member of the Board of Governors of the American Association of Justice. He is a member of the South Carolina Bar Judicial Qualifications Committee

He is a Fellow and Board of Trustees Member of the Pound Civil Justice Institute and serves as Treasurer on the national board of the Civil Justice Foundation.