Screening Probate Cases Before You File: Fiduciary Breaches, Validity Challenges, Cost-Benefit Strategy

Michael earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Cleveland State University College of Law in 2023, where he made the Dean's List, served on the CSU Law Moot Court Team, contributed as a writer for "The Gavel," the school's student newspaper, and received CALI "High A" Awards in Appellate Practice Clinic and Advanced Brief Writing. He holds a B.A. in Political Science, magna cum laude, from John Carroll University, conferred in 2020, where he was named to the Dean's List. He is admitted to practice in the State of Ohio and before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, both in 2023.

Michael has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch for Litigation – Trusts and Estates. He received the Best Brief Award at the Chicago Bar Association Moot Court Competition in November 2022 and, during his undergraduate studies, earned the Kathleen L. Barber Scholastic Achievement Award from the Department of Political Science in 2020.

Michael is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. His speaking engagements include "Screening Probate Cases Before You File," "Proving or Defending Undue Influence in Litigation: Evidence, Experts, Remedies," "Fiduciary Misconduct Disputes in Detail," the Butler County Probate Seminar, and the Reminger Co., LPA Advanced Probate Law Institute presented before the Columbus Bar Association.

Michael concentrates his practice on estates, trusts, and probate litigation, estate and trust administration, estate planning, and guardianships. He represents clients in private and family wealth disputes involving wills, trusts, powers of attorney, fiduciary misconduct, and non-probate transfers of assets. In a representative matter before the Cuyahoga County Probate Court, Michael and Paul Shugar secured a favorable result in a trust dispute: after the trustee failed to communicate, manage the trust, or vacate the trust property, they brought the breach-of-trust case to an evidentiary hearing, where Michael established damages and the Court removed the trustee, appointed an independent fiduciary, and awarded the client a $15,900 estate debt, $24,000 in unpaid rent, full reimbursement of trust expenses, and attorney's fees. He joined Reminger's Cleveland office in December 2023.