Michael is a member of a team of lawyers who represent large financial institutions and high-net-worth individuals in securities litigation and violations of contractual covenants. His practice primarily focuses on securities law, restrictive covenants, trade secrets, corporate change in control issues, commercial litigation, and arbitration.
Clients draw on Michael's significant experience with regard to:
- Brokerage industry transitions, promissory notes, and deferred compensation disputes
- Litigation involving vesting of Merrill Lynch’s Financial Advisor Capital Accumulation Award Plans (FACAAP), Growth Award, Wealthbuilder, and Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan for Managers and Producers (LTICP) plans
- Negotiating financial advisor contracts with top firms
- Representing financial advisors in numerous regulatory matters before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
- Form U-4 and U-5 issues, defending against garden leave provisions across the country, and establishing independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) offices
Education
J.D., with honors, University of Florida, 2004
M.D.R, Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University, 2004
B.S., with honors, Gannon University, 2001
Professional Associations
- Sarasota County Bar Association
- American Bar Association, Advisory Committee
Honors
- Florida Rising Star by Super Lawyers magazine, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Representative Matters
- Shumaker Wins Defamation Case for Financial Advisor Against Merrill Lynch
- 05.02.2018 AdvisorHub – Merrill to Pay $750,000 for Defaming Broker by Insinuating Insider Trading
- 05.02.2018 Citywire – Merrill to pay ex-offshore broker $750,000 in defamation case
- 05.02.2018 Financial Advisor IQ – Merrill Lynch to Fork Over Big Payout to Fired FA
- Shumaker Victory Recognized as One of Largest FINRA Awards Brokers Won from Their Firms
- 04.12.2018 InvestmentNews – Biggest Arb Awards Brokers Won from Their Firms
- Shumaker Attorneys Defeat Merrill Lynch's Attempt to Keep Litigants Out of FINRA Arbitration
- 04.03.2018 AdvisorHub – Merrill Retreats from Battle to Fight Former Executives in Court
- 04.03.2018 wealthmanagement.com – Merrill Lynch Gives Up fight Against Former Advisors’ Rights to Arbitrate
- 02.08.2018 AdvisorHub – Former Merrill Exec Wins Skirmish Over Losses in His Stock Plan
- Shumaker Attorneys Obtain TRO on Behalf of Morgan Stanley
- 02.06.2018 AdvisorHub – Judge Hands Morgan Stanley Another TRO Win, Hands Off to FINRA
- 01.31.2018 AdvisorHub – Whose Client Is It? Morgan Stanley Argues Both Sides, Former Broker Claims
- 01.24.2018 AdvisorHub – Morgan Stanley Wins Another Restraining Order Against Former Broker
- 01.23.2018 AdvisorHub – Morgan Stanley Disses Former Broker’s Career in New TRO Suit