After moving to Tennessee, Michael’s mother worked as a substitute teacher and for a local church before her retirement. Michael is the youngest of six children with five older sisters.
At a young age, Michael became interested in the criminal justice system due to his father’s position with the DEA. In 2004, Michael attended Middle Tennessee State University to pursue a degree in Criminal Justice. At the same time, one of his sisters was beginning law school. This inspired Michael to shift is focus toward the legal system. As part of MTSU’s intern program, Michael accepted a job working for the Rutherford County Public Defender’s office. In this position, Michael worked with those unable to afford a lawyer and facing difficult circumstances. After obtaining his degree from MTSU, Michael attended law school at Southern Illinois University. In 2008, Michael had the exciting opportunity to study abroad in Ireland. During a summer break, Michael returned to Murfreesboro to work for the Rutherford County District Attorney’s Office. Michael obtained a limited license to practice law and was able to assist with high profile trials and question witnesses. Michael finished law school one semester early in December of 2010. Shortly thereafter, he obtained his license to practice law. After initially looking for jobs involving criminal law, Michael accepted a job for a Nashville firm specializing in workers’ compensation and personal injury law.
Michael spent the next seven years working on numerous complex workers compensation and personal injury cases to obtain favorable judgments in a system that is usually tilted against the injured worker or party. Despite the massive 2014 workers compensation reform against injured workers, Michael continued to litigate claims necessary to obtain compensation for injured workers forced into difficult circumstances beyond their control. In 2018, Michael accepted a job offer with Rocky McElhaney Law Firm to continue his fight for those in need. Michael was drawn to Rocky’s office after seeing all the hard work they do for their clients. Michael’s practice now focuses primarily on personal injury and motor vehicle claims. As part of his practice, Michael fights to get the big insurance companies to view his clients as a person rather than just a number.
Michael and his amazing wife, Alaina, live in Nashville with their beautiful daughter, Avery, and their two dogs. In what little free time he has, Michael enjoys running, sports, and working on numerous home projects and renovations.
Michael is admitted to practice in the United States District Court in the Middle District of Tennessee and has argued before the Tennessee Court of Appeals.
