Michael J. Carney

Equity Partner

overview

Michael Carney defends high stakes litigation matters in all state and federal courts throughout Florida. Matters include wrongful death and catastrophic injury negligence claims, employment practices, product liability suits, ADA, professional malpractice issues and civil and administrative proceedings involving pollution, toxic torts and governmental inquiries relating to violations of state and federal environmental laws and statutes. Since joining Kubicki Draper in 1998, Mike has developed a reputation as one of the areas most prolific and successful trial practitioners. He has vast experience in front of juries and prides himself on his track record of results. Mike has taken in excess of 70 jury trials to verdict.

A number of Mike's clients engage him state-wide to handle high exposure litigation matters. Mike's case list includes matters in litigation throughout Florida from the Panhandle to the Keys. In addition, clients often turn to Mike with a trial looming and the stakes high when settlement talks have ceased. In particularly dangerous or complex cases, the firm offers its clients the opportunity to be represented by a "complex trial team." These "complex trial teams" quickly ready a case for trial while simultaneously changing the other side's value perception of their own chances. The firm's reach throughout the State of Florida affords Mike the flexibility and resources to tailor the right combination of lawyers and support personnel to meet any need a client's case may present, no matter the odds.

In addition to his practice, Mike enjoys speaking with clients and participating in seminars to lecture or speak on a wide variety of matters involving civil litigation. Mike has listed in “Best Lawyer” in America, "AV Preeminent" rated by Martindale Hubbell, and selected for inclusion in South Florida Legal Guide's "Top Lawyers." Mike has been recognized by has peers and the legal community at large as one of the most adept trial lawyers in the state of Florida. 

Practice Areas
Credentials

Education

  • University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, FL (J.D., 1994)
  • Davidson College, Davidson, NC (B.A., 1990)

Admissions

  • State of Florida, 1994
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Kubicki Draper Hospitality, Retail, and Premises Liability Practice Group, Member
  • Kubicki Draper Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, Member
  • Florida Bar Association
  • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), Member
  • American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
  • Broward County Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Florida Municipal Attorneys Association

Certifications / Specialties

  • Certified Continuing Education Instructor, State of Florida

Special Awards and Recognitions

  • Best Lawyers, South Florida’s Best Lawyers (2022)
  • Best Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, Litigation - Insurance (2020-2023)
  • Outstanding Community Partner, Miami-Dade Public School District (2019)
  • South Florida Legal Guide, Top Lawyer (2008-2012, 2015-2020)
  • Best Lawyers, Florida's Best Lawyers (2014)
  • Rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell
  • ABOTA 
  • Martindale-Hubbell 
Presentations

Speaking Engagements / Presentations

  • "Florida 4-Hour Law and Ethics Update," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2024
  • "Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2023
  • "Florida 4-Hour Law and Ethics Update," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2023
  • "Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation," AAA, 2023
  • "Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation," Hudson, 2022
  • "Identifying and Defending against Reptilian Litigation Tactics," Hudson, 2022
  • "Florida 4-Hour Law and Ethics Update," FIFEC, 2022
  • "Florida 4-Hour Law and Ethics Update," Orlando Claims Association, 2022
  • "Identifying and Defending Against Reptilian Tactics," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2021
  • "Effective Case Resolution: Thinking One Step Ahead," Hudson, 2021
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2021
  • "Dram Shop Law and Alcohol Vendor Liability," James River, 2021
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2021
  • "Effective Case Resolution: Thinking One Step Ahead," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2021
  • "Dogs Gone Wild: An Overview of Florida Law in Cases Involving Dogs," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2021
  • "Effective Case Resolution: Thinking One Step Ahead," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2021
  • "Dogs Gone Wild: An Overview of Florida Law in Cases Involving Dogs," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2021
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2021
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," Orlando Claims Association, 2021
  • "Alcohol, Cell Phones and The Law," Bristol West, 2020
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2020
  • "Traumatic Brain Injury," Mercury, 2020
  • "Traumatic Brain Injury," FCCI, 2020
  • "Dram Shop Law and Alcohol Vendor Liability," KD Webinar, 2020
  • "Early Case Resolution," AIG, 2020
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," GEICO Webinar, 2020
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," FIFEC Webinar, 2020
  • "Daubert vs. Frye," GEICO, 2019
  • "Traumatic Brain Injury," FCCI, 2019
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," Florida Insurance Fraud Education Committee (FIFEC), 2019
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," FCCI, 2018
  • "Premises Liability," Sedgwick, 2018
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," Orlando Claims Association, 2018
  • “Security Legal Issues,” LIV Nightclub, 2017
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," GEICO, 2017
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," Florida League of Cities, 2017
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," GEICO, 2016
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," FCCI, 2016
  • "Bad Faith: Top Ten Pitfalls to Avoid in Florida," Maxum Specialty, 2016
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," GEICO, 2015
  • "Corporate Representative Depositions - Understanding the Scope of 1.310(B)(6)," Florida Insurance Fraud Education Committee (FIFEC), 2015
  • "Defending Difficult Medical Claims & Ethics for the Claims Professional," CNA, 2015
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," FCCI, 2014
  • "Negotiating Small Limits, Trying Cases with an Excess Verdict, Mild Brian Traumatic Brain Injury, Ethics, Alcohol, Cell phones & the Law, Fraudulent Claims - Staged Accidents/Medical Coding," GEICO, 2014
  • "Premises Liability and Fraudulent Claims," Liberty Mutual, 2014
  • "How Ethical Claim Handling and Careful Preparation will Help Carry the Day," CRA 2014
  • "Fraud Mock Trial," Florida Insurance Fraud Education Committee, (FIFEC), 2014
  • "PIP: Emerging Issues, Ethics for the Claims Professional and SIU: Tips and Tactics," GEICO, 2014
  • "Fraud and Abuse," The Hartford, 2014
  • "Ethics for the Claims Professional," Amerisure, 2014
  • "Indemnity and Construction Contracts," FCCI, 2013
  • "Spreading the Misery; Indemnity Clauses in Construction," Westfield, 2013
  • "Changes to the Florida PIP Law, Litigation Fraud and Counterclaims," Florida Farm Bureau, 2013
  • "Effective Mediation Preparation, Strategy and Presentation for the Claims Professional," GEICO, 2013
  • "Ethics for the Claims Professional," Kubicki Draper Claims Management Conference, 2012
  • "Liens and Set Offs," FCCI, 2012
  • "Investigating Staged Accidents," GEICO, 2011
  • "Bad Faith/Excess Verdict," Kubicki Draper Claims Management Conference, 2010
  • "Hotel, Event Sponsorship & Amusement Parks," Kubicki Draper Claims Management Conference, 2009
  • "Alternative Dispute Resolution," Kubicki Draper Claims Management Conference, 2008
  • “Strategies for Defending ADA Title III Lawsuits," Kubicki Draper Claims Management Conference, 2007
  • Overview
  • Practice Areas
  • Credentials
  • Presentations

locations

Miami

Miami Office

9100 South Dadeland Blvd., Suite 1800
Miami, FL 33156

T: 305.374.1212 F: 305.374.7846

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Miami-Dade

Key West

Key West Office

402 Applerouth Lane, Suite 2C
Key West, FL 33040

T: 305.509.7300 F: 305.374.7846

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Monroe
Ft. Lauderdale

Ft. Lauderdale Office

110 East Broward Blvd., Suite 1400
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

T: 954.768.0011 F: 954.768.0514

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Broward
West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach Office

1700 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 800
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

T: 561.640.0303 F: 561.640.0524

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Indian River | Martin | Okeechobee | Palm Beach | Saint Lucie

Tampa

Tampa Office

400 North Ashley Drive, Suite 1200
Tampa, FL 33602

T: 813.204.9776 F: 813.204.9660

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Hernando | Hillsborough | Manatee | Pasco | Pinellas | Polk | Sarasota
Orlando

Orlando Office

201 South Orange Avenue, Suite 475
Orlando, FL 32801

T: 407.245.3630 F: 407.245.7685

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Brevard | Highlands | Orange | Osceola | Seminole
Ocala

Ocala Office

1396 NE 20th Avenue, #500
Ocala, FL 34470

T: 352.622.4222 F: 352.622.9122

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Alachua | Citrus | Dixie | Gilchrist | Lake | Levy | Marion | Putnam | Sumter | Volusia
Jacksonville

Jacksonville Office

1 Independent Drive, Suite 1601
Jacksonville, FL 32202

T: 904.396.0062 F: 904.396.0380

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Baker | Bradford | Clay | Columbia | Duval | Flagler | Hamilton | Nassau | Saint Johns | Union
Pensacola

Pensacola Office

125 West Romana Street, Suite 550
Pensacola, FL 32502

T: 850.434.0003 F: 850.434.0223

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Escambia | Holmes | Okaloosa | Santa Rosa | Walton

Tallahassee

Tallahassee Office

1705 Metropolitan Boulevard, Suite 202
Tallahassee, FL 32308

T: 850.222.5188 F: 850.222.5108

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Bay | Calhoun | Franklin | Gadsden | Gulf | Jackson | Jefferson | Leon | Liberty | Wakulla | Washington | Madison | Lafayette | Taylor 

Ft. Myers

Ft. Myers Office

13350 Metro Parkway, Suite 201
Fort Myers, FL 33966

T: 239.334.8403 F: 239.939.0700

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Charlotte | Collier | DeSoto | Glades | Hardee | Hendry | Lee

Mobile

Mobile Office

11 North Water Street, Suite 10290
Mobile, AL 36602

T: 251.308.3351 F: 251.287.1624

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Baldwin | Washington | Clarke | Escambia | Covington | Geneva | Houston | Henry |  Dale | Coffee | Barbour | Pike |Crenshaw | Butler  | Monroe | Clarke | Choctaw | Wilcox | Bullock | Russell

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Our Firm

our hi(story)

In 1963, Gene Kubicki founded the firm based on dedication to excellence. The same high standards have been maintained for over five decades -- years which have seen the firm’s ranks swell to over 200 attorneys.

ourattorneys

Our team knows return clients are the life blood of any law firm and this is why we ensure client satisfaction by an exacting attention to service and quality.  Client service coupled with a spectacular work ethic, makes our team hard to beat.

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ourDIVERSITY

Kubicki Draper is committed to fostering an environment of equal opportunity for success and believes diversity is not only a moral imperative, but is also sound business practice.

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ourPractices

In response to the growing needs of its clients, the firm began expanding in the early 1980's and today is a diverse full-service law firm providing trial, appellate, coverage, commercial and real estate transaction services.

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ourresults

Kubicki Draper enjoys a national reputation for expertise in the handling of complex, high stakes litigation matters, as well as, appellate, general commercial and real estate practice.

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ourreach

With a dozen offices throughout the State of Florida and other key points in the southern parts of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississipi, our firm is familiar to every venue statewide and will never get home-teamed.

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