MICHAEL RUDOLPH

Michael is one of only 2 Board Certified Workers’ Compensation attorneys in Northeast Florida. Board Certified attorneys are the only attorneys allowed by the Florida Bar to call themselves “Experts” in their field of practice. It also means Michael goes to trial, as Board Certification requires an attorney to have a certain amount of trials just to sit for the all-day exam, and continue to go to trial to retain this prestigious designation. Michael has been Board Certified since 2007.

Graduating from Stetson University College of Law in 1991, Michael has spent all 30 plus years of his career representing the injured workers and disabled citizens of Florida, from Miami to Tampa, from Pensacola to Jacksonville. He has been recognized by those clients and given the prestigious AVVO Clients’ Choice Award. This recognition is given to attorneys based on outstanding reviews from their own clients. AVVO, an independent rating website has also recognized Michael with a perfect 10/10 rating.

You can review Michael on AVVO by going to http://www.avvo.com/attorneys/32217-fl-michael-rudolph-1280948.html.

Other industry recognitions include being chosen as a Florida “Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics Magazine which lists the State’s top 5% of attorneys, listed by Jacksonville Magazine as one of Northeast Florida’s Top Attorneys and is named by Florida Trend Magazine as one of Florida’s Legal Elite. He is AV Rated by Martindale Hubbell – it’s highest rating denoting both ability and ethics. This rating is based on evaluations by judges, mediators and Michael’s peers. It should be no surprise that Michael has also been named one of America’s Most Honored Professionals.

Not content just to represent clients, Michael was a founding member of the E. Robert Williams Inns of Court, an organization of judges, mediators, defense and claimant attorneys dedicated to professionalism and the ethical practice of law. Michael served a 2 year term as president which has approximately 60 members in Northeast Florida. Ethics amongst attorneys is paramount to Michael and he has served on the Florida Bar Fourth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee “04A” receiving a Meritorious Service Appreciation certificate from the Florida Bar.

For many years Michael served on the the Workers’ Compensation Executive Council – a Statewide board of claimant and defense attorneys who establish rules and positions for the entire workers’ compensation system in the State of Florida. Within the organization Michael served on the Forum Committee which puts on the most highly regarded 2 day seminar each year in Orlando, FL attended by hundreds of attorneys, judges, mediators, adjusters and medical and vocational professionals. Michael has spoken numerous times presenting “Permanent Total Disability”. Who would YOU want handling your permanent total disability claim if not the very attorney teaching other attorneys and judges about PTD?!

Teaching and lecturing is one of Michael’s passions. He has lectured at Florida Coastal School of Law, presented ethics lectures for Webster University, Law and It’s Relationship to Medicine for the Duval County School System, has been a Florida Justice Teacher at Fruit Cove Middle School, and presented other seminars including Basic Workers’ Compensation (Lorman Educations Services), Handling a Social Security Disability Case in FL (National Business Institute), Permanent Total Disability Under the New Act (Florida Workers’ Advocates) and Hot Topics for 3 years at the Florida Workers’ Compensation Convention in Orlando.

Our community is just as important to Michael. He has served as Guardian Ad Litem for neglected children, is a current Board Member for the Child Cancer Fund, has presented numerous presentations in our public schools, coached his daughter’s soccer teams and even served as the Federation Tallykeeper for Indian Princess/Adventure Guides. (His Indian name was “Slinging Bull”, a tongue in cheek reference to his role as an attorney! )

When not serving his clients, the legal community and the citizens and children of N.E. Florida, Michael is an avid backpacker, camper, hunter and sports enthusiast. Joining him on many of his backpacking expeditions are his wife Melanie and his daughter Jordyn, as well as his 2 Boxers Archi and Stella. Michael was even featured in the Jacksonville Lawyer Magazine for his deep winter backpacking expeditions in an article titled “Roughing it With Michael Rudolph”. That’s one tough lawyer! Let Michael fight for you!

Professional Activities & Involvement

Jacksonville Bar Association (Member, Sections on: Workers’ Compensation; Social Security ) The Florida Bar (Member, Workers’ Compensation)
Author: “Are Consenting Adults Responsible to Sex Partners,” Pinellas County Review, Vol. 39-No 23, May 1991;
Speaker: “Handling a Social Security Disability Case in Florida,” National Business Institute;
“Basic Workers’ Compensation,” Lorman Educational Services; Supreme Court Certified, Guardian Ad Litem
Speaker – Annual Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference (2008, 2009, 2010)
Frequent Lecturer – Florida Costal School of Law, Member – Florida Workers’ Advocates
Former Case Law Editor, News and 440 Report
Speaker: Hillsborough County School System; Duval County School System
Florida Workers Advocates.
Lecturer: Webster University; Certified Justice Teacher.
Settled one of the largest workers’ compensation case in US history at $13.5 million.