Michele Morales

Michele D. Morales is the Managing Partner of the Orlando office. She focuses her practice in defense of national corporations in catastrophic personal injury actions. Michele has obtained defense verdicts in numerous high exposure jury trials in areas including premises liability, nursing home litigation and auto liability. Her win ratio at trial including cases with seven and even eight figure exposure is more than 95%. The daughter of Cuban refugees, Michele put herself through college and law school by working odd jobs. Her strong work ethic has gained her a national reputation among her peers, including being tapped as Florida’s sole female Hispanic member of the prestigious American Board of Trial Advocates.

Ms. Morales was born and raised in Florida. After high school, she worked various jobs to fund her college education and graduated with honors from Florida State University. Following college, Ms. Morales gained valuable life experience by working in the hospitality industry and backpacking through India, ultimately learning of her acceptance to the University of Florida School of Law while trekking the banks of the Ganges. Ms. Morales excelled in law school and then gained an additional master’s in health care administration which prepared her for her later work in nursing home litigation.

Following law school, Ms. Morales began her career at CSK, rising to the rank of partner in four years. She later moved to Orlando and became a senior partner at a national law firm, representing some of the nation’s largest corporations in complex litigation while winning dozens of trials as lead counsel. Ms. Morales gained a reputation for winning particularly difficult cases with high damage exposure. She returned to CSK in 2022 and brings her vast experience in complex litigation and trial victories back home to the firm where she began her career.

Ms. Morales is married to a trial attorney. One of Ms. Morales’ life-long dreams was to adopt a child from an underprivileged country. In 2012, she and her husband traveled to Ethiopia to adopt their youngest daughter Taraken, who joined their older two children to form a unique family which now includes two rescue dogs and five rescue cats. The family continues to grow as Ms. Morales remains active in pet rescue and fostering.

Volunteer/Community Involvement

UCP of Central Florida, Board Member (3/2013 – present)

• Member of the executive committee (2015 - present)
• Chair of the Risk Community

Orlando Science Center – Winter Park, FL (2/2012- 2015)

• Member of the Science of Wine Committee dedicated to promoting the Mission of Science Center
• Assisting to grow the event to the Science Center’s largest fundraiser in only three years

Kristi House Miami, FL. Board member (September 2005 – 2008)

• Actively working on the board to provide support services to children who are the victims of sexual abuse;
• Member of the Executive committee 2005 and 2008;
• Member of the Nominating Committee (2006 – 2008);
• Nominating Committee Chair 2008- present;
• Recruiting and overseeing new board members;
• Assisting in fundraising efforts by obtaining sponsors for various events.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami, FL (2003-2005)

• Mentoring at risk teen aged boy by participating in weekend and after school activities

Seminars/Lectures

• Faculty Lecturer for the NBI on damages in personal injury, Orlando, Florida (December 2016)
• Lecturer for Westminster Services Semi-Annual Corporate meeting addressing all areas of tort liability and risk management 2003 - present
• Denying the Workers’ Compensation Case Without Worry, Orlando, Florida (March 2013)
• Faculty Lecturer for the NBI seminar on Auto Claims and Uninsured Motorists, Orlando Florida (2010)
• Faculty Lecturer regarding investigation of claims, Orlando, Florida (December 2008);
• Speaker FAHA end of the year conference, Orlando, Florida (2007);
• Speaker FIFEC Conference on bad faith and SIU claims, (co-author of educational materials) Orlando, Florida (2007);
• Faculty Lecturer on punitive damages case in products liability matter, (co-author of educational materials) Miami, Florida (2006);
• Faculty Lecturer for the NBI seminar on nursing home negligence and punitive damages (author of educational materials), Miami, Florida (2006); Orlando, Florida (2005);
• Faculty Lecturer for the NBI seminar on Federal Courts, West Palm Beach, Florida (2005);
• Speaker at CSK’s annual firm seminar in multiple topics including premises liability and punitive damages (co-author of the educational materials);
• Guest speaker at multiple client seminars on various topics of particular interest to the audience in all areas of tort liability.

Languages

Fluent in Spanish

• American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
• Defense Research Institute (DRI)
• The Florida Bar