Our Attorneys

Todd Michaels

Todd Michaels, a lifelong Miami-Dade resident, joined The Haggard Law Firm in 2009. In May 2014, he was named partner at the firm. Todd handles a wide array of the firm’s cases involving wrongful death and catastrophic personal injury, representing clients who were injured through the negligence of others. His practice involves negligent security, premises liability, aviation, pool drowning, auto accident and other injury cases. In 2012, Todd was lead counsel in the case of Snell vs. Family Food Saver. The trial resulted in a verdict of $5.7 million for the Snell family. It was the largest premises liability verdict in the State of Florida that year. 

Todd is a member The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40 and also serves as a board member of the Florida Justice Association and Miami-Dade Justice Association. He has been listed as one of Florida’s “Super Lawyers” and "Top 100 Super Lawyers in South Florida," as well as “Best Lawyer in America” and Florida Trend’s “Legal Elite.” 

Before joining The Haggard Law Firm, Todd served as an assistant public defender for nearly five years. During his last year with the public defender’s office, he worked as a felony training attorney, supervising other felony trial lawyers. After leaving the public defender’s office, Todd served as a federal public defender and a private criminal defense practitioner. He tried in excess of fifty trials in both the State and Federal Court systems.

In 2002, Todd received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.

Admissions

• State Bar of Florida
• Southern District of Florida

Practice

• Partner, The Haggard Law Firm (2014-Present)
• Associate, The Haggard Law Firm (2009-2014)
• Assistant Federal Defender, Law Offices of the Federal Defender (2009)
• Associate, Law Offices of Mark Seiden (2008-2009)
• Associate, Law Offices of Milton Hirsch (2007-2008)
• Assistant Public Defender, Law Offices of the Public Defender, 11^th Judicial Circuit (2002-2007)

Education and Honors

• University of Miami School of Law, Juris Doctorate (2002)
• University of Michigan, Bachelor of Arts (1999)

Professional Accomplishments

• American Association for Justice, Member
• Best Lawyer in America (Listed: 2011 to present)
• Dade County Bar Association Young Lawyer Minority Mentoring Program, Member
• Daily Buisness Review: Top 40 Lawyers Under 40 (2014)
• Daily Business Review: Top Verdicts & Settlements of 2013 - Largest Premises Liability Settlement in Florida (2013_Brackett)
• Florida Bar Grievance Committee, Member
• Florida Justice Association, Board Member
• Florida Justice Association Bronze Eagle Award, Recipient
• Florida Justice Association Young Lawyers Section, At-large board member
• Florida's Super Lawyers "Rising Star" (Listed: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
• Florida's Super Lawyers "Super Lawyers" (Listed: 2014)
• Florida's Super Lawyers "Top 100 Lawyers in South Florida" (Listed: 2014)
• Florida Trend Legal Elite Up and Comer (Listed: 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
• Marquis’ Who’s Who in America (Listed: 2008)
• Miami-Dade Justice Association, Board Member (2nd Term)
• National Association of Plaintiff’s Injury Attorneys: Top Ten Under 40 in Florida (2013)
• National Black Law Students Association Advisory Board, Board Member
• The Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers – Miami Chapter, Young Lawyer Director
• The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40, Member

Civic Memberships and Associations

• Carma Haiti Foundation, Board Member
• Community Partnership for the Homeless, Volunteer
• Little League Baseball, Coach and Sponsor
• Miami-Dade Police Department Police Academy, Speaker
• Redemption Project, Volunteer
• Scholars Today Leaders Tomorrow, Board Member
• 5000 Role Models of Excellence Program, Role Model and Mentor