Mike was admitted to practice in North Carolina in 1982, after having received a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1971, a master’s degree in education from North Carolina State University in 1976 and a Juris Doctor degree from Campbell University in 1982. While in law school, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Campbell Law Review. Prior to attending law school, Mike was employed for seven years as a public secondary school teacher, coach, guidance counselor and assistant principal.

In 1989, Mike was first certified as a Specialist in Family Law by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization; he has limited his practice to family law since 1989. Mike is licensed to practice before the United States Supreme Court, United States District Courts for the Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina, the North Carolina Supreme Court and all subordinate courts. He has successfully argued family law cases before the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the North Carolina Supreme Court.

Mike was certified as a Family Financial Mediator by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission in 1999. He serves frequently as a mediator and an arbitrator in family law is a member of the Wake County Bar Association, the North Carolina Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the North Carolina State Bar, the North Carolina Advocates for Justice and has been a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers since 2004.

Mike is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education programs. He has earned an AV-Preeminant rating, the highest rating given by Martindale-Hubbell. Mike has been recognized by North Carolina Super Lawyers as a Super Lawyer in Family Law (2006-2018), by Business North Carolina magazine as one of the Legal Elite (2009- 2018) and was selected by US News and World Reports for inclusion on its list of The Best Lawyers in America in 2009-2019. In 2010, he was elected by his peers to the NC Legal Elite Hall of Fame. Mike was named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers