Michael Ansell is the founder and managing member of NextGen Counsel LLC. Throughout his years in practice, Michael focused on a variety of areas that impact small businesses, including contracts, employment, commercial leasing, corporate governance, construction, and general litigation.

Michael has extensive experience litigating a wide range of matters, including employment-related disputes, union grievances, personal injury claims, commercial lease disputes, class actions, Consumer Fraud Act claims, corporate/shareholder disputes, intellectual property litigation, estate disputes, legal malpractice claims, construction defect claims, construction contract disputes, and secured property actions. During this time, Michael has conducted numerous jury and bench trials, arbitrations, and administrative hearings in both New Jersey and New York.

In addition to representing clients involved in litigation, Michael has provided advice and counseling to businesses to ensure compliance with industry-specific regulations, employment laws and regulations, and corporate governance. He has also assisted businesses in drafting and negotiating various contracts and policies, and offered comprehensive guidance to start-ups and small businesses, such as:

-Preparing handbooks and policies
-Drafting and reviewing non-disclosure agreements, restrictive covenants, master services agreements, arbitration and class action waivers, and independent contractor agreements
-Providing guidance on wage and hour issues, employee classification, internal complaints, and termination

Before founding NextGen Counsel, Michael spent over ten years working with two mid-sized law firms based in New Jersey. Prior to that, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Lawrence M. Lawson, Assignment Judge of the New Jersey Superior Court, Monmouth County, and interned for the Honorable Michael A. Shipp, District Court Judge, United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Michael’s experience in litigation gives him an edge over purely transactional attorneys due to his dealing with a myriad of problems businesses are likely to encounter. As a litigator, Michael has been the one called upon to analyze all contract terms, potential loopholes, and conflicting interpretations that can cause an issue for a business or be its saving grace.

Accolades

-Securing a settlement after two weeks of trial on behalf of an employee in a discrimination litigation against the State

-Successfully represented a defendant in a slip and fall action after liability had already been admitted by the defendant, and secured a judgement of no damages against the defendant

-Obtaining a judgment of $2 million on behalf of an employer against a former employee for unfair competition and theft

-Prosecuting a complex estate dispute involving foreign bank accounts and trusts valued in excess of $30 million

-Obtaining judgment against an insurance carrier and broker following trial arising from fraudulent claims handling, tortious interference, and violations of the Consumer Fraud Act

-Michael was also named a “New Leader of the Bar” in 2021 by the New Jersey Law Journal.

Affiliations

Michael is licensed and authorized to practice law in the following jurisdictions and courts:

-State of New Jersey
-State of New York
-United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
-United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
-United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
-United States District Court for the Northern District of New York

Michael is currently or previously has been involved with the following organizations:

-Member, New Jersey Bar Association
-Member, New York Bar Association
-Member, American Bar Association
-Member, Monmouth County Bar Association
-Committee Member, Monmouth County Bar Association, Labor and Employment Committee
-Former Committee Member, Monmouth County Bar Association, Professionalism Committee
-Member, New York County Lawyers Association
-Member, New Jersey Association for Justice
-Graduate, Haydn Proctor Inn of Court
-Former Board Member, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monmouth and Middlesex Counties
-Former Board Member, Arts Coalition of Asbury Park
-Former Board Member, Ocean Township Chamber of Commerce