Michael is a veteran first-chair trial lawyer with extensive trial experience, including 20 jury trials as an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office. As a prosecutor, Michael prosecuted white-collar crime, government corruption, and violent organized crime. Notably, working with state and federal joint task forces, Michael prosecuted some of the first New York cases involving national and international internet drug-trafficking and tried large multi-defendant conspiracy cases. 

In the 15 years since he left the New York County District Attorney’s Office, Michael’s practice has focused on white-collar criminal defense and internal investigations, but he is equally adept at applying his well-honed skills to complex commercial litigation. Michael has litigated and tried numerous civil cases concerning, among other things, commercial torts, breach of contract, civil fraud, securities fraud, unfair competition, defamation, civil RICO, and conspiracy claims. 

Before co-founding Glenn Agre Bergman & Fuentes, Michael was a partner at Kasowitz Benson Torres, an assistant district attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office, and a litigator at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Michael has represented:

  • Multi-million-dollar corporation in an action to recover over $150 million dollars in damages for negligent legal advice that led to adverse action by the EPA.

  • A former debtor and its affiliates as appellees, in a bankruptcy appeal related to the Chapter 11 cases of 710 Long Ridge Road Operating Company II, LLC.  

  • An international metals company in a federal criminal investigation, a government civil forfeiture action, and related private civil actions involving charges of tariff violations and international smuggling.
  • Real estate developers in New York Attorney General Martin Act investigations and related criminal investigations by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
  • Business owners in fraud, larceny, and racketeering investigations by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, resulting in no charges being filed.
  • Business owners in separate bribery and government corruption cases investigated by prosecutors in the Southern District of New York and Eastern District of New York, resulting in no charges being filed.
  • Fairfax Financial Holdings, a publicly traded company, in a civil RICO action against participants in an illegal short-selling scheme involving defamatory and fraudulent market reports, financial news articles, and internet publications.
  • A travel company in a $100 million action against a multinational bank for misappropriating a travel deal distribution platform.
  • Business owners in a fraud and extortion trial in New York State Supreme Court against a defendant previously convicted in a criminal RICO case prosecuted by the Connecticut U.S. Attorney’s Office.
  • A not-for-profit institution victimized by embezzlement in an action for conversion and misappropriation, in coordination with a parallel state criminal investigation and prosecution.
  • Numerous individual entrepreneurs and businesses against felony charges by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, including commercial and securities fraud, antiquities law and art-related sale and use tax law violations, sexual assault, and extortion.
  • Numerous individuals, including female executives and professionals, as plaintiffs in employment discrimination actions for racial, gender, and/or sex discrimination under New York State and City Human Rights Law, including against a major international New York-based law firm.
  • New York financial firms and a prominent commercial architect firm as defendants in employment discrimination actions for racial, gender, and/or sex discrimination under New York State and City Human Rights Law.
  • Lawdragon, Top 500 Leading Litigators, 2025

CREDENTIALS

  • New York University School of Law, J.D., 1992
  • University of Dayton, B.A., 1989
  • Law clerk to the Honorable Charles Sifton, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of New York, 1992-93

ADMISSIONS

  • State Bar of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York