MEET MICHAEL
Michael is
a bankruptcy and creditors' rights and restructuring attorney
and a business and commercial litigator.
Michael provides counsel to businesses and individuals in a broad array of bankruptcy and insolvency matters.
Michael represents bankruptcy trustees and other fiduciaries, debtors, lenders and other secured creditors, unsecured creditors, creditor committees, and buyers of estate assets in complex business and consumer bankruptcy cases, including Chapter 11 reorganization (traditional and Subchapter V) cases and Chapter 7 liquidation cases, as well as in assignments for the benefit of creditors cases and in out of court workouts.
Michael also represents parties in bankruptcy adversary proceedings and in state and federal court lawsuits involving business disputes and complex litigation.
Michael is an experienced practitioner and a trusted advisor to his clients
having handled a wide variety of bankruptcy and bankruptcy litigation matters throughout his career, including business reorganization cases and liquidation cases (including cases involving Ponzi schemes and fraud, merchant cash advances (MCAs), healthcare, and retail), avoidance actions (including pursuing and defending fraudulent transfer and preference claims), and dischargeability actions (including with respect to taxes). Michael also interned while in law school for a Southern District of Florida bankruptcy judge.
Michael draws on his business and accounting background
as a licensed CPA who has worked throughout his career with trustees and forensic accounting firms and from his experience before practicing law interning at a forensic accounting firm, a national tax firm, and an international accounting firm.
Michael is family-oriented
happily married to his wife Ashley Boxer and father to their daughter Mae.
Experience, Education, & Admissions
Lessne Law, Attorney at Law and Founder (February 2022 – present)
Edelboim Lieberman Revah, PLLC, Attorney at Law (February 2022 – August 2022)
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP, Partner (August 2018 – February 2022)
Broad and Cassel, LLP, Partner (February 2017 – August 2018) (Broad and Cassel combined with Nelson Mullins on August 1, 2018)
GrayRobinson, PA, Shareholder (October 2009 – February 2017)
University of Miami School of Law, JD (2009)
University of Florida, MAcc, Accounting (2006)
University of Florida, BS, Accounting (2006)
Michael is a member of the Florida Bar, the United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Florida, and Northern District of Florida, the United States District Courts for the Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Florida, and Northern District of Florida, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal, and the United States Supreme Court.
Michael is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Florida.
Service & Leadership
President, Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Southern District of Florida (BBA) (7/1/2024 – 6/30/2025), Board of Directors (2014 – present); Treasurer (2019 – 2020), Secretary (2020 – 2021), Second Vice President (2021 – 2022), First Vice President (2022 – 2023), President Elect (2023 – 2024)
Special Projects Leader, Commercial and Regulatory Law Committee, American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) (2023 – present)
Board of Directors, Florida Engineers Management Corporation (FEMC) (public member) (2/16/2024 – 2/15/2028)
Leadership Florida, Connect Class 11 (2020 – 2022)
Board of Directors, Leadership Broward Foundation (2019 – 2024), Vice President of Engagement (2021 – 2024)
Host Committee, Delish 2022, Arc Broward (2022)
Board of Directors, Ex Officio, Broward Performing Arts Foundation (2019 – 2020)
Steering Committee, Ghost Light Society (2015 – 2021); Vice-Chair 2019, Chair 2020
Steering Committee, Historic Stranahan House Museum’s Annual “Holiday Hangover” (new–year kickoff event) (2015 – 2019)
Board of Directors, Deliver the Dream (2015 – 2018)
Committee Member, Turquoise Takeover Task Force, American Lung Association (ALA) in Broward County (2017)
Leadership Broward, Class XXX (2017)
Leadership Fort Lauderdale, Class 18 (2011); Vice-Chair (2013 – 2014); Curriculum Chair (2014 – 2015)
University of Miami Rothschild Entrepreneurship Award (2008)
University of Florida Fisher School of Accounting Ed Triplett Leadership Award (2005)
Subchapter V, Bankruptcy Bar Association for the Southern District of Florida CLE "Brown Bag," Panelist (Jan. 25, 2023)
Are Nondischargeability Provisions of Section 523(a) Extended to Corporate Debtors in Chapter 11 Subchapter V Cases?, The Bankruptcy Protector, Author (Nov. 8, 2021)
The Intersection of Cannabis and Bankruptcy, Bankruptcy Bar Association for the Southern District of Florida CLE "Brown Bag," Moderator (Apr. 30, 2019)
Leadership Broward: "Serving Up Leadership," Moderator: Gregory Adam Haile, President, Broward College (February 27, 2019); Gino Santorio, President & CEO, Mount Sinai Medical Center (June 6, 2019); Kenneth Stiles, CEO, Stiles (February 9, 2021); Ginger Martin, President and CEO, American National Bank (May 25, 2021)
Pre-Bankruptcy Best Practices in Litigation, Moderator (Nov. 29, 2018)
Fifth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Complaint Seeking Injunction to Prevent Medicare Recoupment Prior to Conclusion of Administrative Appeal based on Violation of Procedural Due Process, Healthcare Essentials, Author (Aug. 6, 2018)
Notable Recent Supreme Court Cases, Bankruptcy Bar Association for the Southern District of Florida "Brown Bag," Moderator (June 27, 2018)
Large Overpayment Debts…Is Bankruptcy and Option, Home Care of Florida’s (HCAF) 28th Annual Conference and Trade Show, Speaker (July 27, 2017)
Common Tax Issues in Bankruptcy, Broward County Bar Association – Bankruptcy Section, Speaker (Mar. 29, 2017)
Intersection of Family Law and Bankruptcy Law, Bankruptcy Bar Association for the Southern District of Florida "Brown Bag," Moderator (June 29, 2016)
Tax Issues in Bankruptcy, Bankruptcy Bar Association for the Southern District of Florida "Brown Bag," Moderator (Mar. 24, 2015)
DBPR Appoints Public Member to FEMC Board (April 2024 Newsletter)
BBA Brown Bag: Subchapter V (Jan 25, 2023)
Attorneys Chosen for Fort Lauderdale Illustrated’s Top Lawyers List (Oct. 1, 2021)
Attorneys Named to Palm Beach Illustrated's Top Lawyers List (Sept. 1, 2021)
Nelson Mullins Attorneys Selected For Inclusion in 2022 "Best Lawyers" (Aug. 19, 2021)
Chambers USA Guide Recognizes Nelson Mullins Attorneys and Practices in 2021 (May 21, 2021)
Partner Michael Lessne to Participate in Leadership Florida’s Connect Class 11 (Dec. 10, 2020)
214 Nelson Mullins Attorneys Selected For Inclusion in 2021 "Best Lawyers" (Aug. 20, 2020)
Chambers USA 2020 Recognizes Nelson Mullins Attorneys and Practices (April 23, 2020)
195 Nelson Mullins Attorneys Selected For Inclusion in 2020 "Best Lawyers" (Aug. 15, 2019)
Michael Lessne Featured in Q&A with DBR's On the Rise Honorees (May 7, 2019)
Fort Lauderdale Partner Michael Lessne Wins the Daily Business Review’s 2019 On the Rise Award (Mar. 18, 2019)
Michael Lessne Named Finalist in Local Up and Comer Awards (May 14, 2018)
Michael Lessne Graduates from Leadership Broward (Published online by Chambers and Partners, Oct. 3, 2017)
Two GrayRobinson Bankruptcy Partners Jump to Broad and Cassel (Published by dbr Daily Business Review, Mar. 7, 2017)
The Best Lawyers in America, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation - Bankruptcy for Michael Lessne (2018 - 2025) and Metropolitan Ranking Fort Lauderdale Tier 1 for Lessne Law (2023-2025)
Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Star (2016 – 2019), Super Lawyer (2022 – 2025)
Boca Raton Observer's Top Lawyers of 2024
Florida Trend's Florida Legal Elite (2022)
Fort Lauderdale Illustrated, Top Lawyer, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2020 – 2021)
Palm Beach Illustrated, Top Lawyer, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2021)
Daily Business Review's On the Rise Award (2019)
Finalist for Up & Comers Award for Legal/Law Broward by South Florida Business and Wealth (2018)