Michael Gulisano, Esquire
Michael Gulisano was born and raised in South Florida. Before attending law school, Mr. Gulisano received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Central Florida where he majored in Art and Communications and minored in English Writing.
Mr. Gulisano received a Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2010. Mr. Gulisano graduated magna cum laude and finished in the top 7% of his class (13 out of a class of 183). While in law school, Mr. Gulisano was an editor for the St. Thomas Law Review.
After passing the Florida Bar, Mr. Gulisano worked as an associate for several large, medium, and small-sized firms. During that time, Mr. Gulisano gained invaluable experience practicing in multiple areas of the law.
However, while working for other law firms, Mr. Gulisano witnessed habits and actions by firms of every size that he did not believe were in the best interests of the clients. In 2015, Mr. Gulisano opened up his own law firm, founding Gulisano Law on the belief that the client’s interests come first.
Mr. Gulisano has experience practicing in all types of civil litigation, such as breach of contract and torts, personal injury, debtor and creditor’s rights in bankruptcy and foreclosure, appellate matters, pursuing violations of consumer protection statutes, such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, and enforcing employee rights, including issues under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Mr. Gulisano has handled dozens of jury trials and bench trials in both State and Federal court and participated in oral arguments in front of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the Second, Third, and Fourth District Courts of Appeal for Florida.
In addition to the Florida Bar, Mr. Gulisano is also admitted to practice in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida.
Published Opinions
Alsina v. Gonzalez, 83 So. 3d 962 (Fla. 4th DCA 2012) (successfully reversing a trial court’s order dismissing a client’s case).
Doran v. Countrywide, 122 So. 3d 377 (Fla. 3d DCA 2013) (successfully upheld a final judgment of foreclosure).
Josh Salman, Selling Hope to Homeowners Who Have None, Sarasota Herald-Turbine, October 4, 2014 (quoting Motion to Dismiss, In re Abundant Life Trust, No. 8:13-bk-03221 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2013)).
Botting v. Goldstein, No. 0:15-cv-62113, 25 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. D285 (S.D. Fla. Dec. 21, 2015) (denying defendant’s motion to dismiss alternative contractual state law claims in FLSA action).
King v. 12 Visual, Inc., 2:19-CV-00634-FTM-60-NPM, 2020 WL 588285 (M.D. Fla. Feb. 6, 2020) (counterclaims are generally not allowed in FLSA actions where the effect is to deprive the employee of their wages).
Casas v. Ganaway, No. 2018-011731-SP-26, 28 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 451 (11th Cir. Ct. Aug. 6, 2020) (successfully reversing trial court’s order granting summary judgment in favor of tenant).
Tavarez v. Nu-Way Towing, Inc., 326 So. 3d 133 (Fla. 3d DCA 2021) (successfully reversing trial court’s order dismissing the plaintiff’s claim).
Belanger v. Belanger, 334 So. 3d 361, 362 (Fla. 4th DCA 2022) (“The trial court has discretion to refuse a continuance even where a party’s attorney has withdrawn.”).
Lewis v. Max Granite, LLC, 339 So. 3d 1023 (Fla. 4th DCA 2022) (successfully reversing final judgment entered against plaintiff, which awarded greater relief than the court could grant).
Goknar v. Goknar, et al., 363 So. 3d 1145 (Fla. 2nd DCA 2023) (successfully reversing trial court order awarding opposing party attorney fees incurred in establishing the amount of fees actually awarded).
Vera v. Toledo, 357 So. 3d 771, 771 (Fla. 3d DCA 2023) (“Preliminary negotiations designed to lead to an agreement do not, by themselves, constitute an agreement, as there is no mutuality of obligation or consideration.”).
Macs v. Star Intercom Corp., 373 So. 3d 852 (Fla. 1st DCA 2023) (appeal from adverse decision by administrative judge in workers’ compensation claim).
Sooji Nam, Experts Weigh in on HCA Healthcare Security Breach of Millions of Patients, WPBF-TV 25 ABC, July 11, 2023 (quoting Mr. Gulisano on legal ramifications of data breach).
Raffay v. Longwood House Condo. Ass’n, No. 3D22-1911, 48 Fla. L. Weekly D1876, 2023 Fla. App. LEXIS 6598 (Fla. 3d DCA Sep. 20, 2023) (“Ongoing nonperformance can constitute a continuing breach while a contract remains in effect, so that the accrual of a cause of action for breach of contract is not ‘limited to the [party’s] initial breach.’”).
1 Sol. Driving & Traffic Sch., Inc. v. Dep’t of High. Saf. & Motor Vehs., 373 So. 3d 1152 (Fla. 4th DCA 2023) (appeal from an adverse ruling in an administrative law proceeding).
Mowder, Jr., et al. v. Smith, No. 3D23-776, 49 Fla. L. Weekly D324c, 2024 Fla. App. LEXIS 918 (Fla. 3rd DCA Feb. 7, 2024) (part performance of an oral contract for the sale of real property defeats a statute of frauds defense).
Dev-Land Demolition & Site, Inc. v. Trekker Tractor, LLC, No. 3D22-1965, 49 Fla. L. Weekly D530, 2024 Fla. App. LEXIS 1801 (Fla. 3d DCA Mar. 6, 2024) (“A trial court is accorded broad discretion in the formulation of appropriate jury instructions and its decision should not be reversed unless the error complained of resulted in a miscarriage of justice or the jury instructions were reasonably calculated to confuse or mislead the jury.”).
Jackson-Crawford v. Sch. Bd. of Seminole Cnty., No. 23-11290, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 16933, 2024 WL 3371413 (11th Cir. July 11, 2024) (appeal from order granting summary judgment on plaintiff’s claim for unlawful retaliation after she filed a charge of discrimination with the EEOC).
Michelle Nadeau, The Viability of Employer Claims Against At-Will Employees, Fla. B. J. Vol. 98, No. 5, 30, 32 (Sep./Oct. 2024) (quoting King v. 12 Visual, Inc., 2:19-CV-00634-FTM-60-NPM, 2020 WL 588285, at *2 (M.D. Fla. Feb. 6, 2020)).
Murphy v. Mia. FL Home Sols. LLC, 400 So. 3d 705 (Fla. 3d DCA 2024) (Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.540(b) “is not the vehicle to correct mere legal error.”).
Maestrales v. Maestrales, No. 4D24-1879, 50 Fla. L. Weekly D 1795, 2025 Fla. App. LEXIS 6162, 2025 WL 2326237 (Fla. 4th DCA Aug. 13, 2025) (reversing order removing client as personal representative of father’s estate, which trial court entered in violation of client’s due process rights).
Other Interests
Development Team, Andor’s Trail (2018-2019), contributed ideas and content to the video game for mobile devices. Available for free on Google Play Store for Android devices.
Vice-President / Board of Directors, Addison Court Homeowners’ Association, Inc. (2017–2018).